Inventory check in

Landlord Discussion
1

Hi

My property is on rent from last 4 years and always with letting agents. We paid hefty amount for inventory check in.

This time I want to do it by myself. Any suggestion how to do it?

Also how to approach for deposit protection by myself too?

2

I use a DIY inventory app smarterinventories.com. it is very cheap and allows you to create professional looking inventories which you can send to your tenants for digital signing. There are also other inventory platforms that do pretty much the same thing. They give you a brief description of how to document everything and also the deposit companies also give guidance. It is easy to do it yourself as long as you have the time. I take around 160 pictures for an unfurnished 2 bed property which takes me 2 - 3 hours.

Best!

3

@Keta

Get an inventory company to do it professionally. If you get them direct it’d a lot cheaper than via letting agents but it’s much better to have independent assessment of cleanliness and condition.

You can find on eg Klerky Home | Klerky

(I can recommend https://coreinventories.co.uk/ in s london).

At the very least any good inventory company will supply a sample report so you can see what they provide if you decide to do yourself

There are some templates online which might help to eg https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/staticimages.openrent.co.uk/content/InventoryTemplate.doc

Deposits protection has to be done via one of the 3 gov approved schemes. So sign up for an account on one of them eg mydeposits and follow their process. It’s very easy. Make sure you serve the prescribed info about the deposit to the tenant. Details here

Best

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4

Thank you @David240 for all your prompt and needful replies.

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5

If you’re using RPI then you may find that doing your own inventory invalidates it. Check!

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6

I would advocate using an insured deposit, that way you keep the deposit until they leave. A bird in the hand. !!

7

Any security deposit has to be put in one of the 3 govt approved schemes. LLs cant keep it themselves.

Best

8

I have many in insured schemes including My deposits

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9

Yes they can. I have several, all insured and registered correctly. Keep up.

10

@Ray12

“Any security deposit has to be put in one of the 3 govt approved schemes. LLs cant keep it themselves”

See this

"Your landlord must put your deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDP) if you rent your home on an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 6 April 2007. In England and Wales your deposit can be registered with:

Are you claiming this govt advice is somehow wrong? Or are you referring to deposits from before the requirements to put into one of the 3 govt approved schemes came in?

It’s not the LL’s money it’s the Tenant’s in any case. The LL can claim against it at end of tenancy but certainly doesn’t ‘keep it’

Best

11

@David240

I had better check again at my end then. I may be in hot water !!

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