Taking a Landlord Inventory in South East London

A comprehensive inventory provides protection to landlords and tenants if there are any disputes over the property condition when the tenancy ends. If you are a landlord with property in Lewisham, Canary Wharf or Deptford, an inventory and regular inspections can help to ensure you are not left out of pocket when a tenant moves out.

Even tenants who have glowing references could cause damage to your property leading to a dispute, so in addition to having the right level of insurance cover, an inventory is an essential document to have.

What is a landlord inventory?

A landlord inventory is an accurate record of the property’s contents and their condition, covering fixtures and fittings, appliances, floors and walls. If you are providing a furnished property rental, it will also include a record of the condition of furnishings.

The document includes descriptions of the condition of all aspects of the property, and it is a good idea to include photographs and videos of conditions as evidence. An inventory should be completed at the start of the tenancy and a copy should be signed by the tenant to confirm that they are in agreement with the stated condition of everything listed.

It is best to have a walk round the property with the tenant so that they can raise any issues they may have with any of the details before they sign the inventory. Then, a few months down the line, you should follow this up with a landlord inspection checklist to check that the different parts of the property have been kept in good condition.

If there are any disputes regarding the condition of the property at the end of the tenancy, landlords can use the free dispute resolution service that is provided by the tenancy protection scheme they transferred the deposit into. The service will review the evidence to make a decision on whether the landlord can withhold some or all of the tenant’s deposit to cover any damage to the property that is considered more than wear and tear.

Be aware that you cannot charge tenant fees for an inventory, which is stated under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (England).

Differences between schedule of condition and inventory

An inventory and a schedule of condition are often confused. An inventory lists all the items in the property and their descriptions, while a condition report is the part of the inventory that contains notes about the condition of each area of the property.

The condition report provides a detailed description of the condition of items, such as if there are any scratches, stains or cracks.

What a landlord inventory should include

When you are creating an inventory, you can either write it up yourself or use a template to ensure you include all the necessary information.

If you are creating it yourself, you should include the following:

1. General Information

You should include all the general information about the property including the address, number of rooms, landlord and tenant names, and the date of the inventory. You should also record the utility meter readings.

2. Room-by-Room Inventory

This section should describe all the features within a room, including any furniture, lights, flooring and walls, fixtures and fittings. Descriptions of blinds, curtains, doors and locks should all be included.

Record the number of keys provided to the tenant and which doors or windows they are for. Also list each element of the heating system, such as radiators and their condition.

3. Kitchen Inventory

The kitchen inventory covers all the kitchen appliances provided in the rental property. The inventory should include fridge and freezer, cabinets, worktops, oven and hob, sinks and taps as well as any other appliances in the kitchen such as washing machine and dryer.

If your rental property includes cookware, utensils, dishes and small appliances like toasters or kettles, include these too.

4. Bathroom Inventory

Your bathroom inventory should detail all fixtures and fittings, such as toilet, sink, shower/bath and mirror. Also include condition details about tiles, flooring, towel racks and lighting. If there is an extractor fan, this should be included and its working condition.

5. Bedrooms And Living Areas

Describe the condition of all items in the bedrooms and living areas including beds, settees, tables, chairs, lighting, walls and floors. If you are providing ornaments or artwork in the property, be sure to include these. If you have fireplaces, you should also detail this and state the working condition.

6. Outdoor Areas

If the property has an outdoor space, such as balcony or garden, include everything such as a shed, any garden furniture, gardening tools, clothes drying equipment and recycling bins. Give a description of the condition of any lawn area, plants, decking etc. and include whether maintenance of the garden is the tenant’s responsibility in the tenancy agreement.

7. Safety And Compliance Checks

Any smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms should be in the inventory, along with the results of tests for alarms that are legally required. You should test the alarms and do visual checks of electrics and gas appliances.

You will also need to provide the tenant with a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate and the Electrical Installation Condition Report.

Additional Evidence For Landlord Inventory Checklist

Taking photos and videos of the property condition is highly recommended to provide evidence in the event of a dispute. Do a complete walkthrough video of the property, including indoors and outdoors. You can also include videos of you testing appliances to show that they are in working condition.

Take photos of all rooms from a wide angle, as well as close up photos to show any issues like scratches, stains, cracks, etc. Photograph the utility meter readings too.

Tools For Landlord Inventory

There are digital tools for landlord inventories that you can use to make sure that all information is captured. The available software you can use includes solutions like InventoryBase and Inventory Hive. However, you can create your own inventory document in Word or download an online template.

For photos and videos, you just need a smartphone and then make sure that you save all the files, along with a digital copy of the inventory, in a backed-up location, such as iCloud.

Landlord Inventory Checklist Questions

When to use a landlord inventory template?

A landlord inventory template should be used when a tenant moves into your property at the start of the tenancy. It is also a good idea to complete check out reports at the end of tenancies, to run through any issues with tenants.

Why is an inventory for landlords important?

An inventory provides protection for both landlords in tenants should there be a dispute about loss of an item or damage to property.

Can a landlord do their own inventory?

Yes, landlords can do their own inventory for their rental property.

Do you need a landlord inventory service?

No, landlords do not need to use a landlord inventory service but using an independent inventory clerk can be beneficial. It means that you don’t have to do the work involved in completing the inventory and the report will be impartial, meaning it will carry more weight if there is a dispute. Ultimately, this is just another cost of being a landlord, so avoid it if you feel you have the capacity to do it yourself.

If you are looking to rent out property in Canada Water, Southwark or Bermondsey, we can help with tenant finding, inventories and property management. Contact us to find out more about our services.