Once you've got your house ready to rent out you will need to create an inventory of all the fixtures and furniture. This will help protect you and your tenant.
Wear and tear is inevitable so when a tenant leaves your property it won’t be in the exact same condition as when they moved in. But if there’s unreasonable damage or there are missing items the tenant will usually need to pay for repairs or replacements.
An inventory will help:
- Identify changes to the condition of the property
- Highlight reasons for making deductions from the deposit
- Provide evidence to help an adjudicator make a fair decision in a formal dispute
An inventory is a report about the condition of the property before the tenant moves in. A good inventory will include:
- Details of fixtures and fittings;
- Record of furniture and furnishings;
- List of contents
- Condition of the property and contents;
- Details of any existing wear and tear;
- Photographs of the property and contents
You should go through the inventory with your tenant before they move in so you can agree that it is correct. You and the tenant should keep signed copies of the inventory – this is often called the ‘check in report.’
At the end of the tenancy you and the tenant should repeat the process to make sure there are no problems and keep signed copies of the final inventory – often called the ‘check out’ report. Click here to download an example inventory.