Inventory & Condition Reports

As we are independent and impartial from both parties, we attend the property either on the day or slightly before the tenancy is due to begin. We record and document the entire property; its contents and the condition and cleanliness of every area and item. This ensures Landlords can’t exaggerate how ‘good’ their property is, nor a Tenant exaggerate how ‘bad’ a property is when they move in. We take a professional and impartial view and so it makes the process of agreeing the Inventory & Building Condition Report easier, reliable and robust for all parties concerned.

What is recorded in a professional, impartial and independent report?

The written record captures quantity, colour, material, condition, damages, cleanliness and working order. Photographs are date and address-stamped.

Item/Entry	Written Evidence	Photographic Evidence
Outside the property	Yes	Yes
Utility meter readings	Yes	Yes
Property overview	Yes	–
Provision of heating	Yes	Yes
Household status	Yes	–
Smoke detectors	Yes	Yes
Carbon-monoxide detectors	Yes	Yes
Useful item locations	Yes	–
Standard of cleanliness	Yes	Yes
Appliances and equipment	Yes	Yes
Internal decoration (Ceiling, coving, walls, dado/picture rails, wall fixings, skirting boards, flooring, rugs/mats).	Yes	Yes
Doors and windows (External doors, internal doors, door frames, windows, window sills, curtain poles/rails, curtains, blinds).	Yes	Yes
Heating (Radiators/heaters, fire place, fire).	Yes	Yes
Lighting and electrical (Power sockets, light switches, ceiling lights, wall lights, telephone and aerial sockets, detectors, extractors).	Yes	Yes
Furniture and equipment (Table/desks, seating, television, cabinets, beds, mattress, linen, wardrobes, lamps).	Yes	Yes
Kitchen and bathroom specific (Appliances, work surfaces, tiling/splash-backs, kitchen units, sink/wash basin, toilet, bath, shower, screens, tray).	Yes	Yes

Some Letting Agents use ‘off-the-shelf’ apps and software which can make the process of creating an Inventory Report quicker, however in our opinion and following many trials and tests we find although it may be quicker, the final reports can be somewhat lacking in their content and descriptions. To the point in fact where they can’t be relied upon by the adjudication services to decided on a deposit dispute at the end of a tenancy.

We have been provided with Inventory Reports produced by Letting Agents and Landlords in the past where we have taken over their report requirements. They are almost always below an acceptable standard, both in the condition descriptions, the quality of photographs (if any) recorded and the overall depth in which they record the actual condition of the property.

Examples of issues from reports produced in-house

Carpet – described in the written word as ‘Good Condition’.	The photographs taken of the carpet (by the Letting Agent) in question clearly show a large stain and iron burn mark to the carpet before the Tenant(s) moved in. The Letting Agent confirmed they use ‘drop-down’ boxes from the app they use which sometimes means ‘things get missed’.
Washing machine – described in the written word as ‘Good Condition’.	After the Check-out Report was sent to the Landlord, they replied to say that their washing machine was missing. When we reviewed the evidence, there was in fact a washing machine in the Kitchen when the Tenant(s) moved-out, moreover it was in ‘Good Condition’. After further questioning of the Landlord, they claimed they had provided the Tenant(s) with a ‘high-end’ appliance, costing almost £600. What in fact had been left in the Kitchen by the Tenant(s) was a ‘base model’ machine worth less than half that! The adjudication services dismissed the Landlord’s claim based on the fact there was no written record of the make or model of the washing machine on the Inventory Report. Moreover, the only photograph provided as evidence by the Landlord was taken from such a distance, it was unclear as to the brand or model.
Carpet – described in the written word as ‘Good condition.	The photographs taken of the ‘carpet’ (by the Letting Agent) in question clearly show a wood laminate flooring in this room and not in fact, a carpet. This resulted in the damage to the laminate flooring indeed being caused by the outgoing Tenant(s) being dismissed by the adjudication services due to the view the evidence provided was unreliable.
Lounge door – completely split in two with signs of an axe or hammer being used witnessed during the Check-out Inspection.	The written word of the original Inventory Report produced by the Letting Agent using an app stated ‘Doors – Good condition’. Because the Inventory Report did not state how many doors in fact lead-off the Lounge (of which there were three), the adjudication services dismissed the Landlord’s claim to deduct the damages from the Tenant(s) deposit, explaining ‘there is no evidence of how many doors lead from this room, nor their individual condition’.
Walls – described in the written word as ‘Emulsion walls, good condition’ (with no mention as to the shade or colour’. This was a written Inventory Report without photographs.	The outgoing Tenant had painted a bedroom completely black, including the door, skirting boards and window sill. The finish to the redecoration was in fact good condition. Unfortunately, the Landlord claimed the bedroom was originally magnolia with white gloss woodwork. With it being the Tenant(s) word against the Landlord, again the adjudication services deemed ‘there is no evidence of what colour the decoration of this room was at the start of the tenancy’.

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