1. Don't need an inventory if the property is unfurnished A property inventory is a comprehensive report of everything at the property as well as it’s condition. Not only would it include furniture items at the property, but also everything the property is made up of such as the walls, skirting and flooring. Damage can not only happen to removable items but to anything within a property so it is important that these things are referenced in the report. Alterations or damage can occur to any area of the property therefore if the landlord does not have evidence of how the property was when the t ..read more

In basic terms, an inventory is a written document, accompanied by photographs, that details the property contents as well as the condition. Even if a property is unfurnished, an inventory is still an extremely important document to have as it will be your proof of the appearance of the property before the tenants moved in. Although the condition of each item should be listed in the main inventory report, generally, an inventory will also include a schedule of condition as well. This tends to be a short statement of the overall condition of the contents, including (very importantly!) the clea ..read more

It is no secret that the lettings industry as a whole is dragging its feet when it comes to entering the world of tech. Letting agents and landlords can be quite “stuck in their ways” with their ways of working and not easily tempted away from their usual practices. The idea of using technology to help let or manage a property can seem daunting. Younger adults have been found, during a recent study, to use a wider breadth of technologies compared with any other age group so it is not surprising that the lettings industry, where the average age of a landlord being 60 years old, has some reluct ..read more

Mould is the absolute bane of the lettings industry. Tenants usually want to blame the property whilst some landlords are quick to pass the buck to the tenant. Is mould a landlord responsibility or the responsibility of the tenant and is the question really that simple? To start with, what actually is mould? Well, there are several different types of mould however black mould is one of the most common type found in homes. It is caused by excess humidity or dampness and can spread quickly if the underlying cause is not dealt with swiftly and efficiently. The cause of the mould is generally wha ..read more

Not many landlords or tenants are aware of this but there is a suggested formula to calculate a monetary amount a landlord can fairly charge a tenant for any particular area. This formula has been created to help avoid landlords claiming more than a tenant would rightfully be obliged to pay, which can also be considered “betterment”. There are several inputs that need to be considered before proposing deposit deduction costs to a tenant: · Age of item · Length of tenancy · Number of occupiers including their ages · Quality and original condition of item · Wear and tear or damage Differentiati ..read more

Throughout my time, firstly as a letting agent and then an independent inventory clerk, I have handled countless checkouts, some of which can end in a disagreement between landlord and tenant. A deposit dispute, especially when escalated to an adjudicator, can be stressful, time consuming and most of all can be completely avoidable. There are several regular scenarios that I tended to see when it comes to deposit disputes and below is an easy guide to dodge them! 1) Let’s start with the obvious one first- get an inventory! If you do not have an inventory/schedule of condition it would be near ..read more