Creating and agreeing to an inventory with your tenant could prove essential in a dispute.
Detailing the contents of the property, the condition they are in and also the condition of the property, this document could prove vital to resolving disputes regarding the return of tenants’ deposits. It is best prepared by an independent party on the day the tenant moves in and should be as detailed as possible. All parties should initial each page, sign the document, and receive a copy.
Click below to get your free landlord property inventory template.
How do I create an inventory for a rental property?
You can create an inventory by drawing up a list of the items, furniture, fixtures and notable features within the home – and recording their current condition. The appearance and structure of the inventory is up to you, and this is true across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The list will be short if you let an unfurnished rental property, while a furnished property list will be much longer.
It is common to leave space on the landlord inventory document to make notes when you and your tenants inspect the property. Equally, you should include photos showing your property’s condition in more detail.
Be careful to include any features which may be subject to dispute later, and anything particularly valuable or important to you. You can use the free templates linked in this article to get you started. Each one guides you through the main rooms in a home and the items usually included there. Afterwards, you can download the document as a PDF (or Word doc), and print it for you and your tenants.
Who inspects rental properties?
A landlord and tenant should inspect the property together. The property inspection should happen before the tenancy begins and again after the tenant moves out. Completing a property inventory report protects both the tenant and the landlord. Because both parties are at risk for liabilities, both should be present during the initial and move-out inspections.
When a tenant is about to sign a tenancy agreement, the tenant and landlord should inspect each room of the property together and, using an inventory, agree on the condition of…
Fixtures and fittings, such as curtain rails, light fittings, carpets and the general decorative state of the property;
Any furniture included in the rent, as well as things like kitchen appliances;
Other household items, such as kitchen utensils and cookware, are included in the rent.
Any existing marks to walls, frayed edges of carpets, numbers of plates/pans/cutlery items, and other items that might be the subject of dispute should be noted on two copies of the inventory and signed by both parties, each of whom should then keep a copy.
When the tenancy ends, the inventory should again be referred to by both parties. Any loss or damage that has occurred since the signing of the original inventory can be noted and deducted from the deposit paid by the tenant at the beginning of the tenancy.
If you like a custom, wholly personalised rental inspection report, use the link below. It takes about 5 mins to create and provides an inspection report tailored to your specific property.
>> Download a CUSTOM Landlord Inventory Template Form
Alternatively, if you want to download a generic template, use the link below.
>> Download a GENERIC Landlord Inventory Template Form
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