We Offer all landlords an Inventory or Property Inspection Service (you do not need to be letting through us to use this service).
Please enquire regarding prices and availability.
What Is An Inventory? Why Are They So Important?
An inventory, or ‘Schedule of Condition’ is a document that is produced and handed to a tenant before they move in to a property. The document lists the cosmetic condition of the property, including how clean each area is.
If a property is furnished, the inventory will also itemise the furniture and its condition. Every item of upholstered furniture must also be checked to ensure it meets the legislation written within The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. This legislation sets the levels of fire resistance that fabrics / upholstery need to be to be considered ‘safe’. All upholstered property in a rented property should have the fire retardant label left attached.
The inventory should be as detailed as possible. All cupboards and drawers should be opened and inspected for wear and cleanliness. Comments should detail how clean all sanitary wear is. The cooker should be inspected for grease. Areas like extractor hoods should be listed and detailed. The inventory should cover everything from the garden gate to the back fence of the property.
Inventories are the ‘benchmark’ of what the property is like when a tenant moves in. Therefore, if a professional clean has been carried out, then this should be noted (ideally with a copy of the invoice paid). If the property has been redecorated, or new flooring laid, then this should be listed with the month and year that these improvements were carried out
The more detailed an inventory is, the more protection it offers to be both landlord and tenant.
Inventories must never be ‘biased’, they must be a clinical review of how the property has been handed over to the tenant.
The inventory is absolutely vital to ascertaining when a tenant moves out if any damage has been caused by them, or if it was already evident when they moved in
It is imperative that both the tenant and the landlord check an inventory thoroughly. As this document is the main evidence for any deposit claims a landlord may wish to file at the end of the tenancy.
If a tenant or a landlord notice any errors or omissions in the inventory then they need to let us know as soon as this is spotted, and always within 4 days of the tenancy start date.
Want to book an inventory or property inspection, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to submit your enquiry.
Property Inspections
For all of our fully managed properties we aim to carry out a routine property inspection twice per year. The aim of property inspections is to make sure the tenants are happy, that there are no obvious tenancy breaches and that there are no obvious unreported maintenance issues.
Our inspections are limited to what we can easily see, we will not open cupboards, move furniture or look under rugs.
We always ask tenants if there is anything of concern, and if applicable, we will discuss tenancy renewals with tenants at this time. We can also use the opportunity to discuss renewal options, such as renewing the tenancy for another fixed term, so having a new Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, or going onto a statutory periodic tenancy (rolling contract). Please see the section later on in this guide that explains the differences between the two)
We use sophisticated software to produce the reports for landlords, and landlords are sent a copy of the completed report once it is finalised.
Inspections are important for both landlords and tenants. They give tenants the opportunity to show us the property and discuss their future plans, they give landlords the opportunity to see that their property is being looked after, but also quite often to think about future improvements that will become necessary.
We also offer a property inspection service to landlords for properties we do not fully mange. Contact us for the fee structure on this.
For more information either give us a call on 020 8859 2200 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
