The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks is warning landlords that they need to be extra careful when preparing inventories for student properties. Millions of students are checking in and out over the next few weeks and any mistakes made now could prove to be costly.
Double Check All Items on an Inventory
“Tenants should be issued with a copy of the inventory at the beginning of the tenancy and I urge them all to double check all the items listed at that time and to ensure that all items remain in the property, in good condition, when moving out. If there is something missing it can often be cheaper for the tenant to replace it rather than for the landlord or agent to do so,” explains Pat Barber, chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks.
“For letting agents and landlords, it is important to go through the inventory fairly and thoroughly when undertaking the check-out process. If both sides of the rental transaction hold up their side of the bargain, the amount of deposit disputes can be kept to a minimum this summer.”
Inventory Preparation
Landlords can prepare their own inventories or employ a third party company to take care of the inventory. If you do your own inventories, make sure you include plenty of detail. Use a combination of narrative and photographic or video evidence. Photos are good, but they need to be backed up with detailed descriptions. The more detailed your inventory is the better. That way, if you end up in a dispute over property damage or missing items, you have the evidence to back up your claims.
