Inventory / Schedule of Condition

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What is an inventory?

An inventory is the itemisation of goods and their condition. Also known as a schedule of condition and will document in detail the items in the property, the decor and their condition. Every landlord should have an inventory for each property, Orchard recommend a professional inventory Clerk carries out the inventory. Even if the property is being let unfurnished it is important an inventory is done, because the inventory will also point out the condition of the walls, curtains, carpets, bathroom, kitchen appliances, garden and the property as it stands.

One of the most common disagreements' between landlords and tenants are arguments about the condition of the property and its contents, and deductions from the damage deposit at the end of the tenancy. Most of these arguments can be prevented by drawing up a detailed inventory documenting the items and condition inside the property before the tenancy starts.

Care should be taken by going through the house room by room, noting on the Inventory all the items in each room. Even if you are letting a property unfurnished it is a good idea to have an inventory to record the condition of the walls and carpets, etc., in case of future dispute.

Equally it is important to ensure a note of the condition of the items on the form, for example, if there is a stain on the carpet or rug, so that the tenant is not blamed for this at the end of the tenancy.

The inventory (which should be prepared in duplicate) should be checked with the tenant before he moves into the property and the landlord and tenant should each sign the Inventories at the foot of every page.

Any alterations made at that time should be marked on both copies so that they are identical. One of the signed copies should be attached to the tenant's tenancy agreement and given to the tenant, and the other attached to the landlord's tenancy agreement and kept safely.

Check Out

When the tenant is about to leave, the landlord (or his agent) should meet him at the property and go through the inventory with him again, room by room. If there are any missing or damaged items, it is often possible to sort out how much should be deducted from the damage deposit there and then.

Many landlords believe that if their property is unfurnished, then they do not need an inventory, because there is very little that can be stolen, broken or damaged. However, just think about your beautiful magnolia walls being painted pink and purple and the tenant leaves them in that state. You deduct monies from the tenants' deposit and the tenant sues you for the money. Now prove to a judge that you had an inventory prepared by an independent third party and that the state of the property had been noted prior to the tenant inhabiting the property. You can't, the judge or the independent arbitrator at one of the chosen deposit protection schemes sides with the tenant and you not only have to give the money back, but also have to pay costs as well and for the tenant and ontop of that you have to pay to rectify the damage /changed back to its orginal condition.

Every property should have an inventory. All inventories should be prepared by an inventory clerk. Inventory clerks are the independent persons who will go through your property with a tooth comb and note everything, Even for a 1 bed flat, the inventory can still run into many pages surprisingly. If you prepare an inventory yourself and the tenant disagrees with the inventory he /she may refuse to sign it. You need an signature on the inventory to prove that it is valid. A tenant is unlikely to disagree with an inventory prepared by a professional inventory Clark.

A judge will not look favourably upon an inventory prepared by a landlord, because they will see it as an amateur attempt to fulfill a duty. Judges are notoriously favourable to tenants and they will tend to find in their favour every step of the way unless there is absolute solid evidence pointing the other way.