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You might be excused for assuming that all property inventory services are the same and that all you have to do is choose the lowest service provider and you’re set.

Of course, that’s not the case at all…

As you are aware from general life experience, standards vary widely from top to bottom in any service business. This is why it’s important to get at least three quotes for anything (including inventories) so you can not only compare costs, but also the quality of the report. Remember, you might want to pay a little more for a better quality report because that report could save you a huge amount of money later on. This brings us to the topic of this blog post; your property inventory and the main reason for having one.

Tenant Disputes Are A Very Real Thing

As a landlord or letting agent, you rapidly discover that not all tenants are made equal. Some are amazing; they take care of the property, pay their rent on time, and if anything does need to be done around the house or flat, they’ll politely request the fixes without leaving things too late and costing you more than you would otherwise have had to spend.

And then there are the other kinds of tenants. They don’t care about the property, they are late with their rent (if they pay at all), and they either constantly demand that you fix minor issues, or they don’t tell you about a problem so that it causes a huge amount of damage.

And this is why you should seek the best-in-class property inventory service rather than the cheapest inventory service, assuming they are two different things (it might be that the best is also the cheapest – it’s certainly possible, as any client of Looksy Inventories knows well). There could be a big difference.

In essence, your property inventory report serves as the basis for your legal defence if you find yourself in a legal conflict with a troublesome tenant. It is your word against your tenants in the absence of such a report.

In any case, if you carefully record the status of your home and its assets with precise photographs and descriptions, then get the tenant to sign off in a mutually agreed-upon contract, your chances of recouping money for damages are much better. Your inventory report is a kind of insurance against any mishaps – intentional or otherwise – that your tenants might fall victim to.

Ask To See An Example Property Inventory Report

Of course, it’s always difficult to break away from your current provider, even if you’re not happy with the price you’re paying or the reports you’re getting. Who knows? You might end up in a worse position if you choose to move. However, it’s entirely possible you’ll be in a much better position – a safer position – if you make the switch too. So what can you do? The answer is to make sure you ask to see an example property inventory report. Any good inventory clerk will have one or more to show you, and you can see exactly what you’ll be getting.

As professional and experienced inventory clerks, we’ve seen many different inventories. Some are a joy to go through and work from when conducting a checkout, for example. Others are scrappily put together, missing many elements, and that makes our job harder, the landlord’s claims more difficult, and the inventory itself worthless.

Make sure your inventory records are always accurate and professional since you never know when they may be needed in court.

If you’re looking for a seasoned property inventory partner, get in touch with us now to see how we can provide you with peace of mind for years to come.

What a strange question, right? How to use your inventory? But it’s not all that strange when you think about it, and that’s exactly what this post will be about. The issue is that most landlords (and tenants) don’t use their property inventory in the right way. They book it and look through it (an excellent start) and then don’t think about it again until after the tenant has moved out.

What landlords (and tenants) really should be doing is looking at that report and any interim reports (also known as mid-term inspections) when the tenant gives their notice to leave the property. Leaving it until after they have gone might be too late. Let’s look into this in more detail.

How To Use Your Inventory As A Reminder

When you think about how to use your inventory, the first thing to consider is that it can be a perfect reminder of the condition the property was in at the start of the tenancy. By reading through it, and by encouraging your tenants to do the same, you’ll get a better idea of what to expect when they leave.

In fact, gently reminding the tenants that they need to leave the property in the same way they were given it, and that all the information they need to enable them to do that is in the property inventory is a good idea. Remind them of this, and also remind them that their deposit relies on them getting this right. The inventory will be the ideal roadmap to help them put things back how they found them, leading to fewer instances where a dispute has to be raised.

How To Use Your Inventory As A Predictor

Another good use for your inventory is to give you an idea of what to expect when the tenant leaves. Although the original inventory won’t necessarily help here, the interim reports will. They will show you how well the tenant is taking care of the property, and you’ll have a prior understanding of what state the property will be in when they leave. If they haven’t taken care of things during the tenancy, it is likely they won’t take too much care when they leave either. However, if the interim inspections have shown they’ve been looking after the place, you probably don’t have too much to worry about (this is not guaranteed, of course, but it’s a good rule of thumb).

Once they have left, no matter what the property is like, you can compare the check-out report to the original inventory and immediately see if there are any issues. This means there will be no delays in any action needs to be taken – remember, if you do nothing, the tenants have a right to their deposit back within 10 days of vacating the property, so if you want to make a claim, you need to do it asap.

Want To Know How To Use Your Inventory? Contact Looksy Inventories Today

At Looksy Inventories, we are experts when it comes to property inventory reports, check-ins, check-outs, and mid-term inspections. We can handle every report you need, and we’ll do it in an unbiased, efficient, professional way. Simply get in touch with us today to book your inventory or to ask questions; we’ll be happy to answer them.

It’s possible that when your tenants move out, you’ll be faced with a long list of repairs and replacements. Even if all it takes is a fresh coat of paint or a few screws to secure some wobbly shelves, preparing the home for the next set of tenants may necessitate investing more time and money on your side. This can include the need to hire an inventory clerk.

Inventory and check-out reports, such as those generated by Looksy Inventories, are essential if your tenants are causing damage or loss to your property and leaving it unsuitable to rent. In order to avoid paying out of pocket, you may use the proof in these documents to legally keep some or all of your tenant’s deposit.

There are a lot of landlords out there who don’t know where to start when it comes to finding how to hire an inventory clerk and a company to handle their property management needs. Read on to find out more.

What Does An Inventory Clerk Do?

Before a home can be rented out, you need to hire an inventory clerk to meticulously document the property’s condition and contents. Whether they are individuals or part of a larger property management company, they provide services to clients.

When a renter moves into a property, an inventory clerk will document the current state of each fixture and meter reading. Afterwards, they will return to inspect the property towards the conclusion of the tenancy period. You might also want to hire an inventory clerk to carry out interim or mid-term inspections.

For the most part, the condition of the rental property when the tenant vacates determines whether or not they get their whole deposit back. When a tenant’s tenancy ends, the inventory clerk and the property management team will serve as unbiased witnesses to any changes within the property.

What Do Inventory Clerks Record?

An inventory report serves as documentation of the property’s condition at the beginning of the tenancy. In addition to the furnishings in the house, this covers everything from the state of the appliances to the condition of the windows, doors and locks to the ceiling and walls to the flooring and blinds.

As soon as a tenant moves into a property, an inventory should be agreed upon and updated, if required, by all parties involved. In order to establish that a property has been damaged and should be repaired from the tenancy deposit, an agreed-upon report will be necessary.

How To Hire An Inventory Clerk

Inventories are used on a daily basis by landlords and letting agencies. A new inventory report is needed for each new tenancy, and this report is often created by an inventory clerk. This person might either be employed by the rental firm or recruited on an independent contractor basis.

Inventory clerks can be found by contacting a lettings agency and asking about their methods, or by performing your own search. Search for inventory clerks in Kent or Sevenoaks or Bromley or Folkestone, and you’ll find Looksy Inventories – as well as in many other places in between. Get in touch today if you need to hire an inventory clerk; we can help you.

As a landlord or even as a letting agent, you might think that hiring an expert inventory clerk to carry out your property inventory reports is a waste of money. After all, you could do it yourself and not have to pay anything – it wouldn’t take long, and it’s just a box-ticking exercise, right?

Wrong.

There is a lot more to property inventory reports than ticking some boxes, and, when done right, it’s a long process, sometimes taking many hours for a larger property. Can you really afford to spend all that time in one house or flat when you have other things to do? Let’s look at exactly why outsourcing your inventory reports is a good idea, and you’ll soon understand why engaging Looksy Inventories to help you is the best – and most cost-effective – thing to do.

Why Outsourcing Property Inventory Reports Is Your Best Option

When a third party carries out your property inventory reports, they will be impartial, thorough, and professional. They are objective. This can be hugely important should anything have to go to adjudication.

Inventory clerks are well-versed in all scenarios and have extensive expertise. We know what to look for.

Expert property inventory clerks are focused on providing inventory reports, interim inspections, check-ins and check-outs, so we are specialised and adept at dealing with a variety of difficult and sometimes strained situations (especially at check out) that agency staff may not be equipped to handle.

Specialists provide high-quality, complete inventory reports that are highly regarded by legal organisations in the event of a dispute.

Inventory clerks have the requisite skills, aptitude, and training for the work, which necessitates a different set of abilities than an agency or landlord.

Inventory clerks are highly trained and work hard to ensure that there are no difficulties with the quality of the property inventory reports so that the adjudicators are satisfied.

Each inventory report may cost up to 50% more if performed in-house – inventory clerks save you time and money with their skilled service.

Professional inventory services reflect highly on agents and landlords and improve their image in the eyes of the general public and business customers.

Professional, complete inventory reports impress landlords and show that the agency is offering a professional service and trying to safeguard the landlord’s property by using the best-qualified employees to prepare and furnish these reports.

External inventory clerks provide agencies and landlords a competitive advantage by freeing up their time and money.

Contact Looksy Inventories Today

To discuss costs, book a report, or to talk more about what we can do, please don’t hesitate to contact Looksy Inventories today. We are ready to help you.

Landlords must understand what their tenants want in rentals. What attributes do renters search for in a property? What should landlords look for when buying a buy-to-let property? What turns off tenants?

Some landlords fail to understand precisely what tenants want, while some tenants struggle to locate a house that suits their requirements. In this post, we will discuss the top attributes that tenants look for in a rental and what landlords can do to increase tenant interest.

Location

People wanting to rent homes place a high value on location. Most people want to be near to local shops, facilities, and public transportation, as well as their employment.

Of course, if you already have a rental property, you cannot move it. When considering acquiring a buy-to-let property, landlords should consider the location as well as the sort of tenants it would appeal to.

Tenants prefer not to reside too far away from local facilities. This is particularly true if they do not have a car and transportation options are restricted. It’s crucial to have a supermarket, GP, pharmacy, and other services nearby, and school catchment areas are a key concern for families.

Because location of rentals is a major determining factor for renters, landlords should mention all surrounding facilities in the property advertisement description.

Safety & Security

Every tenant wants to feel secure in their home. Most individuals would not prefer to rent a house in a high-crime area, thus location and safety often go hand in hand.

Renters like the confidence of a functional security system with alarms and robust locks on windows and doors, in addition to the area’s crime rate. As a result, landlords must ensure that the rental property has an operational security system.

Landlords can make their tenants feel safer by installing CCTV, adding additional locks and a peephole to the front door, and ensuring all safety certifications are in place, in addition to having a functional security system.

A mid-term inspection to see the property is also suggested for landlords to check that everything in their property is safe and functional. This also allows the renter to address any questions or concerns they may have.

Outdoor Space

Many renters like having their own outside area in rentals, whether it’s a garden, patio, or balcony. If such possibilities aren’t available, being close to a neighbourhood park is frequently a huge draw for tenants, particularly those with small children.

Having outside space allows residents to enjoy the sunlight during the warmer months, hold outdoor gatherings for family and friends, and have a separate spot to relax in. Outdoor space has been especially popular during the pandemic since individuals were confined to their houses for so long and realised how crucial it was to have that outside space.

If the house has a garden, upgrading and enhancing it might help to attract more potential renters. This demonstrates to tenants that the landlord is concerned about the property and prepared to make adjustments. It may also boost the property’s value.

Open Plan Rentals

Open floor layouts are becoming more popular. Nowadays, many homes include an open-plan kitchen and dining room, which makes even the tiniest areas appear much bigger. This allows renters a lot more freedom, enabling them to use it as a dining room, lounge area, or even an at-home office space. Open-plan layouts are often suitable for student leases and HMO residences with community areas.

Landlords may want to consider demolishing a wall in their kitchen or living room to create a place for an open-plan space. If an open-plan concept is not a possibility, landlords should consider eliminating large pieces of furniture that may take up a lot of space in particular areas.

Parking & Transport Links

Transport connections are a key draw for renters, particularly students and commuters. Of course, you can’t modify the transportation options in your region, but you may emphasise them in your property advertisement. Transport connectivity, as well as the overall location, should be considered when acquiring a buy-to-let property. Nearby bus, subway, or tram stations may pique your curiosity, as will easy access to main roadways, particularly in commuter towns.

Having a dedicated parking place is essential for drivers. If landlords have the opportunity, providing renters with access to a parking area or garage would be much welcomed. This not only gives convenience, but it also adds security by enabling residents to be near to their automobile.

If you are a student moving away from home into leased housing, it can be both an exciting and daunting idea, and there is a lot to think about when selecting the perfect home for the next 12 months. University students and parents often assume that student living is the most cost-effective and socially good alternative, but they fail to consider the benefits of private housing. We give more information on renting a private residence, as well as the benefits of moving into private housing.

What Is Private Housing?

Private housing refers to a property that is held by a landlord – either a person or a property business – and is rented out to tenants. Tenants will often engage through a letting agency operating on behalf of the landlord or directly with the individual landlord.

Costs & Budgeting

Because you have the ability to tailor your expenses to reflect how much you approximately use, living in private housing may result in lower utility costs. Your provider will assist you in determining the best bundle depending on each individual’s daily use. Living with your friends could also help you save money on expenses and help you budget. Remember that full-time students are free from council tax, but you must notify your council that you are qualified in order to prevent getting an unexpected charge.

Bills are included in the rent for some homes for university students, which can be extremely reassuring. You won’t have to worry about finding the lowest energy provider or the best internet packages; all you’ll have to think about is your rent in this kind of private housing.

Location

When initially browsing for somewhere to live, it’s normal to get drawn in by the cheap costs for student accommodation and become carried away with arranging viewings, but if the property is miles away from university, you’ll spend a significant amount of money and time on the commute alone. It may have an impact on your social life since your friends may be unwilling to travel the lengthy distance, and you could feel excluded from the spontaneous nightlife. You will also need all of the time you have due to your university timetable. Often, there will be private housing available to rent near university campuses, shops, and entertainment in a variety of pricing levels. All it takes is the correct search.

Who Will You Be Living With?

Uncertainty about who you will be living with can be frightening. When you move into private housing, you have the option of living alone or choosing who and how many people you want to live with. This can make starting life at university a lot easier.

Quality Of Private Housing For Students

The standard of student housing for rent has evolved throughout time. In contrast to the typically antiseptic atmosphere of student halls, many landlords provide a contemporary, safe, and homey ambiance. You may frequently discover houses with a lot more character, and you may also be able to customise your home to your preference (subject to the landlords approval).

It’s crucial to emotionally prepare for moving. To move is to make a plan. It is to make a list, make a decision, coordinate, sort, and manage. But more than this, no matter how excited you might be to do it, it’s also to uproot, to search through forgotten items, to relive memories, and finally to pack or give them away.

Moving is both physically and emotionally demanding. You’re employing muscles you’ve forgotten about and organising massive quantities of data. But, in the middle of it all, you’re also swapping a location where you have a plethora of memories for a place where you’re likely to have none. You’re giving up a known history in exchange for an uncertain future. You’re exchanging walls that have seen birthdays, anniversaries, first steps, new friendships, amazing dinners, fresh flowers, tiny moments, and final encounters for walls that have no value. This is not easy, at least not for most people. This is why it’s so important to emotionally prepare for moving.

So here’s a list of the best methods for dealing with emotions when moving.

Say Goodbye

Spending time with family and friends before going away is the ideal way to say your heartfelt goodbyes and emotionally prepare for moving. Organise a goodbye party, invite your friends over to watch a sports event on TV, or play a card game. Or why not take them out to a good restaurant for dinner, to see the newest blockbuster, or just to have a long walk in the park? These golden hours with your loved ones are the ideal time to warn them of the impending shift, exchange contact information, and plan when, where, and how often you will meet again.

It’s also necessary to say farewell to your favourite spots since you may not be able to see them again for years. Take one final trip around your neighbourhood or to your favourite sites – simply try to recapture the positive memories associated with each location. Hopefully, these condensed unforgettable mental pictures can come in handy later on while you’re attempting to acclimatise to your new surroundings.

Get Plenty Of Rest

Being well rested is essential for coping with emotional stress and will make you feel a lot more emotionally prepared for moving. Make every effort to plan ahead of time and obtain at least eight hours of sleep. This is an important aspect of being emotionally prepared. There’s no need to add to the burden by being fatigued. Make sure you know when the moving staff will arrive so you can set an alarm and be prepared.

Take Care Of The Little Things

It is often the small things that wear us down and make us more vulnerable to high levels of emotional stress. So, the day before, fill up all of your vehicles with fuel. Make sure all of the documentation you need is in a secure location where you can easily access it and where it won’t be mistaken for rubbish or placed in an inconspicuous box. Keep your home and car keys in the same area to make it easier to find them. Do as much cleaning as you can ahead of time so that you have one less thing to worry about at the end of the move. Having those items taken care of will help to lessen stress on moving day.

Moving is not always easy on the emotions, but with little mental preparation and these ideas, you can start to reduce the stress and emotionally prepare for moving.

Although the majority of tenancies end with no problems, a checkout report can bring ultimate peace of mind to both the landlord and the tenant. And if there is a problem at this potentially sensitive time, the checkout report is there to help – it is an unbiased record of exactly what the state of the property was when the tenant moved out. 

When you have a checkout completed by an independent inventory clerk such as the experts at Looksy Inventories, landlords and tenants can avoid most disputes. If there is still a problem, the report itself is the evidence needed if you choose to take the case to adjudication with the TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme). It’s clear that having a checkout carried out at the right time by the right professional inventory company is crucial. 

What Is A Checkout Report?

Before we go any further into exactly what landlords need a checkout report carried out, let’s delve a little deeper into what this report actually is and what it entails. Essentially, the checkout inventory report is a thorough record of the condition of the property once the current tenants have moved out. Every room is inspected, and a report is made on the state of how the tenant left it. This report provides all the evidence needed to justify any deduction that the landlord might need to make for repairs or other issues that the tenant’s time in the property has meant needs to be done. It will also show the landlord what work needs to be done before they can rent the property out again. 

When compared to the full inventory report that your inventory clerk did at the start of the tenancy, the checkout report makes it easy to see what changes have occurred – good and bad – within the property and a full assessment as to the landlord’s next steps can be made. If there is a dispute, both documents together will form the main evidence in an adjudication process, and if either is missing, the TDS is more than likely going to give the tenant the benefit of the doubt because who’s to say when the damage was caused and who by? It could have been there when they moved in unless the checkout and inventory prove otherwise. 

What Does A Checkout Report Include? 

A checkout report will give you a detailed description of the cleanliness, overall maintenance, and specific damage within a property. At Looksy Inventories, every checkout report is meticulous and thorough and will contact photographs as well as in-depth descriptions. 

It’s hard for a landlord to be objective when it comes to their property, especially if they have owned it for some time, or perhaps they once lived in it themselves, and it can often be hard to determine what is damage and what is fair wear and tear (something that you cannot claim for). The checkout report will make it clear so that the landlord can decide on their next course of action. 

What Are The Benefits Of A Checkout? 

As a landlord, it could be tempting to bypass the checkout altogether. After all, if you have the full inventory report completed, is there any need for the checkout? Can’t you just move on after the tenant leaves? Of course, it’s always down to you; it’s your property and your business, but there are many benefits to having a checkout report, and here are some of them:

• An independent checkout expert shows your tenant you are being fair 
• A tenant is much more likely to agree to any issues if a third party completes the checkout report
• A checkout report promotes a positive landlord-tenant relationship 
• A checkout report will reduce unnecessary costs and save the landlord time 
• The checkout will ensure a much smoother transition from one tenant to the next, ensuring you have less time with an empty property on your hands 

At Looksy Inventories, we are thoroughly trained and highly experienced when it comes to checkouts. We can provide an independent, thorough, and easy-to-read report that will give you the confidence you need to take the next step, whatever that might be. It’s not easy to be a landlord at times, and anything that can be done to assist you is important; the checkout is one of these things. 

Contact Looksy Inventories For Your Checkout Report 

When you need a checkout for your rental property, don’t hesitate to contact Looksy Inventories. We are independent, unbiased, and offer great prices on all our reports. You can trust that no matter what you need us for, we can be there for you. 

Amending an inventory… you might initially think that this is a definite yes; if your report needs to be amended, inventory clerks can make amendments. However, when you think about what a property inventory really is, that is, it’s an accurate reflection of the state of the property at the time of the report, sometimes amending an inventory isn’t possible. That’s not to say it can’t ever be done, but both tenant and landlord must be careful when requesting changes. 

What Does Amending An Inventory Mean?

Firstly, let’s look into what amending an inventory really means. Essentially, it means changing the report once the property inspection has been carried out. Sometimes this is not only possible, but essential. Sometimes it’s the wrong thing to do entirely. 

Take this example as a way to determine whether your amendment is necessary and fair or not. The report has been carried out, and then the landlord decides to purchase an oven for the property for the tenant to use. It would be fair to add this to the inventory report since it is something that will be installed within the home and that will need to be left in a good state at the end of the tenancy. 

Then take this example: the inventory report has been carried out, after which time the landlord goes in and makes repairs or redecorates. This should not be a reason for amending an inventory. This instead would constitute a ‘major change’ and would mean a new report being carried out. In terms of cost for the landlord, it’s best to wait until all repairs are completed before booking an inventory clerk like the experts at Looksy Inventories to come in and carry out an inventory. 

The same is true if the report was carried out before someone cleaned the property. For an honest, accurate report, Looksy – and any other inventory clerk worth their salt – would have to return to the property to update their initial inventory report, and if an entire clean has taken place, that essentially means an entirely new report; and an inventory company would charge for it as such. 

Any inventory clerk who accepts these changes on the landlord’s word is not doing their job correctly; amending an inventory is not a simple task and must be considered on a case by case basis. 

Tenant Comments and Requests For Amendments 

Of course, sometimes things are missed by even the most eagle-eyed of inventory clerks; this is why the tenant has seven days from the day they move in to either accept the inventory (and the easiest way for this to be done is electronically – that’s how Looksy works because we’re a modern, dynamic property inventory company in Kent) or raise any amendment requests. Ideally, they will be able to provide photographic evidence of the problem, and these issues are generally amended without the need for an additional visit. 

Contact Looksy Inventories: Sevenoaks Inventory Clerk 

At Looksy, we provide extremely detailed, up-to-date, easy-to-read reports that are very unlikely to mean we end up amending an inventory. However, if need be and it’s right to do so, that’s something we are happy to do. Contact Looksy Inventories today to find out how we can help you in Sevenoaks and across Kent, Surrey, and East and West Sussex.