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If you are a landlord with an unfurnished property to rent out, you might not think that an inventory report will be necessary. After all, the term ‘inventory report’ does make it seem as though it will be a list of everything in the property, and if there’s nothing there… the logic tracks. 

Yet that’s not exactly what an inventory is when it comes to property. It’s how it began, of course, but it has evolved, and now the property inventory is not just linked to items but to condition. This is crucial. A landlord has the right to expect their property to be returned to them in the same state that you rented it out. The inventory report taken before the tenant moves in will be matched to the check-out report, and any differences noted down. It is then between the landlord and the tenant to decide if the problems are large enough to warrant any deduction from the initial deposit. If there is a dispute about the matter, the inventory and check-out reports can be used as evidence, and the TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) can easily determine who is at fault and whether or not the tenant should receive some or all of their money back. 

So when you ask whether an unfurnished property needs an inventory, the answer is yes. Hopefully you won’t have to use it, but it’s better to have the property inventory and not need it than to need it and not have it. Without an inventory, the tenant will always get their full deposit back since there is just no proof that any changes or damage occurred during their tenancy. 

Other Items In An Unfurnished Property 

You might think that an unfurnished property is completely empty, but that may not be the case. There are other items that you may not have considered, and they include: 

• White good (fridges etc.)

• Doors/door frames

• Windows

• Locks

• Smoke detectors

• Light fittings

• Electrical sockets

• Kitchen and bathroom fittings

Your ‘unfurnished property’ still contains some items, and they must be accounted for. That’s why an inventory report for an unfurnished property is just as crucial as an inventory report for a part or fully furnished property. 

Can You Afford To Take The Risk? 

As a landlord in Sevenoaks or beyond, are you willing to take the risk and not have a detailed, thorough property inventory report carried out by unbiased professionals such as those at Looksy Inventories? Can you afford not to do this? With Looksy and our low prices, it’s easy to choose the right thing; an inventory report on any rental property is worth its weight in gold. 

Contact Looksy Inventories today to find out more and book your inventory. Or pass our details on to your letting agent; we’re more than happy to liaise with them to give you the best service. 

Property inspections are, perhaps surprisingly, one of the most important elements of property maintenance when you are a landlord. Remember, your property is an investment and needs to be looked at as a business; that means you need to take as much care of it as possible. Interim property inspections with a report to back up what is found are essential as they will enable you to run your property business correctly. These checks are essentially a piece of admin that will help everything run much more smoothly. Read on to find out more. 

The Benefits Of Regular Property Inspections 

The first benefit of regular property inspections – which, of course, can (and should) be carried out by an experienced inventory clerk for a completely unbiased view, as well as being time-savings – is that they will give you an overview of how the tenant is treating your property. If the house or flat is in good condition, you’ll have peace of mind that all is well and there is nothing you need to do. If problems are uncovered during the interim inspection, you’ll know that you need to do something. What that something is will be your choice, of course, but it’s far better to know early than to get a nasty surprise when the tenant leaves and all the issues that you didn’t know about because there had been no interim property inspections come to the fore. 

Property inspections also help maintain a good relationship between the landlord and the tenant. Far from being a way for the landlord to check up on the tenant, it should actually be seen as a way to strengthen the relationship. After all, for the tenant, this is how they can know that the landlord cares about the property and their happiness within it. It allows the tenant to speak up if they have any issues too. Some tenants are worried about mentioning problems that fall under the landlord’s remit since they are concerned they might be asked to leave. If the problems are spotted during the regular property inspections, they don’t have to say anything – the report will make it all clear. 

Other reasons to have property inspections carried out regularly include: 

• Ensuring the tenants are complying with the tenancy agreement
• Making sure no illegal activities are taking place 
• Building a good relationship with the tenants 
• Ensuring the building is in good condition and that any issues are dealt with quickly 
• Showing that you are a good landlord who fulfils their responsibilities 
• Creating a report that, should any disputes arise, can be used as evidence 

How To Make Property Inspections Easier 

It takes time to conduct a thorough property inspection. You’ll need to do a complete walk-through of the property, checking every room, even cupboard, everything. Although not quite as big a job as a full inventory report, it’s still going to take a few hours. Or at least, it should if you’re doing it right. 

This is why it’s best to engage a fully trained, highly experienced inventory clerk to carry out regular interim property inspections for you. 

At Looksy Inventories, we have the most up-to-date inventory software to enable us to create a report ‘on the go’, ensuring that you have the results of our property inventories quickly and efficiently. And our prices are excellent too. Contact us today to discuss your interim property inspections and find out more about our full range of property inventory services. 

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. 

Empty rental properties can be a problem for a wide range of reasons; when they are sitting dormant, the landlord isn’t receiving an income for one thing, but there are other issues to consider. One is mould and damp, another is pests such as rats and mice, and of course, there is always the risk of break-ins, vandalism, and – in rare cases – squatters. 

Yet something a landlord might not have considered when it comes to their empty rental properties is the challenge of legionella. This serious health hazard is undetectable to the naked eye; you can’t smell it, you won’t notice it at all until it causes a tenant or visitor to become unwell, potentially fatally so. 

What Is Legionella? 

Legionella is a type of bacteria that, when inhaled, can lead to legionnaires’ disease, a lung condition similar to pneumonia. Legionnaires’ disease affects the respiratory system, and, as we’ve mentioned, it can be a fatal illness, especially since it is often confused for flu at first, and medical help is not received quickly. 

Most legionella outbreaks don’t occur in empty rental properties or occupied ones, come to that. They occur in poorly maintained cooling towers, cold water storage tanks, showers, hot water calorifiers, etc. This is because the water within these storage vessels often sits for some time at the right temperature (between 20 and 50 degrees C) for legionella bacteria to proliferate. 

However, if your empty rental property has a cold water storage tank, that too can become a place for legionella bacteria to thrive. When a tenant moves in and turns on a tap or shower or uses the garden hose, if they inhale any droplets of water containing legionella, they could become unwell. 

As an important matter of note, drinking water that contains legionella is not harmful; legionella must enter the lungs to cause any health issues. 

How To Control Legionella In Empty Rental Properties 

Temperature is the first defence against legionella bacteria. If you have a cold water storage tank, the water within it must be kept at lower than 20 degrees C if possible. If hot water is stored in a calorifier or Megaflow or similar, it must be stored at over 50 degrees C. 

On top of this, legionella bacteria grows when it can live on stagnant water, rust, and other debris. When the house is occupied, assuming the cold water storage tank is the right size for the property, then the water within the tank will be turned over every few days, meaning there is no chance for it to stagnate. If you have empty rental properties, it’s a good idea to run the taps once a week or so to empty the tank and reduce the risk of legionella growing. 

On the subject of rust and debris, the tank must be in good condition. If it is old and degraded, legionella is much more likely to occur. If there is no lid, or the lid is ill-fitting, it is much more likely to occur. As a conscientious landlord, if the tank in your empty rental property needs to be replaced, now is the time to do it before any vulnerable tenants move in. 

Showerheads are another cause for concern. Since legionella bacteria must be inhaled for it to cause damage to the lungs, and since showerheads produce a spray that someone can easily inhale, they need to be cleaned regularly. As ever, when the property is occupied, this is not an issue – the tenants will clean the showerhead or at least use the shower enough for it not to harbour any stagnant water. When you have empty rental properties, this is not the case. Before a tenant moves in, flush the showerhead through and clean it with a strong solution to ensure it is entirely descaled. 

Risk Assessment 

A legionella risk assessment is mandatory when you are renting out your property. You can do this yourself, although if you’re unsure about whether or not your empty rental property is at risk of legionella bacteria and potentially causing harm to the tenant or a tenant’s visitor, it’s a good idea to get a risk assessment carried out by an expert. Looksy Inventories can do this for you, so contact us today to find out more. 

Since 2008, the number of properties sold with sitting tenants has quadrupled, and that figure accounts for about 11 percent of all rental properties. So what does this mean? And if you are thinking of buying a rental property with sitting tenants, what should you be considering? Read on to find out more.

A Property With Sitting Tenants Is Good News All Round

The first thing to take note of is that this is a good thing all round. If a property with sitting tenants is bought by a landlord, that means the tenants can remain in their home, and the landlord doesn’t have to spend any time or money searching for new tenants for the property. Everyone wins.

That doesn’t mean, though, that there aren’t some important things to consider when you are buying a property with sitting tenants. It might be the easiest option of all when it comes to starting your landlord journey – or adding to your portfolio – but in order for the entire thing to go smoothly, you need to do your research too. Don’t just assume that all is well.

Inventory

When you are buying a property with sitting tenants you’ll want to see the inventory that was carried out when they moved in. 25 percent of all tenants sign a lease that lasts for two or more years, and the longer tenants are in a property, the more potential there is for damage to have occurred.

The inventory is the ideal tool to make sure that, when you inspect the property before buying it, it is all how it is meant to be, bearing in mind how wear and tear will affect the look of a property too. This will give you a good idea about how the tenants are treating the property and how much you might have to spend when the tenancy is up. If that cost is going to outweigh the cost of buying an empty property and finding a new tenant, it’s not worth the risk.

And make sure to see any copies of the mid-term inspections that should have been carried out. Again, you’ll be able to see exactly what’s happening and have all the information this way to allow you to make an informed decision.

Referencing

It might surprise you to know that, as a new landlord, you have the right to run checks on the sitting tenant of the property you buy. You can’t charge them for the work, of course, but it’s worth doing a check for your own peace of mind. You’ll want to know that they are exactly who they say they are and that they have the right to reside in the UK. This is crucial since you’ll need to comply with the immigration right to rent legislation.

Anything could have changed between the original tenancy starting and you taking over, and since you’ll be responsible for ensuring that your tenants are living here legally, you must check this out.

Deposit Protection

Make sure you have proof that this has been carried out correctly by the previous landlord, including serving the paperwork to the tenant. It wouldn’t hurt to have written confirmation that this has been carried out too directly from the tenant, as an extra safety net.

Rent Guarantee Insurance

Because you haven’t hand-picked this tenant from the start you have no idea whether they are a good tenant or not, so obtaining rent guarantee insurance would be a good idea.

According to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), the biggest reason for a deposit dispute is cleanliness, coming up in over half of all deposit disputes. What this really comes down to is understand what does clean really mean? Or rather, in terms of the property specifically, what does clean really mean? Let’s look into things a little more closely. 

The Two Issues When It Comes To What Clean Really Means 

There are two main issues when it comes to determining what clean really means for a property. The first is that a landlord had the property professionally cleaned before the tenant moved in, but when the tenant moved out they decided to clean it themselves (assuming they cleaned it at all). There is documentation to prove the original clean was done by experts, that it included the carpets, the oven, the windows, and so on, but of course, there is no corresponding documentation once the tenant moves out. This can be the cause of a dispute. 

Or, the landlord chooses not to have professional cleaners into the property, hoping that whatever the previous tenant did when they left would be enough to make the place look presentable when the new tenants moved in. When the new tenants leave, they don’t use professional cleaners because, well, why should they? The landlord didn’t. This can also lead to a dispute. 

Who Is Right? 

According to most tenancy agreements (although it’s always best to double-check your own), the tenant only has to leave the property in the same state as they found it. The landlord shouldn’t expect to receive their property back looking better than they handed it over. 

So, in the first case above when the landlord used a professional cleaning company and the results were good, they might expect the tenant to do the same. In the second case, when the results were not so good (and in some cases downright bad), that’s how the tenant has every right to leave the property. Of course, they might choose to clean it up or hire professionals, but the choice when technically be theirs. 

How Does An Inventory Help? 

Without an inventory, it’s hard to tell who’s right and who’s wrong. Yes, the landlord may well have the documentation to prove that the job was carried out professionally, but was it to a high standard? Perhaps the tenant moved in and discovered it was still pretty filthy and that areas had been missed. Or maybe the tenant moved out and cleaned up, but the landlord doesn’t think that it’s clean enough – what does clean mean, after all? It’s subjective. 

Unless there is a good inventory that details the cleanliness of the property, no one is going to know. 

In other words, an inventory from Looksy Inventories is going to help with this kind of dispute and many more. Contact us today to find out more. 

Deposit disputes are the last thing either tenant or landlord wants at the end of a tenancy. The tenant wants their money back, and the landlord doesn’t want to have to withhold it because doing so means there must be a problem in the property that the tenant is responsible for, and that the deposit is going to have to pay for. It’s bad news all round. And this is why an inventory is always so useful; disputes may still happen, but they can be cleared up a lot more quickly and everyone can move on. 

So what is the biggest reason that leads to deposit disputes? Perhaps unsurprisingly, its cleanliness. Next in line is damage, and the third reason for landlords to withhold the deposit is having to redecorate. What you might not expect to find is that the fourth reason is gardening problems and that rental arrears come in way down the list at number five.

Increase In Deposit Disputes 

Between April 2019 and March 2020, there was a definite increase in deposit disputes, up by five percent on the previous year. This could, of course, be because more tenancies were taken up during that year than the previous year, meaning that more tenants were leaving properties too. 

The problem is often not down to neglect or an intent to cause any harm or problems; it’s simply that, particularly in the case of the cleanliness of the property, that the inventory was not clear (assuming there was an inventory at all) about exactly what the state of the property was. Some inventories rely far too much on photographs, for example, whereas a photo along with a description is much more helpful. 

What’s even more helpful is ensuring there is a proper check-in and check-out; any queries can be answered and any doubts put to rest. Although it might take a little more time, although it might cost a little more money, it does mean that deposit disputes are much less likely. 

Contact Looksy Inventories Today 

To put your mind at ease, contact Looksy Inventories today. We understand the entire inventory process and produce easy-to-read, detailed reports that both landlord and tenant can agree to before the tenancy begins. 

At Looksy Inventories, we’re always looking for new ways to engage with our clients, potential clients, and those who need some help and advice about lettings, landlords, tenants, and, of course, inventories. That’s why we’ve created a brand new YouTube channel.

We intend to post regular (workload dependent, of course!) videos that go into detail about rental properties and everything you might need to know about all aspects of renting one yourself or being a landlord. There’s a lot to learn, and our videos will be entertaining, informative, and, perhaps most important of all, they will be real.

Here’s a taster of what to expect. It’s our introduction video where you can ‘meet’ Dean, inventory clerk extraordinaire, and find out more about Looksy Inventories in general. Enjoy (and do please subscribe – there’s a lot more to come).

You might think of landlord insurance as being simply home insurance that has an added element or two within it. This is essentially correct, although there is more to landlord insurance than that. Read on to find out more. 

When Is Landlord Insurance Necessary? 

There are a number of times when this special insurance is necessary and even compulsory. These include:

• When your mortgage company requires it (buy to let lenders often make it a mandatory condition of the mortgage)
• When it is part of the tenancy agreement 

It’s not a legal obligation to have landlord insurance, and it is your choice in the end, but if you want peace of mind, and if you want to have a mortgage without any issues, it is something you’re certainly going to want to consider. 

What To Think About When Getting Specialist Insurance 

Before you purchase landlord insurance there are some important points to consider. Think them all through carefully before making a decision, because there are many different insurance providers, each one different to the next (or at least, that’s how it seems – the end product might be very similar). 

The first thing to think about is that it is a different entity to home insurance, meaning that if you have home insurance on the property already and then choose to rent it out, you’ll need to cancel that insurance and get specific rental insurance to cover you. 

If you have an HMO you’ll need specific HMO landlord insurance as this will be specifically tailored to your needs. Even if you run an Airbnb, this insurance will work for you. You might even be able to insure multiple properties on one policy, so if you have a portfolio, or you’re planning to have one, this is something to bear in mind. 

If you think that specialist insurance isn’t necessary, that is, as we’ve said, your choice. However, it is worth remembering that around 9% of tenants in the private sector do land in arrears at some point, and evicting a tenant takes an average of 42 weeks. Can you afford not to have landlord insurance? 

Plus there is more than ‘just’ the tenant to think about. You’ll need to consider the location of the property too. Is there a higher crime rate in the area? Is there a risk of flooding? Insurance cover can be a reassurance, just in case, although do be aware that you might pay more for your landlord insurance due to these factors. 

Insurance And Your Property Inventory 

A good, detailed property inventory, just like the ones Looksy Inventories provides in Sevenoaks and beyond, can be extremely useful when claiming on your landlord insurance. It will show just what the property was like before the tenant moved in, and once they leave, of course, but if there is significant damage from flooding, fire, or a crime, the inventory can be used to prove that damage and show the extent of it. 

In every case, the inventory from Looksy can speed up the insurance claim and make it a much smoother process. Find out more by looking around our site for prices and examples, and contacting us for more advice and to book your inventory, check-in, or check-out today. 

When tenants leave things behind, we’ve already seen that it can cause a number of problems for the landlord, and there are various steps they have to take to comply with the law (even if that does mean they are out of pocket or inconvenienced in some way).

Our first post on the subject of what happens when tenants leave things behind focused on those steps and explained in detail just what the landlord has to do before they can think about returning a deposit (or not), or disposing of any unwanted ‘junk’ or furniture or anything else that has been left by the previous tenant. This post is about what else can be done, and what other questions a landlord might have when tenants leave things behind.

Is There Anything Else I Can Do?

Being stuck in a situation where tenants leave things behind is annoying at best and disastrous at worst; it can mean that you have to delay re-renting your property, and you may even have to pay for storage or disposal (although this can be claimed back through the deposit, of course). In any case, no matter what, when tenants leave things behind they are going to be giving you a lot more to deal with that you need to, especially when you’re trying to find new tenants for the property.

Something that might speed up the process and give your tenants some momentum and impetus to actually remove their possessions without you having to get involved is the idea that, if they haven’t taken everything away, then they haven’t given ‘vacant possession’, and that means they can be liable to continue paying rent until such time as the items are dealt with. Although this usually applies in commercial leases, it could be just what you need to persuade the tenants to make a decision about their old stuff more quickly. Mention it before they move out, and those it will be a rarer event for tenants to leave things behind.

Negotiate

Not everyone leaves things behind on purpose, especially smaller items. However, coming back to retrieve them might not be possible if they have moved far away, are unwell, or anything else that might prevent them from returning. In this case, a negotiation might be a useful tactic.

If you understand their situation, and they are willing to discuss the matter, it might be possible to arrange for a third party to collect the items, for example. It would mean you or your representative would need to be around to let the collector in, so of course you might find it easier to arrange all of this (although the cost would be the tenant’s responsibility).

If you’re having a lot of trouble reaching a fair result, it’s best to reach out to TDS or MyDeposits for advice.

Duty Of Care

When tenants leave things behind, any landlord might assume that, if the tenant expresses they no longer want the items and the landlord can dispose of them, that instead they can simply leave them in the property for the next tenant. However, although this does seem to be a potentially sensible idea (again, depending on what the items are), there are some things to take into consideration at this point.

Firstly, does the furniture come with a fire safety label? Have the electrics had a PAT test? If not, you’ll need to get them inspected and approved – and you’ll have to do it regularly too (PAT testing needs to be carried out every five years).

Secondly, if you leave the items in the property and include them on your inventory as already being there, they are your responsibility. So although it might seem like a great thing if a tenant leaves behind a fridge freezer or dishwasher, for example, because new tenants aren’t going to have to pay out for their own, if something goes wrong you are responsible for fixing it. Often it can be easier not to have any furnishings or appliances in a property as there will be less for you to worry about.

If you want to use the items when tenants leave things behind – and you have permission to do so – then you can ask for them to be included on your tenancy agreement as a ‘gifted’ item. This essentially means that the tenant can use them, but you aren’t responsible for them. And, at the end of the tenancy, the tenant can take them with them. In fact, the tenant should take them with them otherwise the landlord will be in the same situation they were in before!

How To Prevent A Situation In Which Tenants Leave Things Behind

As we’ve said, mistakes happen, especially when moving the moving day is a stressful one and there are a million and one other things to consider. In this case, the issue of when tenants leave things behind is easily rectified. However, some landlords will have had major issues leading to major headaches in this situation, and they won’t want to go through it again. Although it’s never going to be possible to prevent it from happening entirely, there are some measures you can put in place to give you a fighting chance.

1. Referencing your tenants will let you know how they treated their last rented property. Did they leave it in a good state? This is important to know.
2. Include, in very simple terms, exactly what will happen if a tenant leaves any items behind. Make sure the tenant is aware of this clause before they sign the agreement.
3. Regular inspections can be useful too. The landlord will get a feel for how the tenant is taking care of their property, and the tenant will know that the landlord is keeping an eye on things (not in an obtrusive way, of course!). Plus these inspections will help both parties get to know one another. They’ll be less likely to leave things if they know the landlord better.
4. Once the tenant has given notice, ensure you write back to let them know you have received that notice, and to remind them of their responsibilities when they leave. Let them know there will be a check-out carried out too.