Category Inventory

When a tenant moves out, an inventory serves as proof of the property’s condition and contents, which is why it’s an essential step in the leasing process. Let’s look at what exactly makes a good inventory.

What Is An Inventory?

Having an inventory on hand is essential when renting out a home since it will serve as documentation for the state of the house and its contents at the beginning and conclusion of each lease.

Landlords will be provided with an inventory of their property, which will include details on everything from its decor to its furnishings to its belongings to its garden and any outbuildings it has. This thorough record is used at the conclusion of each rental to make accurate evaluations of damage and cleaning concerns that are charged to the tenant.

Deposit scheme arbitrators or a court of law will consider the inventory as key evidence in the event of an end-of-tenancy dispute.

When Do You Need A Good Inventory?

Just before the tenant’s move-in, an inventory should be done. If there is any maintenance or cleaning to be done before the move-in, it should be done before the inventory is conducted.

Why Do You Need An Inventory?

If there are any inconsistencies between the state of the property you are renting out at the beginning and the conclusion of the lease, you as the landlord must have a full report. An inventory has never been more critical than it is now, thanks to the advent of deposit protection schemes. Landlords must secure their tenants’ deposits in an authorised programme when they accept a deposit from their tenants. The inventory will be an important piece of evidence for the adjudicator to evaluate if there is a claim at the conclusion of the lease.

Who Carries Out An Inventory?

A professional inventory clerk should be hired to do the task for you. Because it will be conducted by a third party, you are less likely to run into problems down the road if there is a disagreement.

What Should A Good Inventory Consist Of?

The condition of the walls, sockets, ceilings, and windows should all be documented with photographs as part of the inventory. Equipment such as meters and smoke alarms will be specified. Date and time stamps on the images are preferred.

Who Keeps The Inventory Report?

The tenant must sign a copy within seven working days of moving in to acknowledge the property’s condition. A copy should also be kept by the landlord or managing agency.

Why Is The Inventory Important For Tenants?

The tenant’s security deposit is well-protected thanks to the inventory and check-out reports. The renter’s deposit should be refunded in full if the property is left in the same condition as it was when the tenant moved in (allowing for reasonable wear and tear). Additionally, the good inventory serves as a handy tool for the tenant, who may use it as a checklist to ensure the property is restored to its original state at the conclusion of their lease.

As a landlord, renting agency, or independent clerk, you have a duty to provide an accurate inventory to your tenants. Renter-landlord relations should be improved as a result of this arrangement.

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.

What should landlords do when a tenant moves out? The very nature of the rental market means that no matter how good a tenant might be, eventually, they will want to move on. They might have saved up enough of a deposit to buy their own property, they might need a larger home, or even a smaller one. They might just want a change. 

When this time comes, it is vital to get the property ready for the next tenants as soon as possible so that you are not losing out on the rental income for too long. If you’re wondering what should landlords do when a tenant moves out, here are some tips. 

Inspect The Property 

This is a job that is best done before the current tenant leaves so that if anything needs to be put right, you can discuss it with them. However, if you are unable to do that, you will need to get there and check everything over as soon as you can after they move out. Alternatively, you can hire an inventory company to do the job for you – this can be extremely useful if you live a long way from the property. 

If there are any problems, you will need to discuss these with the tenant. If they cannot put the problems right, their deposit will be required to cover the cost of repairs. Otherwise, the deposit needs to be released back to the tenant within ten days of their leaving date. 

Tidy Up

Depending on how long the tenants lived in the property, another answer to the question of what should landlords do when a tenant moves out is that you may need to repaint the walls, put up new wallpaper, or even replace the carpets. This will often be down to general wear and tear and isn’t the responsibility of your ex-tenants. Ideally, they will have cleaned everything before they went. Still, you may need to look at the end-of-tenancy cleaning prices and hire professionals to make everything look absolutely perfect for prospective tenants. 

You can also dress the property by installing your own furniture. This can help a property rent more quickly as prospective tenants will be able to see how they can make it a home. An empty property can be difficult to rent out. 

Reduce The Council Tax 

Once the tenants move out, they will no longer be paying the council tax on the property, and it will fall to you as the landlord to pay it. You must contact the council involved and apply for a reduced rate if the property is empty. If you don’t, you could be paying hundreds of pounds over and above what you should be. 

Change The Locks 

When it comes to wondering what should landlords do after a tenant moves out, changing the locks is often forgotten. Even if you had the most trustworthy, reliable tenant you could have hoped for, it is still wise to change the locks once they move out. You never know if there is a spare key still around, or if they made copies. Of course, generally, a tenancy agreement will require any copies to be handed in as well, but if they can’t be found, or they have been forgotten, you may simply never know about them. Changing the locks means you can ensure the property is kept safe and that the next tenants are the only ones who have keys. 

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. 

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. 

It’s easy to assume that you need a property inventory when you are letting out a property. Although this is crucial, and it’s certainly where Looksy Inventories spends the vast majority of its time, that’s not the only reason for having an inventory carried out. Read on to find out more.

Before Letting A Property

As we’ve said, the most common reason for hiring a property inventory clerk in Sevenoaks to carry out said inventory is because you have a property that you intend to let out. Ideally, you will already have found a tenant, and the inventory will take place no more than a week (and usually two or three days) before they are due to move in. The longer the time between the property inventory in Sevenoaks and the new tenant’s moving day, the more chance there is that something can change, especially if you’re making upgrades like new carpets or you’re repairing any issues that need to be dealt with in advance.

The inventory will then be passed to the tenant to check through to make sure they are happy with what has been included, and to suggest any amendments that might need to be made (inventory clerks are only human, after all, although we are very proud to say that amendments are a rare thing when it comes to Looksy’s property inventory reports).

After Letting A Property

Technically, this Sevenoaks property inventory is actually a check-out. It’s a home inspection that will compare the original inventory with the state of the property and make a note of the differences. Of course, normal wear and tear is something that should be expected, especially if the tenant has lived there for a number of years. However, big areas of damage and anything that is significantly different – good or bad – from the initial inventory should be mentioned in the report.

Once anything that needs to be made good has been, and once the property is ready to be rented out again, the full inventory can take place.

After A Death

A property inventory in Sevenoaks isn’t just about tenants and landlords; there are other reasons to have one done by an expert. One of these reasons is if you feel you want to protect the property and possessions of a deceased person while the will is being executed. A full inventory of everything within the property, and the state of the property in general, can be a useful tool should you need it.

Although it’s not a pleasant thought, sometimes items of great value (financial or sentimental) can go missing after a death, especially if a variety of different people have keys to the property. Knowing that there is a full list of all these items, confirmed by a professional Sevenoaks inventory clerk, is a great way to keep them safe. It will also help if there are any disputes regarding the will.

After A Separation Or Divorce

This is, we’ll be honest, not something we’ve been asked to do as yet, but our services are here as expert Sevenoaks inventory clerks if required in this upsetting situation. The inventory report will be a record of all the items that the couple owned jointly, ensuring that the assets can be split fairly once the separation or divorce becomes permanent.

Contact Looksy Inventories For Property Inventory In Sevenoaks

Based in Sevenoaks but covering all the surrounding towns and villages – and further afield if required – Looksy Inventories is your expert property inventory service for the area. We can carry out inventories for any reason you need one, and our reports are clear, concise, and understandable. Contact us today for more information and to find out how we can help you.