How important is a check-in inventory?

How important is a check-in inventory for a deposit deduction?

It’s the record every condition claim is measured against. A deposit dispute is decided on paper. The adjudicator (the scheme’s impartial decision-maker) compares the check-in and check-out reports to see what changed during the tenancy (joint guide).

The deposit belongs to the tenant unless the landlord proves, with evidence, that a deduction is due (mydeposits). For damage, missing items or cleaning, that means showing the start and the end. The check-in inventory is the only document that shows the start in detail.

The three schemes say this in their own words:

• TDS, DPS and mydeposits (joint guide): without check-in and check-out reports, the adjudicator is highly likely to reject the landlord’s claim (joint guide)
• DPS: for a claim about the property’s condition, the minimum is signed check-in and check-out reports, plus a signed tenancy agreement (DPS)
• mydeposits: the tenancy agreement, signed and dated check-in and check-out reports and dated photos or video are the most important documents in a case (mydeposits)

What happens if there’s no check-in inventory?

A claim about condition becomes very hard to make. TDS won’t assume an item was in good condition if the check-in report gives no description of it (TDS). A missing item has to be shown to have been in the property at the start.

In one mydeposits case, the check-in report was dated a year before the tenancy, and there was no proof the tenants had received it. The start-of-tenancy photos were undated. Without a valid check-in report, there was no way to compare the start and the end. The landlord was awarded £60 of the £800 in dispute, for items the tenant admitted (mydeposits).

Other evidence can still help. Dated photos from the start of the tenancy, the tenant’s own messages, and invoices showing when something was new or fitted all count. None of them is as complete as a report that describes every room. A claim for unpaid rent rests on the tenancy agreement and a statement of the rent account instead (joint guide).

What makes a check-in inventory carry weight?

The schemes’ joint guide says the reports considered the best evidence will usually (joint guide):

1. be prepared by a third party, such as a professional inventory clerk
2. contain dated photos
3. be signed by the tenant

The same guide asks for detail. There’s no set layout, but each item’s condition should be described clearly. Words like “fair” and “ok” can be read in many ways, and may not help. Say if an item is brand new at check-in.

mydeposits gives a report more weight if the tenant viewed or signed it, or an independent inventory clerk carried it out (mydeposits). TDS adds that a statement that the home and its contents are in “good condition unless otherwise stated” can help. It also considers any changes the tenant made to the check-in report at the start (TDS).

Does the tenant have to sign the check-in inventory?

It isn’t essential, but it matters. DPS calls the tenant’s signature the most important, because it confirms they agreed the condition at the time (DPS). A report signed by everyone carries more weight, and an unsigned one creates doubt for the adjudicator (DPS).

TDS is direct about it. If the adjudicator has any doubt that the tenant saw and agreed the report, they will assume the tenant didn’t (TDS). If your tenant didn’t sign, keep proof they had the chance, such as the email that sent the report, or proof of postage (DPS). mydeposits asks you to explain why the tenant didn’t sign, with that evidence (mydeposits).

Do I need an independent inventory clerk?

No, but a report you make yourself needs more support. The joint guide says a report compiled by a landlord or agent needs evidence the tenant saw it and could agree or comment. Clear photos confirming what it says help too (joint guide).

DPS calls a third-party inventory service an easy way to create a strong, impartial check-in report (DPS). It also says a report that isn’t independent, and has no signatures or photos, is unlikely to carry enough weight (DPS).

Should the check-in inventory record cleanliness as well as condition?

Yes, separately. TDS says condition and cleanliness aren’t the same thing. If the check-in report comments only on condition, an adjudicator can’t tell whether the home’s cleanliness got worse during the tenancy (TDS). Without that record, a cleaning deduction has nothing to be measured against.

Are photos enough without a written inventory?

Rarely. TDS treats photos and video as an addition to the written report, not a substitute for it. An album of photos or a long video can be of limited use without a written report (TDS). Photos also can’t show a smell.

DPS asks for photos that are clear, in colour and date-stamped (DPS). Keep them with the report, so each one is tied to the room it shows.

What should the check-out report do?

Mirror the check-in. TDS finds a check-out report most persuasive when it refers clearly to the check-in report (TDS). It should be done as soon as possible after the tenancy ends, and before any cleaning or repairs (TDS).

Invite your tenant to both inspections. Attending isn’t compulsory, but it makes it easier to agree the results (joint guide). If your tenant won’t sign the check-out report, DPS says to submit it with your other evidence anyway (DPS).

Where next?

The free check-in inventory template follows the layout TDS suggests, with condition and cleanliness recorded separately. The Evidence Locker runs a guided check-in on your phone, dates every photo and sends the report to your tenant to sign. Already at the end of a tenancy? Read what you can deduct from a tenancy deposit, then build a deposit dispute pack that matches each deduction to the pages of your reports.