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What is an inventory and why does it matter?

The document your deposit is judged against — and what to do in the first week to protect yourself.

Difficulty
beginner
Time
30 min
Read
2 min

Short answer

It records the property's condition at the start of the tenancy and it is the reference for any deposit deduction at the end. Photograph everything yourself in the first week and send it to the landlord in writing.

Deposit disputes are decided almost entirely on evidence of the condition at the start. The inventory is that evidence, and tenants who add their own dated photographs are in a much stronger position than those who sign and file it.

Step by step

  1. Read it properly before signing.It is the document your deposit will be judged against. "Good condition" against an item that is already marked is what causes disputes later.
  2. Check it against the property, room by room.Walk round with it. Anything already damaged, worn, stained or missing needs to be recorded, however minor it seems.
  3. Add your own comments and return it in writing.Note everything the inventory missed, and send it by email so there is a dated record. Most agreements allow a period — often seven days — to raise amendments.
  4. Photograph everything yourself.Every room, every existing mark, appliances, the oven inside, carpets, the garden. Dated photographs from your own device are the strongest evidence you can have.
  5. Photograph the meters on day one.Electricity, gas and water with serial numbers visible. Separate from the deposit, and it prevents being billed for the previous occupant's usage.
  6. Check the deposit is protected.It must be in an approved scheme, and you should be told which within a set period. If it is not protected, that has consequences for the landlord and is worth knowing.
  7. Understand fair wear and tear.You are not liable for normal deterioration from ordinary use. Carpet wear in a hallway over three years is wear; a burn is damage. The distinction matters and it is where most disputes sit.
  8. Do the same at the end.A full set of dated photographs on the day you leave, plus meter readings. The two sets together are what settle a dispute.

Tips

  • Take more photographs than feels necessary. They cost nothing and you cannot go back and take them later.
  • If there is no inventory at all, create one yourself and send it to the landlord. An unchallenged record you supplied is far better than nothing.
  • Deposit schemes have a free dispute service. It is genuinely used and it decides on evidence, which is why the photographs matter.

Questions people ask

What happens if I do not agree with the inventory?

Note your amendments and return it in writing within the period allowed, usually about seven days. An unchallenged inventory is taken as agreed.

What counts as fair wear and tear?

Normal deterioration from ordinary use over the length of the tenancy — carpet wear, minor scuffs. Damage, burns and stains are different, and that distinction decides most deposit disputes.

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