The importance of having an inventory and schedule of condition
Inventories and condition schedules prevent disputes over damages and wear and tear
Inventories are there to protect both landlords and tenants. Since deposit protection was introduced in 2007, the quality of inventories has improved immensely due to their fundamental importance when the landlord wants to consider making a deduction from the deposit.
If the landlord and tenant are unable to negotiate with success, they need to provide the inventories, as evidence, to the deposit protection scheme. A comprehensive inventory, taken at the beginning and end of a tenancy, is evidence of how the condition has changed during the tenancy. A landlord or managing agent – or, if there’s a dispute, the adjudication provider or service - can then make a judgement on what can be considered natural wear and tear, and what constitutes damage that the tenant should be charged for.
The leading cause of end of tenancy disputes for mydeposits England and Wales Custodial scheme, according to latest figures, is cleaning, which was present in 26% of cases, followed by repairs, which were present in 21% of cases.
It’s likely that more tenancies in the future will include animals, which may increase the risk of damage to the property. Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill proposes that landlords will need to consider a tenant’s right to request a pet and cannot unreasonably refuse. That means it’s especially important that landlords have a thorough, detailed inventory that clearly proves the condition of the home before the pet began living there, as well as pet damage protection insurance.
A detailed inventory showing the condition of a property at the start of the tenancy agreement is the only way a landlord can be sure of the extent of any damage which may have been done by a pet. The only way to resolve that is to have accurate documentation and photographic representation of the state of the property when the tenant moved in.