The impact of not completing an inventory to your insurance
Not completing an inventory can affect your insurance coverage
Having an inventory is not a legal requirement for landlord insurance to be valid. However, if you want to make a claim for damage caused during the tenancy, it will help expedite the claim if you can supply clear evidence of the original condition.
And although an inventory should protect you as a landlord in case you need to withhold money from your tenant’s deposit to pay for damage, there’s always the chance that your claim may be unsuccessful or that the cost of repairs is greater than the amount of the deposit held.
Having an appropriate landlord insurance policy should cover the cost of making good damage to your property during a tenancy if it is as a result of an insured peril, ensuring you are not left out of pocket. However, understanding your insurance policy and what is covered is important - so that you know what you are liable for and what the insurance policy will pay for in the event of an incident. For example, damage caused by wear and tear or what is known as ‘gradually operating causes’ that happens over a period of time, will not be covered. The Total Landlord claims team are happy to assist with queries if you are unsure of cover.
Find out the covers available under our polices and to obtain a quotation here.
If the property has suffered damage, you as the landlord are responsible for proving that it was the result of the tenant’s actions or omissions during the tenancy - and the only way to do that is with robust check-in and check-out inventories.
When it comes to tenancy deposit adjudication, the adjudicators work from the position that the deposit is the tenant’s money until the landlord or agent proves they are entitled to the amount they are claiming. So, without clear, dated, written and photographic evidence, you will be on the back foot in any negotiation.
In addition, if you want to make a claim for damage on your landlord insurance, it is much more likely to be successful and settled more quickly if you’re able to provide clear evidence of the condition at the start of the tenancy.
Standard home insurance isn’t designed for rental properties – you need specialist landlord insurance that will provide cover, whether your property is vandalised, or damaged by a flood.
Total Landlord’s Essential and Premier policies both cover structural damage to the building and our Premier policy also includes theft, accidental damage (to the building or glass/sanitary fittings), or malicious damage by tenants and their guests at no extra cost, giving you peace of mind that you are covered for tenant damage, be it by theft, accident, or malice.
Our landlord contents insurance will make sure you’re not left out of pocket if anything happens to the furnishings in your rental property, but it’s important to make sure tenants are aware that they’ll need to arrange their own cover for their contents.
Yes, both photos and videos
Photos only
No, neither photos nor videos
