Why do you need an Inventory?

Where there is a dispute at the end of a Tenancy, the case will be referred to an Adjudicator. Adjudicators will review all documents (inventories, check-ins, schedule of condition, check-out reports) before reaching a judgement on disputes.

Landlords will now be required to ‘prove their case’ if they wish to deduct from Tenants deposits. There is only one way to safeguard this and that is by having an accurate, detailed, independent inventory.

Independent reports are unbiased and are accepted as trustworthy in the industry and are regarded by courts as faithful interpretations of a property provided by a trained Independent Provider. Although it is not a legal requirement to complete an inventory, the Local Government wants to see the continued use of inventories as standard good practices to reduce the potential of a dispute at the end of the Tenancy.

 Three Counties Inventories are specialists who have been fully trained, accredited, and are all Members of MARLA Inventories. Our aim is to produce quality evidence-based documentation that will exceed the industry standard.

There are many examples on the website of the TDS, http://www.thedisputeservice.co.uk/under ‘case studies’ which demonstrate how their decision was based on the information, or lack of information, contained in the inventory and check-in documentation.

Having a Professional Inventory and Schedule of Condition is essential in order to protect your client’s interests. 

If you make arrangements on your client’s behalf to have an inventory drawn up – whether ‘in-house’ or outsourced to an Independent Inventory Provider you have a duty of care to ensure that the document produced is fit for purpose. In the event a landlord’s claim for the deposit fails, you, the agent, could be held liable if it was due to the inventory not coming up to the required standard.

It is vital to provide a clearly understandable evidence-based document which will demonstrate to an adjudicator or court the differences in the condition of the property or its contents between the beginning and the end of the tenancy ie: check-in and check out. The Tenancy Deposit Scheme came into effect in April 2007 and this was developed to ensure that deposits are protected and that disputes about their return are resolved swiftly and impartially