Inventory Services
Listed below are some of the services we offer for landlords and letting agents. This includes:
and other landlord resourcesInventories
An Inventory or Property Inspection is an essential ingredient in the renting of a property and forms part of the tenancy agreement An inventory is not just a list of the contents of a property. It is a description and record of the condition of every part of the property. Doors, doorframes, ceilings, lights, windows, sills, curtains, curtain rails . walls, electrical fittings skirtings, flooring etc etc are all described in detail for each and every area and room. Outside walls, gardens, garages drives etc etc are also described.
The inventory must be completely accurate and must leave no room for argument at the end of a tenancy.
All fittings such as white goods, appliances and bathroom equipment must be described in detail and in the case of furnished properties every item of furniture from minor items to major items must be recorded everything that is in that property has to be documented in detail.
Photographs are not usually taken at inventory make as properties change over time. Photographs should be taken at check in and again at check out.
It takes several years to train up inventory clerks to record an accurate inventory and therefore it is unlikely that a Landlord would be able to produce an inventory to the necessary professional standard.
Check In
The purpose of a check in is to ensure that the new tenant accepts and agrees that the inventory is a true and accurate representation of the property and its condition. Some letting agents are of the opinion that the tenant can just be given the inventory and perform the check in alone. It is extremely unlikely that a tenant will have the capability or the inclination to perform the task diligently.
If there is a dispute at the end of the tenancy and a professional independent check in had not taken place it would be very easy for a tenant to claim that he received insufficient instruction to perform the check in.
A professional check in involves going right through the inventory noting any discrepancies and reaching full agreement with the tenants. The inventory should then be updated and copies sent to the Landlord, tenant and where applicable the agent. The copy of the inventory bearing the handwritten comments should also be retained by the agent or Landlord.
Photographs will be taken of all areas showing defects, damage or lack of cleaning. Meter readings will be taken and a check in summary produced and signed by the inventory clerk and the tenant.
Check out
At check out it is essential that an independent clerk checks every area and item in the property against the inventory recording carefully all changes that have occurred during the tenancy. It is the policy of Orchard Inventories to then produce a check out report listing all of the changes and stating against each item whether the change is chargeable to the tenant, the responsibility of the Landlord, or simply “Fair Wear and Tear”. Our clerks are fully aware of all regulations regarding Fair Wear and Tear and will take into account the length of the tenancy and the size of the family accepted on the tenancy agreement. If damage or rectification or further cleaning is required which is chargeable to the tenant, Orchard will state “At Cost” on the report but in the cases where it is impracticable to return the item to its original condition Orchard may recommend a compensation amount to be charged to the tenant.
Check out reports are completed and sent to all parties within two working days where possible but in many cases Orchard will have informed the agent or landlord verbally to ensure that re-letting the property is not delayed.
Property Inspections
Orchard Inventories are able to offer a Property Inspection service to check that tenants are not misusing a property in any way and that major problems have been reported by the tenants.
We would recommend 4 or 6 monthly inspections which would include suggestions for improvements and any problems that require recertifying
