Forum Spotlight check-out inspection advice
Our members-only forum is the ideal place for landlords to ask questions, share experiences and answer fellow landlords’ queries.
In our forum spotlight this month, we take a look at a recent post from a member who had asked for some advice from fellow landlords when it comes to carrying out thorough check-out inspections.
The situation
Our landlord took to the forum to share that they have been a landlord for a decade, and they have quite long standing tenants. But when it comes to check-out inspections, they feel in the past they have not been as thorough as they need to be, often rushing these through.
So, with one of their tenants moving out soon, due to finding somewhere else to live, they took to our forum to ask for some advice on carrying out check-out inspections properly.
The responses on our forum
The first person to reply to the thread shared that prior to the tenant leaving the property, they write a long letter describing in detail room by room the cleanliness expected upon leaving the property. They also suggested that it may be a good idea to arrange with the tenants a good time to visit the property to discuss this with them, if a letter felt too formal.
Another landlord shared that they make sure they ask tenants if anything in the property is broken before they leave, and of course check everything against the inventory or condition schedule that would have been carried out at the start of the tenancy. This landlord shared that as their inventory runs over multiple pages and so is very detailed, just going through this proves to be an efficient way to inspect the property at check-out.
Then, an advisor in our Landlord Support Team joined in on the conversation.
They shared that other advice given from members was helpful, and also reminded our landlord that they could consider using a professional company to carry out inventories and check-out inspections. As the professional company is a third party and therefore impartial, it is more likely that this information will satisfy as evidence if used against a deposit return.
However, landlords can also carry out the inspections personally if they feel confident to do so.
The NRLA has a template to assist landlords with carrying out inspections.
Prior to the tenant moving out, it’s a good idea for landlords to send a letter to the tenant, reminding them that they are expected to return the property in the same condition it was let out in. By attaching a copy of the check-in inventory to this letter, landlords can clearly lay out expectations to tenants.
In addition, research has found that this practice increases the chances of the deposit scheme ruling in a landlords’ favour in the event of a dispute.
• The original forum post can be read here.