Inventory Check In & Out

Cover yourself with a professional landlord inventory, check-in and check-out service that details every aspect of your property

What an inventory check-in involves, and what you need to consider

Essentially, an inventory check-in or check-out protects you and your tenants by detailing exactly what is there, and what isn’t.

What is an Inventory Check-In & Out?

Simply put, this product will ensure that you get a detailed report of your property before a tenant moves in and again when they move out.

You’ll get a description of each room in the property, contents, fixtures and fittings so you can be assured of what state the property and its contents are in at each stage of your tenancies.

What is an Inventory?

An inventory for landlords is a detailed and bespoke description of each room, including all the contents and fixtures and fittings.

In property terms, sometimes you’ll hear them called a ‘schedule of condition.’ As well as the details, it provides a schedule of conditions for everything listed.

What is a Check In?

You may have rented out the property hundreds of times, or you may only change tenants occasionally. Either way, a tenant check in will help you keep track of everything in your property at change over times.

It’s always advisable to carry out a check in of the property to the new tenants at the start of any tenancy.

With Mashroom, we will arrange for an independent and professional tenancy check-in clerk to ensure a smooth move in for your new tenants, ensuring everything works correctly.

What is a Check Out?

Again, here at Mashroom, we can arrange for a professional inventory check-out clerk to collect the keys and check the condition of the property at the end of each and every tenancy.

As a landlord, the check out is a really useful and essential opportunity for you to professionally and closely inspect the rental property for any damage.

The clerk will also examine the cleanliness and overall condition of the entire property during this process.

The detailed inventory for rental properties created during the check-in process comes into play here as they will use it to carefully cross-reference every item to see and compare in detail whether the condition of the property has altered.

The advantages of inventory check-ins and check-outs

There are no grey areas in an inventory check-in (or check-out), which means there’s no room for confusion, misunderstanding or dispute – which all makes for a lot less stress.

Record accurate information

This prevents any disputes that may arise regarding the condition of a property and leaves no room for doubt.

Minimise risk

Records that can be relied upon minimise financial risk for landlords and tenants alike.

Stay compliant

Inventory checks ensure the property is meeting all legal requirements, and provide proof that is the case.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Inventory check-ins are an insurance policy against unnecessary doubts, debates and disputes. To save yourself all this (not to mention a whole lot of time and money), get in touch with us today, and we’ll take care of the whole thing on your behalf.

Excellent service. Respectful & attentive, we are very satisfied! Very valuable advice was given. Thanks!

Allen Panter

Who pays for an Inventory Check In & Out?

As the landlord, you pay for it – though you can of course choose which elements you want/need.

Here at Mashroom we make this as flexible as possible by offering different bundles. Once you click buy now, you will then be able to configure your package.

Choose the address you require the service for and select your preferred date and time for the check to be carried out.

Who pays for an Inventory Check In & Out?

The down-low on inventory check-ins and check-outs

To make your life simpler, we’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most, so that you’ll understand exactly how the process works.

Who carries out the Inventory Check In & Out?

A third party does all this. This is to ensure it’s completely independent for the peace of mind of you as the landlord and your tenants. It will save disagreements between you later and acts as evidence.

A professional check-in clerk who visits the property will also take photos of its condition before the new tenant moves in.

Why do I need this?

An inventory provides you with a good level of protection against damages and maintains the condition of your property.

A check in and check out is a convenient service as you don’t have to be there and using a third party can prevent any issues down the line.

Without official inventory reports, landlords reduce their chance of claiming damages against tenants.

By getting a detailed description or tenancy inventory of your property from a professional inventory clerk, you are safeguarding yourself should any damage occur around the rental home.

Under the deposit scheme rules, as a landlord, if you want to claim for any damages which are disputed by the tenant, it’s up to both parties to provide evidence to substantiate their claims.

Inventory check-in and check-out documents will be essential to show the condition of the property at the start and end of the tenancy to help solve these disputes.

As the landlord, it’s highly advisable to check these documents yourself and agree it with the tenant at the start of the tenancy. Make note of any discrepancies you feel it may contain.

Ideally these tenancy inventory documents should be signed by both parties, especially if you choose to conduct this service yourself.

But with the reports being undertaken by a professional third-party company (the service offered by Mashroom), this is less important.

Can this help reclaim the deposit?

Yes. An inventory check can definitely help you with any damages claims because without official inventory reports, landlords reduce their chance of claiming damages against tenants.

By getting a detailed description of your property from a professional inventory clerk, you are safeguarding yourself should any damage occur around the rental home.

Is this better for tenants?

For landlords, the check-out process provides a clear record of the state of the property, while for tenants it offers the opportunity to state a case for any damage caused during the tenancy that might affect how much deposit is returned.

So yes. It’s better for both as it can provide peace of mind both ways.

A tenant who is uneasy about this process is probably not the ideal tenant. This is a business, and you want to keep everything above board and everyone happy.

What happens on the day of my check?

Inventories are usually written documents. But video logs of a property and its condition as well as photographic records are happening more and more.

Landlords or agents can carry these out but usually and perhaps more recommended are that that they are carried out by a third party / independent inventory clerks.

It’s often considered that a third-party inventory company/check has less risk of bias.

They are experienced in the process, what they are looking for and what they need to record, and they often conduct many reports each day.

The reports are crucial for protecting both the landlord and tenant in any damage claims at the end of the tenancy as they accurately record the condition at the start and at the end of the tenancy.

Ideally, inventory check-in would be conducted when the property is empty, just before a tenant moves in.

The inventory clerk can meet you there or go in alone. It’s usual that this is done before a tenant moves in so that the property is clear and clean for them to get a proper look at everything.

They will go through the property and record the condition of it and all fixtures and fittings so that the document accurately reflects the property, all contents, and their condition.

It isn’t essential for you to attend, especially if you are using a professional service but it’s also perfectly acceptable for you to be there.

The amount of time a check in takes general varies from property to property. A bedsit would take much less time to go over than a five-bed, four-storey Georgian townhouse.

You can always check with the clerk, but you should realistically allow at least several hours.

As with check in, it’s best that you allow at least several hours for a thorough property check and remember that the amount of time could vary quite a lot between a small flat and a large house.

Once the tenant has informed you that they will be moving out, it is their responsibility to ensure the state of the property is in accordance with their rental agreement and is the same as it was at check in.

It is sensible to contact them with details of their responsibilities at tenant check-out, including the expected condition of the property.

The clerk will check the condition and contents of the property at check-out against the original inventory, to highlight any damage.

It’s important for you to remember that a reasonable amount of wear and tear cannot be deducted as damage from the tenant’s deposit because this will happen.

If you wish, you can invite your tenant to be present at the check-out visit, so that you can all agree on the condition of the property against the initial inventory.

Once you have gone through the inventory, you or the clerk can take the keys from them and tenant check-out is complete!

It is not possible to conduct a thorough check in via video call. And we would recommend avoiding any provider who offers this.

Though it might seem a sensible solution if you have properties all over the place, a remote check in will never be as thorough as a physical one and could leave room for conjecture and argument.

These checks need to be carried out in person, and ideally by a professional who knows what to look for and what to check and record.

Video is not going to be as belts and braces as a pair of eyes. But it is possible for video and photographs to be taken of a property in person to help form part of the documentation.

When should I update my Inventory?

Ideally with each tenant change. You may rent out the property very regularly with lots of changeovers, in which case there is likely to be greater wear and tear and you will want to keep on top of the property condition with these checks.

But even if you have the same tenant for a long period, living causes general wear and tear.

Even if you think ‘nothing’ has changed, something probably has!

What other ways can I protect myself?

At Mashroom we offer a variety of products to give you that extra piece of mind.

Here is a comprehensive list of everything we offer to boost your lettings experience:

Tenant referencing

The checks you perform when assessing the suitability of a potential tenant.

EPC

A document which details how energy efficient a property is.

Gas Safety

Inspect any gas appliances in a property, to ensure they are working properly and safely.

Rent Guarantee Insurance

This protects you from loss of rental income.

Home Emergency Insurance

Covers the costs of parts and repairs when faced with heating, plumbing and drainage issues.

Deposit Replacement

Services taken out by either tenants or letting agents to provide protection to the landlord.

Can I use Mashroom Inventory Check In & Out anywhere in the UK?

Yes, our inventory check in and check out services can be arranged and carried out throughout UK (Scotland, Wales, England).

They are valid across the whole of the UK, so you have peace of mind wherever your property or properties in your portfolio may be.

Can I use Mashroom Inventory Check In & Out anywhere in the UK?