Inventory and Check-In Report (UK)

An Inventory and Check-In Report in the United Kingdom records the physical state, fixtures, and disclosed defects of a property so both sides have an agreed record before completion, and takes its legal force from the Law of Property Act 1925.

Although no specific statute in England and Wales mandates the preparation of a written inventory as a legal requirement, the document carries enormous practical and evidential weight within the framework established by the Housing Act 2004. That Act, as amended by the Deregulation Act 2015 and the Housing and Planning Act 2016, introduced compulsory tenancy deposit protection for all assured shorthold tenancies. Sections 213 to 215 of the Housing Act 2004 require landlords to protect deposits in one of the three government-authorised tenancy deposit protection schemes — the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), or MyDeposits — within 30 days of receipt. The inventory check-in report is the primary document that adjudicators from these schemes rely upon when resolving disputes over proposed deposit deductions at the end of the tenancy. Without a strong, dated, and signed check-in report, a landlord's ability to make justified deductions from the deposit for damage, missing items, or excessive wear and tear is fundamentally compromised.

The Tenant Fees Act 2019 is directly relevant to the inventory process. Under Schedule 1, paragraph 1 of that Act, landlords and letting agents are prohibited from charging tenants for the cost of preparing an inventory or check-in report. The Act came into force on 1 June 2019 for new tenancies and applied to all existing tenancies from 1 June 2020. Charging a prohibited fee is a criminal offence under section 12 of the Act, carrying a fine of up to £5,000 for a first offence and an unlimited fine with potential banning under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 for repeat offences.

The Deregulation Act 2015 strengthened tenants' rights further by introducing provisions that prevent a landlord from serving a valid Section 21 notice — the no-fault possession notice under the Housing Act 1988 — unless the landlord has complied with certain pre-tenancy obligations, including providing the tenant with the government's 'How to Rent' guide, a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, and a current gas safety certificate (CP12) issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. The check-in report provides a practical mechanism for recording and evidencing that these compliance documents have been handed to the tenant at the commencement of the tenancy.

Safety compliance requirements also form a critical component of the check-in process. The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (amending the 2015 Regulations) require landlords to install and test working smoke alarms on every storey of the property used as living accommodation, and to install carbon monoxide alarms in every room containing a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or wood-burning stove. All alarms must be tested and confirmed as working at the commencement of each new tenancy. The check-in report provides the documentary evidence that this testing has taken place.

Professional bodies such as ARLA Propertymark (the Association of Residential Letting Agents), the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), and the Property Ombudsman all recommend that inventory reports be prepared by an independent, professionally trained inventory clerk, wherever possible, to maximise their evidential reliability. A report prepared or signed by an independent third party carries greater weight in deposit dispute adjudications than one prepared solely by the landlord or agent. The Inventory Clerk Association and the Association of Professional Inventory Providers (APIP) maintain professional standards for inventory clerks in the UK.

A UK Inventory and Check-In Report is needed at the commencement of every new assured shorthold tenancy in England and Wales where a deposit is taken. This covers the vast majority of private residential lettings, including furnished and unfurnished properties, houses, flats, bedsits, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), and room rentals.

The most common and important scenario in which the check-in report is needed is when a new tenancy begins and the landlord or agent wishes to protect their ability to make deposit deductions at the end of the letting. Because the Housing Act 2004 requires deposit disputes to be resolved through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) adjudication provided by TDS, DPS, or MyDeposits, the check-in report becomes the primary evidence for any claim for damage, cleaning, or missing items. Adjudicators at all three deposit protection schemes consistently award in the tenant's favour when no check-in report exists, regardless of how significant the damage may appear to be, because there is no baseline evidence to demonstrate that the damage did not pre-exist the tenancy.

The check-in report is also needed when a property is being re-let immediately after a previous tenant vacates. In this scenario, the check-out report from the departing tenancy should be used as the starting point for the new check-in report, with any changes, maintenance work, or cleaning brought up to date. Any items that were replaced, repaired, or professionally cleaned between tenancies should be specifically noted so that the incoming tenant is not later held responsible for the condition of those items.

For HMOs licensed under the Housing Act 2004 and the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2018, a thorough check-in report is particularly important because individual room lettings may commence at different times, and the inventory must accurately reflect the specific room and the shared areas accessible to each individual tenant. HMO landlords who fail to maintain adequate records of property condition can face difficulties when dealing with the local housing authority during licence renewal inspections.

Agents operating under the ARLA Propertymark Code of Practice and the RICS Residential Letting and Management Professional Statement are required to maintain professional standards in inventory management and must advise their clients — both landlords and tenants — of the importance of a detailed check-in report. Letting agents who are members of a property redress scheme (mandatory under the Redress Schemes for Lettings Agency Work and Property Management Work (Requirement to Belong to a Scheme) (England) Order 2014) may face complaints and compensation awards if they fail to recommend or prepare a proper inventory.

The check-in report is also needed when a property changes letting agent mid-tenancy or when a landlord self-manages after previously using an agent. In these circumstances, a mid-tenancy inspection and updated condition record may be appropriate to establish a new agreed baseline, particularly if the original check-in report is unavailable or inadequate.

Finally, landlords operating in local authority selective licensing areas — introduced under the Housing Act 2004 and increasingly used by councils across England under schemes approved by the Secretary of State — may be required by the licence conditions to maintain up-to-date inventories and condition records for their properties.

A thorough UK Inventory and Check-In Report contains several core sections, each serving a distinct evidential and practical purpose.

**Property and Tenancy Details.** The report should open with the full address of the property, the tenancy start date, the names of all tenants and the landlord or agent, the tenancy agreement reference number, and the deposit protection scheme reference number together with the name of the authorised scheme (TDS, DPS, or MyDeposits). Recording the deposit scheme details at check-in is good practice and confirms that all documents relating to a single tenancy are cross-referenced.

**Room-by-Room Condition Record.** The substantive body of the report is a methodical room-by-room assessment of every space within the property, including entrance hall, living room, kitchen, each bedroom, bathroom, toilet, utility room, conservatory, loft, garage, and all external areas such as the garden, patio, driveway, and outbuildings. For each room, the report should record the condition of the walls, ceiling, floor, doors, windows, window locks, curtains and blinds, light fittings, electrical sockets and switches, radiators, and any built-in furniture or fitted appliances. The condition of each item is graded using a consistent scale — typically 'new', 'excellent', 'good', 'fair', or 'poor' — with a brief written description and photographic evidence. Photographs should be dated and ideally geo-tagged. The NRLA recommends that photographs be taken in good natural light and that images capture both the overview of a room and close-up detail of any existing marks, stains, damage, or areas of wear.

**Cleanliness Assessment.** The overall cleanliness of the property and of each room must be assessed and documented at check-in, as cleanliness is one of the most common grounds for deposit deductions at the end of a tenancy. The report should note whether the property was professionally cleaned immediately prior to the commencement of the tenancy, and where a professional clean has been carried out, a copy of the receipt or invoice should be attached. TDS, DPS, and MyDeposits adjudicators will generally only award professional cleaning costs at check-out if there is clear evidence of a professional clean at check-in.

**Contents and Fixtures Inventory.** For furnished and part-furnished properties, the report must include a complete itemised list of all furniture, white goods, appliances, crockery, cutlery, soft furnishings, artwork, garden equipment, and other contents belonging to the landlord. Each item should be described with its make and model where applicable, its age or approximate age, its quantity, and its condition. Under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended), all upholstered furniture provided by the landlord must meet fire safety standards and display the appropriate permanent label; the check-in report should confirm compliance.

**Meter Readings and Services.** The report must record the gas, electricity, and where applicable water meter readings at the precise time of check-in, together with the meter serial numbers and locations. This prevents disputes between the incoming tenant, the outgoing tenant, and utility suppliers. The report should also confirm the broadband or telephone line status, the number and type of keys handed to the tenant (including key fobs, parking permits, and post box keys), and the location of the stopcock, fuse box, and boiler.

**Safety Compliance Documentation.** The report should confirm that the following compliance documents have been provided to the tenant: the government 'How to Rent' guide (as required by the Deregulation Act 2015); a valid Energy Performance Certificate under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012; the current gas safety certificate (CP12) under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; and the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. The report should also record the test results of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms as required by the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

**Signatures and Agreement.** The report must be signed and dated by both the landlord or agent and the tenant. Both parties should retain a signed copy. If the tenant is unable to attend the check-in in person, the report should be sent to them by email within a reasonable period (typically 24 to 48 hours) with an invitation to raise any amendments within seven days. Unsigned or unagreed reports carry less evidential weight in deposit adjudications, though they are not entirely without value if supported by photographic evidence and contemporaneous correspondence.

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and Housing Act 1988, disputes may be referred to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 sets repair obligations. The Land Registry maintains title records under the Land Registration Act 2002. Section 2 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989 governs contracts for the sale of land. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 restricts permitted payments. The forms-legal.com Inventory and Check-In Report (UK) template covers the mandatory elements under Law of Property Act 1925.