Landlords need to know the importance of using an inventory

Landlords operating in the UK property market should make sure that they have completed a detailed inventory before such times as they start letting their rental homes to tenants, to make sure that they are as well protected as the other party.

These documents are traditionally seen as protecting a tenant on the grounds that they can get their deposit back once they leave, because it protects them from unscrupulous landlords who may make a claim that an item is missing or broken.

However, according to one expert, they are just as important to the homeowner as they are to the tenant in terms of protecting each party. Malcolm Harrison, spokesman for the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, said that they are vital for the resolution of a dispute, as both parties need to be able to give evidence of their claims if they have an issue.

"A landlord can't go in and say the carpet was spotlessly clean at the beginning of the tenancy unless he can prove it. The tenant has also got to be able to say that when they signed the inventory they pointed out that there was a mark on the rug. When it comes to a dispute, it is the person who can give the clearest account of their side [that wins] – that is just natural."

Recently, it was said by Mark Hayward, chief executive officer of the National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP) said that there is now a trend taking place in the UK where people are unsure of buying to the extent that they are renting properties for longer.

Mr Harrison added that this is another reason why it is important to make sure that an inventory is laid out, because a year or two down the line, a lot can go wrong, and no one is likely to remember all of the things that were in a property when the let began, leaving issues and potential disputes.