Inventories and schedules of condition

Why it matters

Deposit scheme adjudicators start from the presumption that the money belongs to the tenant. Without a check-in inventory, a check-out report and evidence of the difference, deductions almost always fail.

Legal requirements

• There is no statutory duty to produce an inventory, but the burden of proving a deduction sits with the landlord.
• Deductions must reflect actual loss and cannot include betterment or fair wear and tear.
• Give the tenant a reasonable opportunity to comment on and amend the inventory.

Common mistakes

• Undated or unsigned inventories with no photographs.
• Generic descriptions such as 'good condition' with no detail.
• No check-out report, so no before-and-after comparison.
• Claiming full replacement cost for a partly worn item.

Practical guidance

• Photograph every room, all appliances, meters and any existing damage, with visible timestamps.
• Send the inventory within 24 hours of move-in and give seven days for comments.
• Repeat the same room order and format at check-out for a clean comparison.
• Store both reports in the tenancy record so they can be produced instantly during a dispute.