Supplying an Inventory

The purpose of having an inventory is, at the end of tenancy:

to highlight missing items
to identify substitute items
to identify damage caused by the current tenant
to identify items which do not belong in the property.

Identifying substitute items

Swapping some of the smaller items of supplied furnishings (curtains, lampshades, pillows, for example) for his or her own, is common practice by many tenants. Most landlords will have no problems with such swaps if their own property is back in place at the end of the tenancy or they choose to accept the alternative offered by the tenant.

It is possible, however, for replacements to be made which are not acceptable. A tenant may substitute an inferior item, either with or without the intention to deceive. If items have been replaced in this way it is necessary for the landlord to be able to identify them and, more importantly, to be able to prove the switch has been made. Possibilities for achieving this are to:

define each item fully in the inventory, quoting colour, size, model and serial numbers, etc
code mark all your items using some form of unique, indelible marking
photograph your property and contents.

Try thinking of other ways of uniquely identifying your contents.

Identifying damage

When damage is identified at the end of a tenancy, it may be difficult to prove whether it was sustained in this tenancy or whether it was there beforehand. In order to avoid this difficulty, all existing damage to items should be recorded at the start of a tenancy. Any further damage, therefore, has to be accepted as being caused by the current tenant. Photographing the contents is a good back-up to recording the condition of furnishings at the start of a tenancy.

Identifying extra items

Unwanted items abandoned by the tenant at the end of the tenancy need to be identified so that the tenant bears the cost of their removal.

Drawing up an inventory

An effective inventory should:

list all items
note any existing defects against the item
quote manufacturer, model and serial numbers
describe each item fully
have space to add comments.

To fully list and describe all items can be an onerous, but necessary, task and the inventory can run for many pages. Consider backing up your inventory with photographic records.