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Will You Add? - How To Prepare an Inventory - UK Residential Landlords
Online events have become more popular in the last 2 years mainly because of the following:1. Convenience - Attending online events do not require you to leave your home. Thus, you do not have to worry about gas, traffic, parking, accommodations and if your children are 5 year old and over you may not even need a baby sitter. You do not even need to get dressed and made up to attend an online event.2. Time - Another benefit of having an online event is the TIME FACTOR. It is great that people do not have to worry about being at a certain location at a certain time since the event is online. As long as they have a computer and Internet connection, and that they are able to connect during the times that the event is on, then, they are all set.3. Technology - With today's technology, attending online events can be as inter-active as attending physical conferences or expos. People are able to network via chat rooms. They can network using text chat or even voice chat. People can make a connection with others and possibly even joint venture on projects. They can exchange personal and business information in a flash.4. Cost - Online events do not cost as much as physical events. This is great for the online event host and for the participants as well. Hosting an online event can yield similar results to hosting a physical event with out the extra cost and work.5. Fun - Online events can be lot of fun. Some of the things that can make an online event successful and memorable are contests, giveaways, networking opportunities, audios and presentations.Like any other event, whether online or offline, one thing to remember is that promotion is the key to getting lots of traffic and participants for your online event.
The standard component parts used in the Property Hawk inventory are as follows:
* Doors
* Floor
* Walls
* Ceiling
* Light fittings
* Wood work
* Appliances
* Windows
* Heating
* Electricals
* Furnishings
As well as the standard component parts each room may have individual parts specific to that room; these must also be noted down. Once all these parts have been recorded, the next stage is to record items that are not fixtures or fittings. This is particularly important and time consuming where a property is furnished. In this case it will be necessary to note down every item supplied. Once this is done; you will have a complete inventory.
The next stage is to complete what is known as the schedule of condition. This can be carried out concurrently with the inventory. The object of the process is to note down the condition of each component part.
For example, in the case of the lounge under the component part of doors you would record the fact that there are two doors, newly white painted with chrome handles. This part of the process is particularly important because as I go on to discuss later it is disputes over the condition of items and what is ‘fair wear and tear’ that are the most common. This aspect is far more difficult to prove than the removal of an item and it is fair to say that judges will often side with the tenant unless the l
One of the things I am often asked is how do I manage to talk to so many different people at an event and get into almost any conversation that is going on. The key to this is simply eavesdropping. I stand outside the circle and listen to the topic of discussion. If I know nothing, I simply move away and eavesdrop on the next group. When the topic comes around to something that interests me or I know some of the answers, I smile and slip in an important comment. The circle always opens up and I find myself included. I then introduce myself and then we continue the conversation. The key to getting into the conversation is to only go where you have something of importance to say. If they are discussing a recent movie that you saw, then by all means throw out a question to the group and wait for an answer. Most networking events are open for many discussions. Food is always a good topic. If you are having trouble getting into one of the groups, go by the snack table, pick up a plate of goodies, and pass the plate to one of the members to pass around. Bingo, you are now part of that group. You can use other tricks to get into conversations but I find the ones I have described the easiest. Do not be a pushy pest, be polite and make your introduction on a professional level. Once you have been introduced, you can start asking others about what they do. This is your opportunity to mine for information that you can use at a later date.
The inventory/schedule of condition has several functions:
* it is a catalogue of the property being let
* it records the condition of the property and any items that are included in the tenancy
* it forms part of the legally binding contract that is set out in the tenancy agreement between the tenant and the landlord.
Why it’s important to prepare one?
For years when it comes to inventories, landlords have got away with scribbling a few notes on a bit of paper about the condition of their property. The general principle being that accurate records were not needed. This was because as a landlord you were both ‘judge and jury’ and if and what part of the deposit was withheld to cover the costs of repair and cleaning. This is not to say that tenants had no remedies if they felt aggrieved with the decision. Under the pre April 6 2007 system they were able to take the landlord to court if they thought that they were unreasonably withholding their deposit. The judge would then decide on the merits of their claim. However, the ‘hassle’ and inconvenience to the tenant of carrying this through meant that in most cases tenants do not take matters any further, especially where the sums involved were small.
Things will never be the same again
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) will change this cosy amateur approach in several important ways:
1. No longer will the landlord have the benefit of controlling the monies from the outset
2. Because of point 1 many tenants are likely to feel emboldened to take on the landlord if they think they even have a chance of winning the argument. There is likely to be a large jump in the number of cases where the tenant disputes the withholding of all or part of their deposit
3. The inventory will become far more important for many landlords as it is the key document in proving the condition of the property before a tenant moved in
4. The way of assessing disputes will now change. Rather than matters being resolved through the courts, most will be decided by independent arbitrators. Arbitration is generally seen as less adversarial and fixed by legal procedure than the courts and this is likely to result in outcomes that differ from those that occur currently.
Message to landlords
The message to landlords is clear. No longer will they be ‘judge and jury’. The result is that the number of contested deposits is likely to increase dramatically. Therefore it is more important than ever to have a carefully prepared inventory at ‘check in’ and that at ‘check out’ an accurate record of the properties condition is made. Otherwise they could end up significantly out of pocket. Landlords should look out for the TDS compliant inventory coming soon to the registered users of www.propertyhawk.co.uk
Landlords however do have an option not to prepare the inventory themselves.
There are two ways of avoiding the preparation process.
Firstly, if the property is fully managed by an agent then inventory taking and the subsequent ‘check out’ should be carried out by them as one of their management duties. This obviously will save you time. It will also mean that if there are problems with the condition or cleanliness of the property; the agent should rectify these and use the deposit monies to cover this expense before handing the balance back to the tenant.
The second way to get around having to prepare an inventory is to employ a specialist Inventory Clerk. These individuals carry out the whole process for you; they can also do the mid tenancy inspection as well as the final ‘check out’. The downside to this service is that it is not cheap. The costs of a check in and check out run to about ?100-140 each for a standard 2 bed flat. These fees do vary, depending on the size of the property and area of the country (London will be the most expensive).
For this you will have the piece of mind that the inventory has been done professionally and comprehensively. It is possible to pass on the cost of this service to the tenants. This is quite common practice where an agent is used. However there are no hard and fast rules and the agent could equally pass on the cost of this service to the landlord. It is therefore important to be clear from the outset about what their letting and management fees include before signing up for their service.
How to prepare an inventory
The most essential thing about preparing an inventory is to adopt a system that is simple so that it is easily remembered and replicated. This will ensure that you achieve consistent results. In developing your system ensure that the inventory it produces is:
* Ordered - this way when preparing it you are less likely to miss things and also that anyone reading it can easily follow the contents.
* Comprehensive - remember this will be the document of reference should a dispute a rise and could potentially end up in front of the judge
* Verifiable - its accuracy can be agreed by anyone with few or nil additions or alterations.
* Written in Plain English - so it is easy to read and understand. This will help should the case go to court when a clearly written unambiguous report will have more credibility than one where a tenant could claim that they were unsure what they were signing. This shouldn’t be a defence but judges are only human.
The best way of producing inventories that achieve the key points given above is to divide any property into a series of rooms. This is largely straight forward; for instance most properties will have a kitchen, lounge, bedrooms, etc. However you will also have to categorise some parts of the property as a room such as hallways, a conservatory, gardens, garages, etc. Once you have established a list of these rooms; it is then a case of subdividing them into a series of component parts. These component parts once categorised will build up an overall framework.
The standard component parts used in the Property Hawk inventory are as follows:
* Doors
* Floor
* Walls
* Ceiling
* Light fittings
* Wood work
* Appliances
* Windows
* Heating
* Electricals
* Furnishings
As well as the standard component parts each room may have individual parts specific to that room; these must also be noted down. Once all these parts have been recorded, the next stage is to record items that are not fixtures or fittings. This is particularly important and time consuming where a property is furnished. In this case it will be necessary to note down every item supplied. Once this is done; you will have a complete inventory.
The next stage is to complete what is known as the schedule of condition. This can be carried out concurrently with the inventory. The object of the process is to note down the condition of each component part.
For example, in the case of the lounge under the component part of doors you would record the fact that there are two doors, newly white painted with chrome handles. This part of the process is particularly important because as I go on to discuss later it is disputes over the condition of items and what is ‘fair wear and tear’ that are the most common. This aspect is far more difficult to prove than the removal of an item and it is fair to say that judges will often side with the tenant unless the la
Direct marketing is advertising from a manufacturer or front-end supplier directed to the ultimate consumer of a product or service. Another way of looking at direct marketing is selling to a consumer directly, whether is from a printed magazine campaign, TV or radio spot, or from a direct mail package. It means that salespeople are not physically moving your product; promotions are. Direct marketing is a simple approach but also can be useless if not done right.In today's worldwide marketplace, direct marketing takes on many different shapes and sizes. Some companies use direct marketing as just one of the ways to sell their product. Others use direct mail ads exclusively to attract their buyers. For most, direct marketing is integrated into the entire scope of a marketing campaign.Smart direct marketing people are using more and more sophisticated ways to reach their target market. Databases are used to examine who would be their most likely customers. Their habits are tracked in a number of ways including questionnaires, polls, studies, and by placing “cookies” on their computers to track their movements on the Web.The most common and most recognized form of direct marketing is a direct-mail campaign. A database is generated to form a list of potential customers and specific information and promotions are aimed especially for them. This gets the information directly into the hands of the people most likely to purchase the products being offered.Direct marketing offers advantages over other forms of marketing such as network marketing and broadcast marketing. With direct marketing, you can target a very specific group. A company can make the campaign large or small, depending on their budget. Ads can be test marketed to see if the response rate is good before a larger campaign is started. Also, you can customize your direct marketing efforts to your former customers by compiling a database from past orders.
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) will change this cosy amateur approach in several important ways:
1. No longer will the landlord have the benefit of controlling the monies from the outset
2. Because of point 1 many tenants are likely to feel emboldened to take on the landlord if they think they even have a chance of winning the argument. There is likely to be a large jump in the number of cases where the tenant disputes the withholding of all or part of their deposit
3. The inventory will become far more important for many landlords as it is the key document in proving the condition of the property before a tenant moved in
4. The way of assessing disputes will now change. Rather than matters being resolved through the courts, most will be decided by independent arbitrators. Arbitration is generally seen as less adversarial and fixed by legal procedure than the courts and this is likely to result in outcomes that differ from those that occur currently.
Message to landlords
The message to landlords is clear. No longer will they be ‘judge and jury’. The result is that the number of contested deposits is likely to increase dramatically. Therefore it is more important than ever to have a carefully prepared inventory at ‘check in’ and that at ‘check out’ an accurate record of the properties condition is made. Otherwise they could end up significantly out of pocket. Landlords should look out for the TDS compliant inventory coming soon to the registered users of www.propertyhawk.co.uk
Landlords however do have an option not to prepare the inventory themselves.
There are two ways of avoiding the preparation process.
Firstly, if the property is fully managed by an agent then inventory taking and the subsequent ‘check out’ should be carried out by them as one of their management duties. This obviously will save you time. It will also mean that if there are problems with the condition or cleanliness of the property; the agent should rectify these and use the deposit monies to cover this expense before handing the balance back to the tenant.
The second way to get around having to prepare an inventory is to employ a specialist Inventory Clerk. These individuals carry out the whole process for you; they can also do the mid tenancy inspection as well as the final ‘check out’. The downside to this service is that it is not cheap. The costs of a check in and check out run to about ?100-140 each for a standard 2 bed flat. These fees do vary, depending on the size of the property and area of the country (London will be the most expensive).
For this you will have the piece of mind that the inventory has been done professionally and comprehensively. It is possible to pass on the cost of this service to the tenants. This is quite common practice where an agent is used. However there are no hard and fast rules and the agent could equally pass on the cost of this service to the landlord. It is therefore important to be clear from the outset about what their letting and management fees include before signing up for their service.
How to prepare an inventory
The most essential thing about preparing an inventory is to adopt a system that is simple so that it is easily remembered and replicated. This will ensure that you achieve consistent results. In developing your system ensure that the inventory it produces is:
* Ordered - this way when preparing it you are less likely to miss things and also that anyone reading it can easily follow the contents.
* Comprehensive - remember this will be the document of reference should a dispute a rise and could potentially end up in front of the judge
* Verifiable - its accuracy can be agreed by anyone with few or nil additions or alterations.
* Written in Plain English - so it is easy to read and understand. This will help should the case go to court when a clearly written unambiguous report will have more credibility than one where a tenant could claim that they were unsure what they were signing. This shouldn’t be a defence but judges are only human.
The best way of producing inventories that achieve the key points given above is to divide any property into a series of rooms. This is largely straight forward; for instance most properties will have a kitchen, lounge, bedrooms, etc. However you will also have to categorise some parts of the property as a room such as hallways, a conservatory, gardens, garages, etc. Once you have established a list of these rooms; it is then a case of subdividing them into a series of component parts. These component parts once categorised will build up an overall framework.
The standard component parts used in the Property Hawk inventory are as follows:
* Doors
* Floor
* Walls
* Ceiling
* Light fittings
* Wood work
* Appliances
* Windows
* Heating
* Electricals
* Furnishings
As well as the standard component parts each room may have individual parts specific to that room; these must also be noted down. Once all these parts have been recorded, the next stage is to record items that are not fixtures or fittings. This is particularly important and time consuming where a property is furnished. In this case it will be necessary to note down every item supplied. Once this is done; you will have a complete inventory.
The next stage is to complete what is known as the schedule of condition. This can be carried out concurrently with the inventory. The object of the process is to note down the condition of each component part.
For example, in the case of the lounge under the component part of doors you would record the fact that there are two doors, newly white painted with chrome handles. This part of the process is particularly important because as I go on to discuss later it is disputes over the condition of items and what is ‘fair wear and tear’ that are the most common. This aspect is far more difficult to prove than the removal of an item and it is fair to say that judges will often side with the tenant unless the l
So, some of your pages ended up in the supplemental results. Now what? How do you get them out? Well, the popular short answer is this: "Build page rank!" The obvious next question is: "How do I build page rank?" Again, the popular short answer is: "Build links!" The question that naturally follows is: "How do I build links?" Well, now we are getting somewhere! You could buy them, but that is taboo, and everyone knows it is cheating, but whether you admit it or not, eventually it will lead to trouble.So, what's a webmaster to do? There is really only one correct answer to this one, and once you know this and really understand it it will be the answer to almost every other page rank problem as well. One simple word, "content!"How do you get content? You obviously have an interest in a subject. What is your site all about? You probably know quite a bit about your subject, at least some of which, other people might like to learn, so, write about it! Publish it on your site. Publish it in an ezine. Both things will help.If you don't think you can write about your subject in a way that would engage your audience, hire someone to write your thoughts for you. The money spent on such a project would be worth a lot more than hiring someone to help you fool a search engine, which would eventually backfire on you anyway!Many webmasters are so busy trying to figure out how to fool the search engines into thinking that their pages are important, that they have forgotten what makes them important. They end up like the guy at work who spends more time and energy avoiding work than he would have spent if he had just done his job to begin with.If the goal of the search engine is to find useful content and arrange the links to that content in such a way that the searcher can find the good content in the easiest way, and it is, and, if the internet end user is a human being, it stands to reason that websites designed with the human end user in mind, would do well.If the site has keywords that match what an average human being would type into the browser to look for that particular type of content, and arranged in such a way as to make it easy for a human being to find the content that he or she is looking for on the site, the site should do well.If this site has links to useful content on site and off, was designed by a human being, for a human being would end up ranking pretty well. It also stands to reason that a sight designed by any other method, is trying to skew
Landlords however do have an option not to prepare the inventory themselves.
There are two ways of avoiding the preparation process.
Firstly, if the property is fully managed by an agent then inventory taking and the subsequent ‘check out’ should be carried out by them as one of their management duties. This obviously will save you time. It will also mean that if there are problems with the condition or cleanliness of the property; the agent should rectify these and use the deposit monies to cover this expense before handing the balance back to the tenant.
The second way to get around having to prepare an inventory is to employ a specialist Inventory Clerk. These individuals carry out the whole process for you; they can also do the mid tenancy inspection as well as the final ‘check out’. The downside to this service is that it is not cheap. The costs of a check in and check out run to about ?100-140 each for a standard 2 bed flat. These fees do vary, depending on the size of the property and area of the country (London will be the most expensive).
For this you will have the piece of mind that the inventory has been done professionally and comprehensively. It is possible to pass on the cost of this service to the tenants. This is quite common practice where an agent is used. However there are no hard and fast rules and the agent could equally pass on the cost of this service to the landlord. It is therefore important to be clear from the outset about what their letting and management fees include before signing up for their service.
How to prepare an inventory
The most essential thing about preparing an inventory is to adopt a system that is simple so that it is easily remembered and replicated. This will ensure that you achieve consistent results. In developing your system ensure that the inventory it produces is:
* Ordered - this way when preparing it you are less likely to miss things and also that anyone reading it can easily follow the contents.
* Comprehensive - remember this will be the document of reference should a dispute a rise and could potentially end up in front of the judge
* Verifiable - its accuracy can be agreed by anyone with few or nil additions or alterations.
* Written in Plain English - so it is easy to read and understand. This will help should the case go to court when a clearly written unambiguous report will have more credibility than one where a tenant could claim that they were unsure what they were signing. This shouldn’t be a defence but judges are only human.
The best way of producing inventories that achieve the key points given above is to divide any property into a series of rooms. This is largely straight forward; for instance most properties will have a kitchen, lounge, bedrooms, etc. However you will also have to categorise some parts of the property as a room such as hallways, a conservatory, gardens, garages, etc. Once you have established a list of these rooms; it is then a case of subdividing them into a series of component parts. These component parts once categorised will build up an overall framework.
The standard component parts used in the Property Hawk inventory are as follows:
* Doors
* Floor
* Walls
* Ceiling
* Light fittings
* Wood work
* Appliances
* Windows
* Heating
* Electricals
* Furnishings
As well as the standard component parts each room may have individual parts specific to that room; these must also be noted down. Once all these parts have been recorded, the next stage is to record items that are not fixtures or fittings. This is particularly important and time consuming where a property is furnished. In this case it will be necessary to note down every item supplied. Once this is done; you will have a complete inventory.
The next stage is to complete what is known as the schedule of condition. This can be carried out concurrently with the inventory. The object of the process is to note down the condition of each component part.
For example, in the case of the lounge under the component part of doors you would record the fact that there are two doors, newly white painted with chrome handles. This part of the process is particularly important because as I go on to discuss later it is disputes over the condition of items and what is ‘fair wear and tear’ that are the most common. This aspect is far more difficult to prove than the removal of an item and it is fair to say that judges will often side with the tenant unless the l
Rapid technological advancements in the 21st Century have ensured that society is now more connected, and there are an increased number of media channels available. Unfortunately, due to dominant media ownerships some would argue that though we have a choice in what we want to watch, our choice is still limited due to tight media control. However, to a limited extent media independence is now being balanced due to the increased popularity of the Internet. This can be clearly illustrated with the level of interaction in chat rooms and blogging. E-mails are being used more frequently, hence influencing the level of communication efficiency.Furthermore, even though advertising companies and people with the technological skill to design and build websites are still dominant in the communication sector, software programs such as Dreamweaver and Microsoft Frontpage provide easy web building packages that enable quick and effective website building for beginners. As a result, media independence is gained with the increasing use of the Internet.Firstly, Internet and blogging in particular, does not create an age barrier to who can participate. For example, a teenager and a more mature person could have the same opportunity to voice their opinions on the Internet. Also, although it can be argued that the people who do not possess technological skills may be disadvantaged, once the skill is acquired, then people will be able to participate. The author of a webpage or an article has the option of remaining anonymous or writing under a false name, hence, an increase in freedom of speech and a reduction of the risk of being associated with a certain ideology or discourse by a reader.The Internet is promoting greater independence, as minority groups are able to express their views publicly and information can be shared rapidly. There are many benefits to blogging on the Internet. One of the most positive aspects in regards to blogging is that it does not require any technological knowledge, and blogs have the opportunity to be read by people from other cultures and nations.E-mails have also played a pivotal role in creating media independence. Although e-mails are seen as a form of communication technology, they can also be shared between groups of people. Therefore, increasing the speed of connection and amount of people that will be able to read email has greatly impacted on the sophistication of the Internet and its ability to enhance global communication. E-mails offer instant com
How to prepare an inventory
The most essential thing about preparing an inventory is to adopt a system that is simple so that it is easily remembered and replicated. This will ensure that you achieve consistent results. In developing your system ensure that the inventory it produces is:
* Ordered - this way when preparing it you are less likely to miss things and also that anyone reading it can easily follow the contents.
* Comprehensive - remember this will be the document of reference should a dispute a rise and could potentially end up in front of the judge
* Verifiable - its accuracy can be agreed by anyone with few or nil additions or alterations.
* Written in Plain English - so it is easy to read and understand. This will help should the case go to court when a clearly written unambiguous report will have more credibility than one where a tenant could claim that they were unsure what they were signing. This shouldn’t be a defence but judges are only human.
The best way of producing inventories that achieve the key points given above is to divide any property into a series of rooms. This is largely straight forward; for instance most properties will have a kitchen, lounge, bedrooms, etc. However you will also have to categorise some parts of the property as a room such as hallways, a conservatory, gardens, garages, etc. Once you have established a list of these rooms; it is then a case of subdividing them into a series of component parts. These component parts once categorised will build up an overall framework.
The standard component parts used in the Property Hawk inventory are as follows:
* Doors
* Floor
* Walls
* Ceiling
* Light fittings
* Wood work
* Appliances
* Windows
* Heating
* Electricals
* Furnishings
As well as the standard component parts each room may have individual parts specific to that room; these must also be noted down. Once all these parts have been recorded, the next stage is to record items that are not fixtures or fittings. This is particularly important and time consuming where a property is furnished. In this case it will be necessary to note down every item supplied. Once this is done; you will have a complete inventory.
The next stage is to complete what is known as the schedule of condition. This can be carried out concurrently with the inventory. The object of the process is to note down the condition of each component part.
For example, in the case of the lounge under the component part of doors you would record the fact that there are two doors, newly white painted with chrome handles. This part of the process is particularly important because as I go on to discuss later it is disputes over the condition of items and what is ‘fair wear and tear’ that are the most common. This aspect is far more difficult to prove than the removal of an item and it is fair to say that judges will often side with the tenant unless the l
Marketers stake much of their livelihood on keywords, whether for proper search engine optimization or targeted pay-per-click advertising. One challenge faced by inexperienced marketers involves knowing which phrases to target out of hundreds of combinations.Often, one will find terms which look good, but later testing reveals the terms simply don’t convert visitors to sales. If you performed your due diligence by testing and tracking all elements of the sales page (copy, graphics, price, etc), this scenario may leave you baffled and wondering “Why didn’t this phrase produce sales? It really looked like a winner!”Every search term presents us with the challenge of reading intent. What was the visitor really looking for when they typed in the phrase? While it’s impossible to know this with certainty, you can improve your ability to read intent from keywords, and improve the accuracy of your targeting.The First Guideline: Pay Attention to Qualifying TermsAre multi-term (3 or more keyword) search phrases more targeted? Not always. A narrow search indicates only that searcher intends to find a specific piece of information. It does not necessarily indicate intent to purchase.For example, the search phrase “big blue widget” points to a narrowly defined interest, but does not reveal whether the searcher intends to research prices, look at photographs of big, blue widgets, or merely discovered a passing curiosity after hearing about them someplace else. The phrase appears promising at first, but still presents us with a high likelihood of non-converting traffic. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t test such a phrase, only that you are more likely to see a good deal of untargeted spill-over traffic.What you really want to look for during your keyword research is qualification. Specificity is not enough. So, how do you spot the qualifying terms that indicate the searcher is in buying mode?You spot them by applying a formula to your keyword list. If you have your list in front of you now, take a look at it and see if you can apply the following parameters to any of the phrases:* Contextual/Situational * Urgent * PreferentialRelevant terms for contextual/situational searching might include:* Bad credit/good credit * Student * Divorced * Retired * Self EmployedWhen you apply contextual/situational parameters to your keywords, you should think in terms of “filling in the blanks” of the situation: “If I have
The standard component parts used in the Property Hawk inventory are as follows:
* Doors
* Floor
* Walls
* Ceiling
* Light fittings
* Wood work
* Appliances
* Windows
* Heating
* Electricals
* Furnishings
As well as the standard component parts each room may have individual parts specific to that room; these must also be noted down. Once all these parts have been recorded, the next stage is to record items that are not fixtures or fittings. This is particularly important and time consuming where a property is furnished. In this case it will be necessary to note down every item supplied. Once this is done; you will have a complete inventory.
The next stage is to complete what is known as the schedule of condition. This can be carried out concurrently with the inventory. The object of the process is to note down the condition of each component part.
For example, in the case of the lounge under the component part of doors you would record the fact that there are two doors, newly white painted with chrome handles. This part of the process is particularly important because as I go on to discuss later it is disputes over the condition of items and what is ‘fair wear and tear’ that are the most common. This aspect is far more difficult to prove than the removal of an item and it is fair to say that judges will often side with the tenant unless the landlord can prove conclusively that it was new or in good condition. This highlights the importance of retaining receipts not only for tax purposes but also in case of a disagreement with your tenant resulting in arbitration or court action where you will then have to prove the condition of your property at ‘handover’.
Many inventory clerks use a series of abbreviations to speed up the process. This is fine providing that a full list of terms accompanying the inventory. Whilst abbreviations are useful they can also be confusing for the tenant who will need to verify the report once it is completed.
The important things to ensure are:
* That there is an adequate description of each item so that they can be verified
* That an accurate statement of condition accompanies each component item
You should avoid at all costs ambiguous language such as ‘spotlessly clean’ or emotive language so as ‘lovely fireplace’. Keep descriptions brief and factual.
If you follow these guidelines then you should end up with a comprehensive written inventory and schedule of condition that will then cover you for all eventualities.
The ‘check in’
The check in occurs at the point that the tenancy has been agreed and the landlord is in a position to hand over the keys. It is the process by where the tenant and landlord / agent who should have a fully prepared inventory / statement of condition will need to agree the cleanliness of the property as well as confirm the details of the inventory. The process involves a tour of the property. Where there are discrepancies between the original inventory then these should be noted down. Once an acceptable copy has been drawn up the landlord and tenant must sign and date it to acknowledge that the document is a fair representation of the facts. The inventory then forms part of the terms of the tenancy agreement. When photos are involved they need to be signed and dated or referred to as a clause in the tenancy agreement. (see previous sections).
Mid term inspection
The mid term inspection is one carried out by the landlord or their agent approximately halfway through a tenancy to ensure that the property is being maintained. Generally it is a short visit and the landlord or agent should use the agreed inventory to cross check the property that an unreasonable amount of damage has not occurred and that the property is being cleaned. It can also be a useful way of the landlord finding out about any small problems with the property which the tenant has failed to report. In this way the landlords should be in a position to take pre-emptive action to tackle an issue before it gets too serious. The first mid term inspection is also a way of the landlord checking on the tenant and making a judgement as to whether they are happy for the tenancy to continue or whether they wish to proceed to issue a section 21 notice requiring possession.
The ‘check out’
This is the final stage of any tenancy and the point when the benefits of having a well prepared inventory become apparent. It may be that many months has elapsed since the start of the tenancy which means unless you are blessed with a photographic memory the original condition of the property at the time of the ‘check in’ is likely to be ‘hazey’ at best. You should arrange to meet the tenant at the property to go through the inventory and check its’ condition at the time that they are ready to move out. Ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time to conduct a thorough inspection. Use a copy of the original inventory to note down any item of damage or cleanliness. Be careful to make accurate and thorough notes as these could form part of your case should a dispute a rise and go to court or arbitration.
Identifying substitute items
I’m afraid it is not uncommon for tenants to swap some of the smaller items of supplied furnishings (curtains, lampshades, pillows, for example) for their own. I don’t have a problem with this as long as the tenant then puts back these items at the end of the tenancy. What you don’t want is that the tenant swaps their ‘rubbish’ with your good stuff. This is why it is so important when preparing the inventory to
fully describe each item, quoting colour size, model and serial numbers where possible
even code mark your items with say a unique indelible mark.
Identifying extra items
Gaining unwanted ‘stuff’ is sometimes more of a problem than loosing items or having them replaced by inferior goods. My experience particularly with students and sharers is that tenants can use moving as an opportunity to discard their unwanted belongings. I’m sure that they think that they are being very generous and if you are an avid ‘car booter’ it can provide a continuous supply of delightful ‘bric-a-brac’. I’m not and it is very time consuming and expensive to get rid of items; particularly larger ones such as furniture and appliances. Local authorities will generally take large domestic items away for a small fee of about ?15; but why should you have to organise and pay for the removal of somebody else’s rubbish! I did have recently a case where a tenant left their car. Look out in particular for stuff being left in the cellar, attic and garage. These are all convenient hiding places often used by tenants. My advice is, don’t agree the ‘check out’ until the property is ‘completely’ cleared to your satisfaction.
One thing to note is that it is not necessary for the tenant to be present when the ‘check out’ is being compiled. Some landlords or agents actually prefer this to be the case because it allows them to concentrate on taking accurate and unbiased notes without having to answer directly to the tenant. The completed ‘check out’ statement can then be posted out to the tenant or a subsequent arrangement can be made to meet them to go through it if there are any areas of disagreement. Otherwise the tenant can post a signed copy of the ‘check out’ statement back. The downside to this two stage approach is that it is more time consuming as it requires that the landlord or agent have to make an
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