The start of the rental process is a significant time for landlords and tenants. This period sets the tone for the beginning of the relationship. A lot of the disputes which arise between landlords and tenants do so because of a failure to communicate clearly at the start of the tenancy. Therefore, an inventory check makes a massive difference in helping landlords and tenants work together to care for the home.
If you are undecided about the importance of an inventory check, or you are unsure as to whether it is the best use of your time and money, we are here to provide you with reasons why you need an inventory check.
Some tenants are reckless and damage the rental property
Hopefully, your tenant will care for the rental property, and cause you no problems. You must vet tenants, and this will hopefully help you find which can be trusted. However, some tenants damage rental property, and you need to have a record of the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy.
An inventory check allows you to state the property condition at the start of the rental process, allowing you to state differences after the damage has been caused.
Therefore, an inventory lost provides you with proof of the damage and even theft in the rental property. If you intend to claim money from the security deposit, most tenants will likely respond by complaining to the scheme about your attempts.
You will need to provide evidence for the loss you have suffered. If you don’t have an inventory list, and the matters come down to you and the tenant saying different issues, there is a strong chance you will fail to reclaim the money you want. However, if you have an agreed inventory list, and the difference between the present day and the start of the deposit is clear, your claim is more likely to be successful.
The inventory check provides guidelines for the tenant
Most tenants want to get their security deposit back, so most will want to take good care of the rental property. The inventory check provides them with a reference document; they can check to ensure they are maintaining a suitable standard.
This information is of benefit to the tenant, and in the long-term, it benefits the landlord too.
A professional will be more thorough
You should also consider hiring a professional to carry out the inventory for many reasons. An experienced professional is likely to be more careful in their search. Their experience can speed up the process without compromising on the standard of service.
There is also a lot to be said for using an independent professional to carry out this work. If the landlord creates the list, some tenants will be wary of its findings. However, if an external company carries out the inventory check, all parties can place a higher level of faith in the outcomes.
In brief, an inventory check is crucial because it can:
- Minimise the likelihood of disputes
- Encourage the tenant to care for the rental property
- Save time and money in the long-term
- Offer guidelines on how the tenant should maintain the property
If you would like to learn more about the importance of having an inventory list for your rental property, or you want to learn about how we help you carry out an inventory check, get in touch today. At SC Property Management, we are pleased to say we help many landlords carry out inventory checks, and we look forward to assisting you with this process.
