WHAT AND WHY?

In today's economic climate, more people are turning to rented accommodation as their choice of home. With the property and employment market in an unstable condition; the opportunity to purchase one's own property has somewhat declined. Added to which, the expense of property maintenance puts additional strain on income.

Over the last few years the Tenancy Deposit Act, has made it important to both landlords and tenants to ensure they are satisfied that the condition of the property they either let or rent is recorded, both at the start and end of the tenancy.

Initially, from the Landlord's point of view it's wise to have an inventory report; where, as well as property condition being detailed, so too is the condition of fixtures/fittings, furnishings and contents.

When tenants check in at the start of their tenancy, this report is used as an agreement between themselves and their landlord to the condition of the property and its contents.

When tenants terminate their tenancy, the check out report notes the condition of the property and its contents at that specific time. These two reports; check in and check out, are compared, resulting in any changes to either property or contents being documented.