Agents advised to be alert over student inventories

Student tenants risk losing thousands of pounds through items detailed in a property inventory going missing at the end of a tenancy.

That’s the warning from the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks, which is urging agents and landlords to pay extra attention to accurate inventories over the next few weeks as student check-outs and check-ins are at their highest.

The association says a recent study by removal firm Kiwi Movers found that 52 per cent of tenants experienced difficulties over the return of deposits on check-out.

The survey also revealed the most common reasons for lost deposits - items missing from the inventory accounted for a fifth of survey respondents not receiving back their full deposit, while other reasons included minor repairs, cleaning and unpaid bills.

“Tenants should be issued with a copy of the inventory at the beginning of the tenancy and I urge them all to double check all the items listed at that time and to ensure that all items remain in the property, in good condition, when moving out. If there is something missing it can often be cheaper for the tenant to replace it rather than for the landlord or agent to do so” explains Pat Barber, chair of the AIIC.

“For letting agents and landlords, it is important to go through the inventory fairly and thoroughly when undertaking the check-out process. If both sides of the rental transaction hold up their side of the bargain, the amount of deposit disputes can be kept to a minimum this summer” says Barber.