The new sole chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks says he wants the service to be at the heart of the increasingly ‘professionalised’ lettings sector.

Danny Zane – formerly joint chair of the AIIC – now takes the helm in a sole capacity with the objective of boosting the organisation’s membership as well as promoting training courses, and leading on media and lobbying activities.

“The organisation continues to grow and we’re dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of independent inventory reporting in all private rental properties” he says.

“It’s clear the government is increasingly keen to professionalise all aspects of the letting process and we remain convinced inventory reporting can become a part of this movement” explains Zane, who is managing director of London-based My Property Inventories and is a former council member and complaints officer at the AIIC. 

“With more people renting than ever before and average security deposits at an all-time high, it’s in the interests of landlords, letting agents and tenants that an independent inventory is compiled at the start of a tenancy,” he says.

Over the last year, the AIIC has been running a campaign to increase awareness of the importance of independent inventory reporting.

This included a petition lobbying for compulsory independent inventory reporting in privately rented properties which amassed over 1,000 signatures.

The organisation has also carried out educational talks in London and has held a series of meetings with deposit protection scheme ‘my deposits’ and a property redress scheme.

The other former joint chair, Emma Glencross – who runs north London independent inventory firm Professional Residential – will now take up a role on the AIIC’s board.