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Leaving tenants to check themselves in and being given a week to verify an inventory isn't unheard of. The majority of renters will be honest, tick the right boxes and return the form promptly. However, the gap between moving in and the inventory report being returned can provide tenants with a 'loophole' should they wish to pass off damage they have inflicted on a property.

Agent can leave themselves open to exploitation by giving tenants too long make amendments to, or sign off a completed inventory report. By having an independent clerk in attendance on moving-in day, the true state of the property and its contents is logged and verified by both the tenant and an unbiased third party.

It's too easy for tenants to move in, inflict damage when moving furniture, or even when throwing a house warming party, and then deciding to be dishonest so someone else picks up the tab for the repairs. The tenant simply reports the damage when returning the inventory form, saying it wasn't recorded. Without a pair of eyes from either a professional independent inventory provider, or from the agent itself, it is impossible to prove when the damage occurred.

Dave Hunt, Business Development Director of ARPM Outsourced Lettings Support says “When inventories and damage are disputed, the blame game starts - and often it is the letting agent who ends up losing. If the inventory reveals a property in a perfect condition before check in, then an agent has no choice but to inform the landlord of the situation. Without proof of who actually inflicted the damage, the landlord can't be sure if the damage happened during a void period, no matter how brief. In many cases, to smooth tensions and save face, the agent has to pay the repair cost, which is an unplanned expense but the only option if there's no proof. The exploitation of this loophole highlights the need for a professional, third-party service and that is why we recommend to all our Clients that a formal inventory and check-in should be conducted for every new let”.

“Organising inventories and check-ins with professional third party providers, is just one of the many benefits that a letting agent can rely on when choosing ARPM to undertake their tenancy administration activities on their behalf. Sourcing Clerks, like any type of contractor, is not always easy – particularly at short notice and if one cannot be found in time, it can throw a move-in date off course. Within ARPM we have an Inventory Manager who works closely with our Tenancy Administration Department, to ensure that we have ample independent clerk coverage within our clients locations, thus preventing the need to delay a new tenancy due to an inventory clerk being unavailable”.

To find out how you can streamline and improve your tenancy administration efficiency by outsourcing to ARPM Outsourced Lettings Support, contact us today for a no-obligation consultation.

Tel: 01923 775 705 Email: tellmemore@arpm.co.uk www.arpm.co.uk

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