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Too many landlords use digital evidence as a substitute to an essential, written description of property inventory at tenant check-in/check-out, leaving themselves exposed to potential costly disputes over wear and tear, and loss or damage, warns the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC).
The trade body says an increasing number of landlords/property professionals rely only on photographic and video evidence in place of thorough, detailed written reports, in deposit dispute cases.
The association says that well taken photographs and video offer good illustration, but should not replace a detailed, written report. Pat Barber, Chair of AIIC says, We have seen some excellent inventories with the right balance of detail, supported by photography and video. But, more often than not, the photographs submitted in inventories are little larger than thumbnails and hence make it extremely difficult to see detail ... To back up a damage issue, along with a detailed description, any photographs need to be of a reasonable size, so that the damage can be actually seen clearly. A glossy inventory that relies heavily on photographs will be of little use in a dispute. All pictures should be digitally date stamped, clear and of a size to appreciate fully what is being photographed. There is no point in producing an undated picture album as inventory without proper description, as it cannot be proved when it was valid.
Photographs and/or videos are great for a general appreciation of the property or for large areas of damage, such as carpet burns, serious damage to worktops or interior décor etc, but need to be supported by still photographs of the finer detail, such as chips and scratches in sinks or baths, knife marks to worktops, and scratches in halogen hobs etc.
This is not a short job and might take an hour or two! It is worth investing in a high definition digital camera with digital dating (rather than using a mobile phone camera). Remember, you will only have to do this once as a full album at the beginning of the letting of a property so, take wide-angle and close up pictures of everything, as individual items, and then write it up. What To Include ... ?
Inside
1. doors (both sides with close-ups of door furniture) halls, landings, bannisters & stairs, ceilings, walls, floors, light switches and light fittings
2. every room including sides, top and bottom of each piece of furniture, floors, ceilings, walls, skirting boards, sockets, wall fittings, curtains and hangers, doors and door furniture
3. every machine in the kitchen/utility room including tops, front, sides and insides e.g. cookers, fridges, washing-machines, tumble-dryers including waste pipes to drains
4. the bath/shower including the splash doors/curtains and runners, taps, hoses, plug holes and plugs, ceilings, floors and doors
5. the WC including flush handle and the ball-valve, down the pan, floor surrounding the bowl
Outside
1. every external door 2. paths, lawns, gardens, tools, outside furniture, dustbins and lockers
3. each aspect of the building, roof-line, guttering, downpipes, windows, storage areas, fences 4. inside garage and doors (opened and closed), close up of locks and handles
Written Inventory Tips
1. describe everything photographed in detail, giving an ID Number cross-refererence for each picture
2. obtain signature of each tenant named within the tenancy agreement (and Guarantor if applicable)
3. sign and date it yourself
4. provide copy of written inventory to the tenant(s)
This sounds like a lot of work, but with typical rent deposits of 6-8 weeks, you could be talking about several thousands of pounds to off-set any loss or damage. If you don't want to do this, a reputable lettings agent is paid to do for you.
Call John on 0203 239 4359 to talk about any aspect of your property poirtfolio.
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