UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all

My tenant wants to have the check in a day after his contract starts. Is that possible? I would think not cause at the day where the contract starts the electricity measurements have to be taken right?
Can the check in clerk do the inventory without the tenant ?

Many thanks

Anything is possible, right? But I wouldn't allow it. The whole point of the Check-In is that it's done as the tenancy starts, in my opinion. So I would decline. Slide the contract start by 1 day.

I wouldnt. 

The check in is meant to evidence the condition of the property prior to the check in.

If you dont do it before the check in, you leave yourself wide open to being stitched up when they check out.

No matter how honest and trustworthy you think your tenant is at the start, just wait and see how they operate at check out.

It was an eye opener for me.

It's true that you have to be wary. I have often had people ask if they could move stuff in early... just as a helping-hand... so it wasn't so much of a rush on the day. They can be quite put-out when you decline... but it's about protecting you. Yes, they're paying you (often large amounts of) money... but you're the one who's laying the large asset on the line. The skill comes in relaying the bad news in the right way, so they think that you're being reasonable and that - really - you're hands are kinda tied (you'd help if you only could).

Smoke alarms need to be tested at the start of the tenancy and that is most commonly done at check-in, Nothing to stop a tenant moving in a day after check-in unless there is an issue with getting keys to them. I also can't see an issue with checking in a day later so long as the alarms are tested the day before?