UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi, the check in inventory was done by the Estate Agent but on the following day after the tenant moved in. However the tenant was not in the house when the Inventory was done. The tenant gave the Ok for the Inventory to be done in his absence. Is the inventory valid even if done a day after T moved in? Also, the tenant has not yet signed an inventory form aknowledging that it was done in his abscence and that he agrees with it. The Inventory says that if there is no objection from T within 48h of the Inventory been done then it can not be refuted later. Is this correct? Thanks for any replies.

Well, it can be refuted... of course it can. There's probably nothing better than an Inventory carried out by an objective third party and signed by both Landlord and Tenant. Sadly, not many of us go to this trouble (and expense). I always do my own Inventory - but I go to great lengths to make sure it's correct and fair - I then always make sure the Tenants get around a week to review it and then we get together and sign it - both getting copies.

What you have here is an unsigned Inventory. At the end of the tenancy the Tenant could - if so minded - just say "I've never even seen that document before" and what proof would you have to go against that? The word of an Estate Agent?

Dodgy ground.

Also, 48 hours is not really enough time for someone to do a proper check of the document and the house when they are in the midst of moving-in. So I would expect most of the Inventories done by these Estate Agents end up going unsigned and there is an assumption that they are accepted. All feels a bit... wrong.

Thanks for your reply Hyppo. I have to pay someone to do the Inventory as cannot  always find the time to do it myself. It is a messy situation. I might as well not bother taking deposit at all in future.