DIY inventories could result in an expensive dispute

New research from Imfuna Let has highlighted that landlords who produce their own inventories and conduct the check-in and check-out with paper documentation make common mistakes, which place them at a higher risk of losing a potential tenant dispute.

Related topics:  Landlords
Warren Lewis
3rd November 2015
Black Houses

The common mistakes in landlord inventories are mainly the lack of detail.  Landlords often do not have the appropriate photographs and any accompanying written description to show the condition of the property and its contents.

Inventory reports should contain a full description of the condition of the property, noting detail on every aspect of damage and its location at the start of a tenancy.  Good photographs provide vital evidence and should be of a high quality when printed up to A4 or A3 size, so that any damage can be clearly seen.  

Jax Kneppers, Founder and CEO of Imfuna Let comments: “Many disputes go in favour of tenants, as there is simply not enough evidence to support the landlord’s damage claim.  Very often, landlords fail to record the condition of sinks and bathroom fittings, as well skirting, doors, floor coverings and kitchen units.  If an inventory is not a professional and thorough report on the property, then it is not worth the paper it is written on.

Unless landlords have a water-tight inventory, they could be at risk of disputes and expensive repair bills. Our research shows  that landlords who have switched from analogue to digital inventories, have seen their tenant deposit disputes drop by more than 300% and their success rate at adjudications improve by an average of 75%.

We have designed Imfuna Let to fully protect landlords.  For example, the software provides a side-by-side comparison report which clearly demonstrates any change in condition of the property, illustrated with date/time stamped photographs. Users can also print out a deposit dispute report, again saving time, meeting deadlines and ensuring that the tenancy deposit protection adjudicator has the information at their fingertips.

Our inventory software produces a bullet-proof inventory that records property check-in condition status and can also be used for mid-term property inspections. Imfuna Let is the complete digital property inspection system, automating the reporting process and reducing the overall process from property data capture, to report generation by up to 75%.”

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