Student tenants could lose thousands of pounds due to items in an inventory going missing at the end of a tenancy.
The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) warns that landlords and letting agents should take extra care over accurate and detailed inventories in the next couple of months, as student check ins and check outs are at their highest.
Recent research from removal firm Kiwi Movers revealed that 52% of tenants experienced difficulties over the return of deposits when leaving a property.
The study also found that the most common reason for lost deposits is when items are missing from the inventory, accounting for a fifth of cases. Following this, other factors include minor repairs, cleaning and unpaid bills.
Pat Barber, Chair of the AIIC, says: “Tenants should be issued with a copy of the inventory at the beginning of the tenancy and I urge them all to double check all the items listed at that time and to ensure that all items remain in the property, in good condition, when moving out.
“If there is something missing it can often be cheaper for the tenant to replace it rather than for the landlord or agent to do so.
“For letting agents and landlords, it is important to go through the inventory fairly and thoroughly when undertaking the check out process.
“If both sides of the rental transaction hold up their side of the bargain, the amount of deposit disputes can be kept to a minimum this summer.”1