Wed 03 Apr 2019

End of Tenancy Check-Out

Top Tips

Deposits are a pretty standard part of most tenancies. Whilst the popularity of zero deposit schemes is increasing, many tenants rely on the release of their deposit from one property to transfer to their new rented home.

There is, quite rightly, a lot of compliance legislation surrounding the registering of deposits. This is to protect both the tenant and the landlord at the end of a tenancy and to ensure any disputes are dealt with fairly and legally.

But, what top tips can you follow in order to make the check-out process as smooth as possible to help both parties involved?

Understand the Process

It’s really important that everyone involved understands the process. The end of a tenancy is a chance for the agent to assess the state of the property and for the tenant to put forward any specific issues they are aware of. Of course, periodic inspections will have been done if the property has been managed by the estate agent; this will make this process much easier all round.

Give Enough Notice

A check out inspection on an end of tenancy property should follow a couple of simple rules.

That the tenant has been notified in writing;
That this notification gives enough time to prepare.

From the estate agent’s perspective, it’s important that this invitation is kept so that the existence of it cannot be disputed.

In and Out

There will have been at least one initial inspection undertaken at commencement of the tenancy. This inspection report should be used as a comparison to the one made at the end. It sounds obvious, but it’s really important to have a comparison that everyone agrees about.

See it; Record it

One man’s description of damage may not match another’s. So, it is a good idea to use photos and video if necessary, to evidence any damage to the property. Estate agents should really explain to the tenant in the check-out invitation letter that they may take photos at the point of check-out. Using this technology is really effective in the case of a dispute as adjudicators can study this pretty easily.

The check-out is a vital process that helps tenants and agents avoid disputes. It also provides evidence to support a case on the chance that there is one. It’s important that both parties ensure the check-out is thorough and professional. This way, the deposit will be released swiftly, and a tenant will be able to move to their new property without facing any barriers.