Check-In Report (Inventory)
Summary
No document matters more to a deposit dispute than the check-in report. It fixes the baseline: every deduction claim the landlord makes at tenancy end must be measured against the property's recorded condition at the start. Without it, landlords struggle to prove the tenant caused damage rather than inheriting it. With it, tenants can challenge every deduction that exceeds what is fairly attributable to change from the recorded starting condition. The check-in report — also called an inventory or schedule of condition — is not legally required, but its absence dramatically weakens any deduction claim at adjudication or in court.
What a check-in report must contain
A thorough check-in report covers every room and fixture: walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, fitted furniture, appliances, and outdoor spaces. Each item is described with a condition note (e.g., 'clean', 'minor scuff to skirting board', 'slight water stain to ceiling — pre-existing') and ideally cross-referenced to a dated photograph. Meter readings (gas, electricity, water) are recorded. The report is signed and dated by both landlord (or agent) and tenant, with both parties retaining a copy. Unsigned or undated reports carry less evidential weight at adjudication.
Why the check-in report is evidentially critical
In adjudication and court, the burden of proof for deductions falls on the landlord. The landlord must show that the alleged damage or dilapidation was not present at the start of the tenancy and was caused by the tenant. A check-in report prepared by an independent inventory clerk, signed by the tenant at check-in, and cross-referenced with timestamped photos, is the clearest way to meet this burden. Adjudicators from TDS, DPS, and MyDeposits consistently give significant weight to a contemporaneous, signed check-in report over later verbal recollection.
Disputing the check-in report at the start of the tenancy
If you receive a check-in report that omits damage or misrepresents the condition of the property, raise it in writing within 48 hours of moving in. Send a detailed email to the landlord or agent with photographs. Courts and adjudicators accept contemporaneous written objections as amendments to the check-in report. Failing to object promptly may mean the report is treated as accepted.
What to do at check-in
- ✓Attend the check-in and go through the report room by room — do not sign a report you have not read.
- ✓Photograph every item noted as having any existing damage, and every room generally.
- ✓Record gas, electricity, and water meter readings independently.
- ✓Note anything missing from the report that should be recorded — add it in writing before signing.
- ✓Keep a copy of the signed report and photographs in a secure location for the duration of the tenancy.
What happens without a check-in report
If no check-in report exists, the landlord's deduction claims become significantly harder to sustain at adjudication. Adjudicators consistently hold that in the absence of a check-in report, the landlord cannot establish that a condition existed at tenancy end but not at tenancy start. TDS published guidance confirms that without a check-in report, cleaning and redecoration deduction claims are routinely rejected unless there is independent photographic evidence of the condition at tenancy start.
Sources
- Housing Act 2004, s.213–s.214
- TDS Adjudication Guidance — Evidence and Standards
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a landlord legally required to provide a check-in report?
- No statutory provision requires a landlord to produce an inventory or check-in report. However, without one, deduction claims will routinely fail at adjudication and in court. It is in the landlord's interest — as well as the tenant's — to have a detailed, signed report. Tenants can request one; if the landlord refuses, commission an independent inventory clerk privately.
- What if I signed the check-in report without reading it properly?
- Your signature on the report is evidence you accepted the recorded condition — but it is not conclusive. If you have dated photographs from the first day taken before you signed, and they show different conditions to the report, adjudicators will consider them. Act quickly: send a written email to the landlord noting discrepancies as soon as you notice them.
- Can the landlord use the check-in report to charge me for pre-existing damage?
- No — the check-in report records pre-existing damage precisely to prevent that. Any condition noted in the check-in report as pre-existing cannot be attributed to the tenant. This is why noting every scuff, stain, and scratch at check-in is so important.
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