Moving in and inventories

Make your starting record before unpacking hides the condition of the rooms. Work through the property methodically, compare it with any supplied inventory and send a clear list of differences to the person responsible for the tenancy.

Keep photographs, documents and meter details privately. This site does not receive or store your inventory.

Before collecting the keys

Confirm the collection time, named contact, access arrangements and what happens if a key does not work. Save the agreement, payment receipts and the version of the advert you relied on. Ask for the contact for routine repairs and the separate out-of-hours arrangement.

Check which documents apply to your accommodation. For an assured periodic tenancy, review the written-information guidance. Keep the relevant safety records and, where applicable, deposit-protection information. Halls and resident-landlord arrangements need their own document checks.

Work through the home in a repeatable order

Start at the entrance and follow the same room order as the inventory. Record walls, floors, windows, furniture and supplied equipment. Describe the condition precisely: “two small chips on the left edge of the kitchen worktop” is more useful than “kitchen damaged”.

Take an overview photograph and a closer photograph where necessary. Keep the original files, note the date and room, and avoid editing out context. If an item cannot be checked, say so and explain why. Do not describe an appliance as working unless it was actually tested appropriately.

Ask the provider how and by when they want inventory comments returned. Respond promptly, keep a copy and request acknowledgement. An agreement's procedure is worth recording; this guide does not invent a universal deadline for every inventory.

Inventory discrepancy log

Print this table or copy it into your own notes. Use one line per issue so that a later reply can address it clearly.

Fictional example: the inventory describes the hallway paint as unmarked. On moving day you record a scuff beside the lower hinge, photograph it as “hall-03” and send that correction. The record states the difference without assuming who caused it.

Record meters, keys and equipment

Ask the provider to identify the meter serving your flat or room where there are several. Do not assume the closest meter belongs to your accommodation. Photograph access details only for your own private records; do not post keys, codes or serial numbers publicly.

Update services and local records

Use B&NES moving-home guidance for council address changes. Students should also check the Council Tax process; moving into a student household does not by itself complete an exemption application.

Confirm responsibility for utility accounts and broadband before setting up duplicate services. Check resident parking against the actual address if you need it. Plan post redirection and update organisations that need your new address.

Review the first week

Keep a short list of unresolved inventory points, equipment questions and repairs. Separate an inventory correction from a request to repair something: the same observation may need both. Use the repair-report structure to state the problem and impact clearly.

Back up the agreed inventory, photographs and replies in a place you can still access after moving out. They become the starting point for the checkout comparison, alongside evidence of any changes during the tenancy.