Choosing a property inventory company can be a difficult job, especially if you have never done it before so you may be tempted to go with your Agent’s advice however that could be a mistake.
There are hundreds of property inventory companies in the UK and many agents also carry out their own so choosing can be really hard.
In this article we wanted to let you know what your choices are, and how you should choose your Property inventory services.
In this piece;
- Letting your agent choose the property inventory company
- Doing it yourself
- The advantages of an independent property inventory company
- Choosing Bright
Letting your agent choose the property inventory company
The first option you have when you are looking for a property inventory company is to just let the agent do it and this can be a very convenient option.
After all, if you have your property under full management because it is much easier then a package deal makes sense.
The downside to this of course is that you tend to lose a little control and you simply have to go with whatever inventory company the agent uses.
You can also find that the agent may add mark up onto the price of the report before it gets to you.
Some agents carry out inventories themselves and these can be a good option but like all things, they tend to be better if completed by a professional that specialises in reports.
An agent has 101 things to do and carrying out an inventory might not be high on their to-do list.
Remember though that you can always ask your agent to contact Bright and get us to complete the report you don't have to use the inventory clerk your agent recommends.
Doing it yourself
You absolutely can do it yourself. This is useful if you have your agent on a find only deal where they simply introduce you to the tenant and you do all the admin yourself.
There are lots of templates around for things like tenancy agreements and you can even use useful tools like the TDS TLYFE app.
This keeps costs to a minimum and means that you stay in control of the process from start to finish.
That having been said, there is one massive problem with carrying out the inventory yourself - YOU!
We’re not being disrespectful here, we simply mean that from a deposit holding company’s point of view you aren’t independent so even if you produce the best quality inventory in the world, it will always suffer from the fact that you have a vested interest.
The advantages of an independent inventory company
To counter that last issue, an independent property inventory company is the ideal solution.
A good inventory clerk will see many properties every week and will be highly experienced in producing a quality inventory.
More importantly they will be totally independent which carries a lot of weight when you are in a dispute.
You should look for a company that has qualified clerks, is fully insured and has been certified by industry bodies.
Naturally, this will cost you more than doing it yourself but is likely to be the same or lower price than buying from your agent and the money you spend on an inventory will seem like small beer if you end up getting into a deposit dispute.
Choosing Bright
We’d love to work with you on your property letting but we have to own up to one slight issue - we only cover Dorset and parts of Wiltshire, Somerset and Hampshire.
If you need an inventory clerk outside of this area then why not try the Association of Independent Inventory Clerk’s (AIIC) search function here.
Whilst we are on the subject we are a full member of the AIIC and also accredited by the leading deposit organisation The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) so you know that we are properly trained, checked and insured.
Our customers tell us that we are easy to work with so why not give us a call on 0333 090 3351 or contact us here and we can have a chat about what you are looking for.
