Revealed – how landlords can keep their tenants safe 

The safety of tenants has always been a top priority for landlords, yet the growing number of rules and regulations surrounding the UK property market will help to set the standards even higher.

This calls for landlords to pay closer attention to the homes they let. Landlords who plan accordingly are the most likely to keep tenants safe and remain fully compliant.

Over the years, we have found that inventories are a reliable way to keep tenants safe throughout the whole duration of the tenancy.

Leave the checks to the professionals

Regular checks form a vast chunk of the process of letting a home. From electricity to furniture, various elements that make up the home contribute to the overall safety of tenants.

Professionals will do the best job at ensuring the home is fit for human habitation. Professional inventory clerks contribute to the safety of tenants as they provide a service that aims to prevent danger from arising.

With over 150 pieces of legislation to comply with, the workload of landlords is already high, which means they are not in the position to put the necessary amount of time into checks. 

Professional inventory checks are carried out with a certain level of care and attention as their knowledge spans great lengths and means they have the expertise to provide the best service.

In the property industry, precision and accuracy of checks such as inventories are necessary to safeguard the tenant and the landlord. Independent professionals are also likely to be equipped with the very best technology and software to increase accuracy.

During a mid-term inspection, a record of the condition of the rental property is made during the visit. These are essential for the safety of the tenants because they uncover issues during the tenancy.

Professional inventory clerks are trained to not only look out for problems that already exist, but they look for signs of potential issues that could otherwise get ignored.

If risk or danger is observed while present at the property it should be acknowledged right away and safeguarding assessments must be conducted.

Professionals are far more likely to easily recognise these and follow the correct procedures if danger is present. Whereas a non-professional might not understand the severity and let this issue worsen.

The more detail, the more protection 

If certain parts of the home have not been covered in the inventory report, it means that the inventory is not useful evidence. In our experience, we have found that the more detailed the inventory, the more protected tenants are. 

TheDecent Homes Standard was previously only for social housing but landlords operating in the private rented sector will need to adhere to this in the future, too. This impending change proves more focus is being placed on these properties, therefore landlords need to properly protect themselves and tenants to remain compliant.  

Inventory reports are composed of vital bits of information that showcase the overall status of the property. Without these, it is easy for lines to get blurred and confusion to occur if issues do arise. 

Remember to keep track of information conforming when installations, tests, repairs, and maintenance took place to show that these legal requirements have been carried out.

It is easy to just focus on the check-in and check-out, but evidence throughout the tenancy is required as a lot can change during this time and otherwise could put tenants in harm’s way.

Landlords can also protect tenants by educating them on how to use systems and appliances. This is a great way to prevent potential issues from arising. Including key information that all tenants should know about the property in a tenant information pack will keep occupants safe if any instances occur.

Industry standards have always been important, but it’s important that complacency doesn’t creep in. Landlords should use inventories to keep on top of their properties, be compliant and most importantly keep their tenants safe. 

Here at the AIIC, we aim to ensure that every landlord, tenant, and agent in the UK is aware of the importance of the inventory process and the benefits of employing an independent, professional independent inventory clerk. You can find out more here.

Published on 29/04/2022