Check-In Inventory for Northern Ireland Tenancies

The Document That Wins or Loses Deposit Disputes

When a deposit dispute reaches adjudication at TDS NI or mydeposits NI, the adjudicator starts from one position: the tenant is entitled to the full return of their deposit. Every pound you want to keep, you prove with evidence. The check-in inventory is the single most important document in that evidence chain.

Without a dated, signed check-in inventory, you have no baseline. You cannot prove that the scratch on the worktop, the stain on the carpet, or the missing curtain rail was not already there when the tenant moved in. Landlords without inventories routinely lose claims for legitimate damage.

What a Check-In Inventory Must Include

The Department for Communities recommends using its Model Inventory framework. At minimum, your inventory should cover:

Room-by-room condition schedule: Go through every room and record the condition of walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, light fittings, switches, sockets, and built-in fixtures. Note existing marks, scratches, chips, stains, and wear. Be specific — "small scuff mark on skirting board behind door, left wall" not "minor wear."

Fixtures, fittings, and appliances: List every item provided — curtains, blinds, white goods, furniture, light bulbs, smoke alarms, CO detectors. Note the make, model, and condition of each.

Meter readings: Gas, electricity, and water meters at handover. Photograph each meter face.

Keys and security: Record every key, fob, and access device handed over. Note the number of copies.

Garden and exterior (if applicable): Condition of fences, gates, paving, lawn, sheds, and bin storage areas.

Photographs and Date Stamps

A written schedule alone is not enough. Adjudicators expect photographic evidence that supports the written descriptions. Every photograph should:

• Show the specific item or area described in the schedule
• Be high-resolution enough to identify damage or condition
• Carry a date stamp (most phone cameras embed this in EXIF data, but visible date stamps on the image itself are stronger evidence)
• Be stored securely and not edited

Photograph the property methodically — the same route as the written schedule, same room order, same sequence. A check-out photographer who follows the same route makes the comparison straightforward for the adjudicator.

Signing and Dating

Both landlord and tenant should sign and date the inventory at check-in. A tenant-signed copy strengthens the record; an unsigned inventory is your unilateral record, which the tenant can dispute.

Walk through the property together on handover day. Go room by room with the inventory in hand. Give the tenant time to note anything they disagree with or want to add. Both parties sign each page, and both keep a copy.

If the tenant refuses to sign, note the refusal on the document with the date and witness it if possible. An unsigned inventory is weaker but still better than nothing — it shows you attempted the process.

The Check-Out Report

The check-out report mirrors the check-in inventory. Conducted on the final day of occupancy — before any cleaning, repair, or refurbishment work — it records the condition of every item in the original schedule.

The adjudicator compares the two documents side by side. Damage claimed must appear in the check-out report and not in the check-in inventory. If the check-in says "carpet in good condition" and the check-out says "burn mark in carpet, centre of room," that is a strong claim. If the check-in was never completed, the adjudicator cannot make the comparison.

Fair Wear and Tear

Even with perfect documentation, you cannot claim for normal ageing. A carpet that is worn thin after four years of normal foot traffic is fair wear and tear. A burn from a dropped cigarette is damage.

The adjudicator applies depreciation. A ten-year-old curtain damaged beyond repair does not entitle you to the cost of new curtains. You receive the residual value of the item at its age and condition.

Building the Evidence Package

A check-in inventory created on Day 1, a check-out report completed on the last day, dated photographs for both, and prescribed information served by Day 35 — together, these form the evidence package that determines whether you keep your deductions or lose them at adjudication. Our Northern Ireland Tenancy Deposits guide includes a room-by-room inventory template designed for TDS NI and mydeposits NI's evidence standards.

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