Reports2Go

What goes into a Condition Report?

A property condition report serves as a document to outline the state of a property at a certain point in time. It can be ordered by a landlord trying to rent their property and looking establish its status before any tenants move in.

In England, renters will want to see a condition report before the tenancy starts in order that their deposit is fully returned when the tenancy completes. And that they take particular care of fixtures and fittings. Such a report can also be useful to point out any extras that the tenant might have added, especially at the end of a long tenancy. The landlord might accept these additions if they are not to the detriment of the rentability of the property. Of course, they may object, and the deposit may be used to return the property to its original state.

Here’s what you need to know about Condition reports.

What does a Condition Report entail?

A Condition Report should be detailed. It should include lots of time-stamped photographs. It should cover all rooms: internal and external. There may be out-buildings. Every single room should be devoted its own section and systematically described in a format common to all rooms. All fixutres and furniture should be described in situ with any pre-existing damage clearly identified. This the crux of the whole report; every item’s entry should have a format like item, description, condition. Ideally there should be a definition of the terms used in a glossary at the end of the report.

There should be a section covering meter readings. The readings should be photographed. All alarms must be identified and tested. If possible, documentation such as a Gas Safety Certificate, Electrical Appliance Testing, Energy Performance Certificate should be photographed or a manual containing them identified by cover and location.

All appliances should be identified by location, brand and model. There should be photographs of the internals of the oven and washing machine.

The report should also have a proper set of Terms and Conditions. It should cover definitions an also what is expected of the tenant with respect to cleaning at the end of tenancy.

Maintenance

There may be section covering maintenance issues. For example, there may be a leaky tap or non-flushing loo.

How long does a Condition Report take to create?

It may take an experienced clerk anywhere between 1-4 hours to complete a report, depending on the size and contents of the property.

The use of and app like the one produced by Reports2Go can make a big impact on reducing the time to complete a report and also ensure there is consistency between the initial condition report and subsequent check-in and check-out reports.

Panos, 15 April 2022