Condition Reports
Rental properties all carry a deposit that protects the landlord from recovering costs in case a property suffers damage above and beyond normal wear and tear or if furnishings rented out suffer mistreatment. Since April 2007 all assured short-term tenancy deposits have been covered by strict rules relating to how the tenant deposit needs to be kept and returned and also how it can be used by the landlord to contribute toward reparations.
Condition reports are a way of ensuring that the process of using the deposit is fair and transparent. A condition report details the contents of the property and their condition at the time when the report is written. Traditionally, these condition reports were mainly notes taken by hand, by pen and paper, and typed up back at the office sometimes augmented by photos taken with a separate camera. The process was tedious and prone to much delay as the person completing the task had invariably many other tasks and duties to attend to.
Nowadays, with our free condition report software the process is simple and fast. You can download our Reports2Go app from the App Store or Google play and using the app’s facilities, walk through the property room by room taking a note of items. Our app guides you through each stage and ensures nothing is missed out.
We combine descriptions with photographs taken with the device’s camera and time-stamped in the condition report to guarantee that photo represents the time at which the condition report was undertaken.
Our free condition report software supports the full property lifecycle from inventory, check-in, check-outs and mid-term inspections. An inventory report is undertaken at the start of the tenancy usually done a few days before the tenant moves in. Check-in is carried out with the tenant at the actual start of the tenancy and usually involves minor adjustment to the inventory report, for example, updating the meter readings. Mid-term inspections are carried out by the letting agent whilst the tenancy is in progress usually initially at 3-months and then at 6-month intervals. It aims to ensure that property is being maintained well and that the tenancy is compliant with the rental agreement. It also provides a method for the tenant to relay any concerns about maintenance and the fabric of the building which would fall on the landlord to rectify. Finally, the check-out it conducted at the end of the tenancy and acts as the ‘before and after’ comparison report and the nub of any deposit claw back.
Using our free condition report software the full property report lifecycle can be supported and allow the transition between tenancies to be as smooth as possible.
