With the introduction of the government’s Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme this year there is an even greater reason for landlords to organise professional inventories, according to the Live Letting Exchange, a residential lettings organisation.

The company has identified the most common reasons why landlords may deduct some of the holding deposit from their tenants. The top ten most common reasons are as follows:

1. Broken furniture, such as chair and table legs
2. Small items of furnishings missing such as crockery, cutlery or mugs
3. Torn and loose carpet fittings
4. Dirty kitchen appliances in particular fridges, cookers and washing machines
5. Stained carpets mainly from wine, or cigarette burns
6. Overgrown gardens, which have not been maintained
7. Marked walls
8. Broken windows and cracked mirrors
9. Loose roof tiles
10. Broken curtain rails

Richard Churchill, director of Live Letting Exchange, said: “Since the introduction of the scheme, the inventory has become a much more vital document. If the landlord wants to charge a tenant they need evidence to prove the condition of the damaged item at the start of the tenancy. At Live Letting Exchange we have seen an increase in demand for professional inventory reports by competent clerks with an eye for detail. Their observations and recordings ensure that landlords and tenants are treated fairly reducing any disputes.”