miServices FAQs
Typically, the first appointment of the day will be at 9 am or 9.30 am. How late we work depends on the time of year and the daylight available. So in summer, we can start an appointment at 4 pm or 5 pm as there’s still plenty of light. During winter, we won’t start a job after 3 pm.
Our appointment availability can be different depending on your location – when we’re busy it may not be possible to guarantee your first choice of timeslot, especially if you are only booking a couple of days beforehand.
An inventory (also referred to as also a schedule of condition) is a record of a property’s condition at the start of a tenancy. It records the following:
- all the rooms, furnishings and fittings included in the tenancy
- the conditions of the same
- meter readings which can be used to set up utility accounts
- standard of cleaning in the property
- independent, photographic evidence of the property’s general condition The reports are fully photographic with supporting comments where needed.
With an inventory-only service, the clerk visits the property and completes the inventory inspection before the tenant moves in. The inventory is provided to the landlord who will have to arrange their own inventory sign up with the tenant.
The following are not included in the inventory report:
- testing of electrical appliances, plug sockets, heating systems and other equipment (apart from lights, which are tested)
- testing of plumbing, toilets, sinks, taps, showers or baths
- lofts, cellars and other rooms which are locked or unable to be seen
- consumables and items of no commercial value
- opening or closing windows
For a check-in, the inventory clerk meets the tenant at the property and will carry out the following:
- show the inventory to the tenant and walk them around the property
- record any details the tenant identifies during the walkthrough which were not already listed in the inventory
- tenant electronically signs the inventory on an iPad
- retake the meter readings (if check-in is done on a separate day to the inventory)
- picture and list keys given to tenant
- hand over keys to the tenant (if the landlord is not present)
Ideally, the check-in should take place before the tenant has moved their belongings in the property. However, there is no reason an inventory and check-in cannot be done on the same day, as long as the clerk is given enough time to complete the inventory before the tenants arrive.
We will arrange two times:
- firstly, a time to meet the landlord or their representative to carry out the inventory
- secondly, a time for the tenants to arrive so we can do their check-in, usually several hours after the first time.
A check out is carried out at the end of a tenancy, after the tenant has left the property. The tenant may be present. The check-out inspection only records the items that are in a different condition to what was recorded in the ingoing inventory, so it’s important to provide the clerk with a copy of the inventory if possible, as this will tell us the property’s condition at the beginning of the tenancy.
Check-outs are conducted on a room-by-room basis and record the following information:
- maintenance issues that have been created (or added to) during the tenancy
- cleaning issues that have been created (or added to) during the tenancy
- items that need to be removed
- items that are now missing
- the keys the tenant has returned (unless handed to agent/landlord beforehand)
- the tenant’s forwarding address (if the tenant is present)
- final meter readings
Though the report should not be used as a final statement of tenant responsibility, it can be used as part of the evidence for a landlord to claim from the deposit if needed.
If we are meeting the tenant for the check-out, we can return the keys to the landlord if they live within 15 minutes travel of the property.
We’d always recommend doing the inventory after the tenant has finished getting it to the point state you want it returned in – clean and with and decorating completed.
No, we just need someone to be there to meet our clerk at the start of the appointment. There’s no need to stay while they create the report, but if you do decide to accompany them, please make sure you give them the space and time they need to create an independent report.
We add the report to your miProgram portal the next working day, so it’s ready to be downloaded as needed. When you need the report more quickly, let us know when you book – we will try to meet your requirements.
No, we don’t need the tenants around. Our aim is to produce a report that is fair to both landlord and tenant, meaning that as long as we can access the property at the agreed time, we don’t need either party to be present.
Yes, we need the tenant to be there for check-in – this means they can add their input, we can note any comments and finalise the inventory sign up correctly.
If it’s convenient to the tenant, they can be there for check-out – but this isn’t necessary as we don’t need their input to complete the report.
All we need from you is the keys so that the clerk can access the property, so you don’t need to produce any ID. To make the report as full as possible, do bring any receipts for recent cleaning, redecorating and new furniture or white goods and we will make sure we include a full description of these in the report.
Typically, a check-in takes about half an hour.
It depends on the size of the property and the extent of the furnishing. We will be able to give you a rough idea when you book in. As a rule, we generally expect to spend an hour to an hour and a half on a typical one- or two-bed home.
Mobile Inventory Services is a member of the Association of Inventory Professionals. We are recognised as independent inventory provider by all three deposit schemes. Our reports are often used as evidence of your property’s condition in the event of a dispute over a deposit. As a company, we work with over 1500 letting agents across the UK, creating thousands of reliable inventory, check-in and check out reports every month.
On the rare occasion when the clerk doesn’t notice something during their time in the property or something changes after we go in, landlords and tenants can add their own comments to the report, as long as this is done within 7 days from the date on the report. For our inventory-only service, the inventory will be updated. For a check-in, the comments will be added to the report.
Yes, we can do this by listing all the major cleaning and maintenance issues. However, we won’t be able to say whether an issue was present at the start of tenancy or if anything is different, for example, if any decor has changed or furnishings removed. The check-out report can still be used as proof of the condition the tenant has left the property in.
Yes, it can be done, but it can be potentially problematic as it will be tricky to tell if any issues were caused by the tenant when they into the property before the inventory has been done. It also means the clerk won’t be able to fully check areas covered by the tenant’s things.
Once the tenant has moved in, they have rights as the occupier. This means they might only allow access at certain times or refuse permission for us to take photos inside the property. As a result, we may not be able to do a full inventory inspection. In situations where you book us to do an inventory and/or check-in after the tenant has moved, we advise that the landlord or tenant takes their own meter readings on the first day of the tenancy – readings taken during the inventory may not give the original utility usage for bill calculation purposes.
For these reasons, we always advise that you allow enough time and sufficient notice for the inventory to be carried out before the tenant moves in.
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For more details on pricing or to book our services please contact us on 0345 680 7976