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s tenants hand in their notice, less interested landlords strap themselves in for the inescapable deposit dispute. Proactive landlords will be comfortable, knowing how to safeguard themselves and their property from the start of a tenancy agreement.

Most landlords are aware of the gaping grey area that sits between a check-in and checkout inventory. Fair “wear and tear” can often be badly defined and therefore leaves certain classifications of damage open to debate.

Cleanliness now accounts for 53% of all deposit disputes, an increase of 13% in the last three years. The key is to raise observations around cleanliness during the check-in inventory, writing that you expect your property to be in top condition when the tenant checks-out.

It’s equally difficult to prove if damage such as blocked drains