An inventory is one of the least glamorous documents in the letting process, and one of the most valuable. In a city like Bath, where the housing stock runs from Georgian terraces with original sash windows to modern riverside apartments and student flats in Oldfield Park, no two properties are quite the same. That variety is exactly why a properly compiled inventory matters. It creates a shared, dated record of what a home looked like on day one, so that when the tenancy ends, the conversation about condition and deposit deductions is based on evidence rather than memory.

Start With the Fabric of the Building

Bath's older properties have character, but they also have quirks that a generic inventory will miss. Walk every room and record the condition of the surfaces that are hardest to repair or replace.

• Walls and ceilings: note any cracks, historic damp staining, flaking plaster or patchy paintwork, and photograph each one close up with something for scale.
• Cornicing and period features: record any chips to decorative mouldings, damaged ceiling roses or missing picture rails.
• Windows: for sash windows, describe the frame, the sill and the paint condition, and note whether the sash cords work, whether the glass is single glazed, and whether there is any condensation between panes.
• Floors: flag loose floorboards, squeaks, worn patches in carpet, chips in tiles and any lifting vinyl.
• Doors and skirting: scuffs, dents, missing handles, and whether each door closes and latches properly.

Hard water is a fact of life in Bath, so note limescale build-up on taps, shower heads and around the base of the toilet. It is far easier to agree it was there at check-in than to argue about it two years later.

Test and Describe Every Appliance

Appliances are where deposit disputes are most likely to start. Do not simply list them — switch them on and describe how they performed.

• Record the make, model and serial number of the boiler, oven, hob, fridge freezer, washing machine and any other white goods.
• Note the boiler's pressure reading and whether the heating and hot water responded when tested.
• Open the fridge, freezer and oven doors and photograph the interiors, including shelves and door seals.
• Check that extractor fans, heated towel rails and any built-in appliances actually work.
• Photograph any pre-existing damage, such as a cracked oven door or a dented freezer drawer.

Meters, Keys and Safety Checks

These are the practical details that keep a tenancy running smoothly. A professional inventory should always include:

• Meter readings: gas, electricity and water, with photographs of each meter face, dated the same day as the check-in.
• Keys and fobs: an exact count of every key, window lock key, communal door fob and parking permit, plus a note of how many the tenant is receiving.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: test each one and record the result and location.
• Utilities and stopcocks: note where the gas shut-off valve, water stopcock and fuse box are, and their condition.
• Outdoor space: describe the garden, patio, balcony or bin store, including any planting, fencing or guttering the tenant is expected to maintain.

Photographs That Stand Up to Scrutiny

A photograph taken vaguely across a room proves very little. Take a wide shot of each room, then work around it clockwise, capturing each wall, then return for close-ups of anything you have listed as damaged or worn.

• Use good lighting and avoid flash glare on glossy surfaces.
• Place a coin, ruler or your hand beside marks and scratches to show scale.
• Photograph inside cupboards, wardrobes, the airing cupboard, under the sink and behind furniture.
• Include a dated shot of the front exterior and any communal hall or shared entrance.
• Keep the images with the written inventory so the two documents reference each other.

The Check-In and Check-Out Conversation

Give the tenant the inventory before or on the day they move in and invite them to read it carefully. Encourage them to add comments, agree changes in writing and sign and date the final version. Reputable practice is to allow a short window — often seven days — for amendments, after which the document is treated as agreed.

At check-out, walk the property with the original inventory in hand and compare like for like. Fair wear and tear is not the same as damage, and a good inventory helps everyone tell the difference. Remember that in England a tenancy deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt, and that the inventory will form part of the evidence if a dispute is ever referred to the scheme's adjudication service.

Do it well at the start, and the end of a tenancy becomes a straightforward handover rather than a negotiation. Both landlords and tenants in Bath deserve that clarity — and it costs far less than the argument it prevents.