Here’s something I’ve learned the hard way — and if you’ve been investing long enough, you probably have too.
If you want to avoid a lot of hassle when you rent out a property, please keep reading to know one thing you can do at the beginning of a tenancy which could make all the difference.
If you haven’t had this yet, consider this your warning: always, always do a proper photo inventory at the start of a tenancy. OK, you might be thinking, “I always do an inventory” or “My managing agents always do an inventory”.
If that’s the case, great, but I’d still make sure you are doing the inventory properly, and I’d definitely check exactly what your managing agent is doing, and calling an inventory.
Now, most of the time it probably doesn’t matter. After all, most tenants are fine.
They treat the place with respect and pay their rent on time.
But it only takes one “not so good” tenant to undo all of that. And you won’t know which tenant that is going to be from the references and pre-tenancy checks.
The reality is, you often don’t find out how bad things are until they’re gone.
Even in unfurnished properties — like all but one of mine — what you see during a tenancy is limited. Their furniture and belongings hide a lot.
Scuffed walls, burns in the carpet, broken bath panels — things that either didn’t show during inspections or were cleverly disguised.
And when they leave, and their stuff goes with them, the real condition is suddenly on full display.
I’ve had tenants repaint walls without permission, crack bath panels, leave bin bags full of rubbish inside the house — and plenty more.
As an aside, what I have experienced from time to time is that a tenant will leave, but they won’t tell you they are going. They just disappear, and they leave all their stuff behind.
I don’t know why, and I guess they have to start reaccumulating more stuff wherever they move to.
But that’s not the point.
I’ve just had a tenant do exactly that, leave without notice and leave all their stuff behind.
What was the property like when the tenant was living in it?
Tidy enough.
Clean enough.
But it’s not like that now.
I didn’t even know she’d gone until my managing agent got a call from the police. They were trying to get access due to concerns for the cats.
Yes, she left four cats in the property. The animals were rescued, thankfully — but what they left behind was another story.
The house is now infested with fleas.
There’s cat excrement on the carpets, black bags of rubbish inside and out, and the smell is something else entirely.
Doesn’t look so good now, does it.
Hopefully it’s just cosmetic.
Not too much damage to the property itself, hopefully.
We’ll know more when we’ve had a chance to clear the property and see what we are dealing with.
It’ll take a serious clean and possibly new flooring to get it back into lettable condition, and to get rid of the smell.
Now, yes, there’s a deposit — but it won’t come close to covering this. And with capped deposits and the challenges of actually reclaiming anything meaningful from them, you’re often left footing most of the bill.
This is why you don’t just hand over keys and hope for the best.
You need two things at the start of a tenancy: a proper, time-stamped photo inventory, and a watertight tenancy agreement that covers things like pets.
Even if you allow pets, and you may not have a choice soon, it needs to be with specific terms — preferably in writing — and with clear expectations around damage and cleaning.
Because when pet-related issues go wrong, they go very wrong.
The photo inventory is your insurance policy. You should be taking wide shots and close-ups of every room — walls, floors, carpets, appliances, inside cupboards, inside the oven, under sinks, behind toilets.
And if you’ve allowed pets, focus on things they’re likely to damage — flooring, door frames, gardens, skirting boards.
Make sure all photos are time-stamped or taken using a photo app that clearly logs the date.
Store them securely — ideally backed up somewhere cloud-based.
It’s not about being suspicious. It’s about being realistic. When damage happens — and it does — your inventory is often the only thing standing between you and a pointless dispute you’re likely to lose.
Remember, fair wear and tear is expected. That’s carpets getting worn from regular use, or paint fading over time. You can’t claim for that.
But damage is another matter — burns, cracks, repainted walls, or a deep-clean-level mess after a tenant leaves. You can claim for that — but only if you’ve got clear evidence.
The golden rule is simple: was it worn out through normal use, or was it mistreated? That’s the line.
It’s easy to skip this stuff when you’re busy or the tenant seems trustworthy.
But when it goes wrong, you won’t be annoyed at the tenant — you’ll be annoyed at yourself for not taking half an hour to document the condition of your investment.
So, take the time. Do it right. Because once the damage is done, it’s too late to start gathering evidence — and the costs land firmly in your lap.
Here’s to successful property investing.
Peter Jones
Author, property investor and ex-Chartered Surveyor
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