How does a landlord avoid the hassle and expense of an end of tenancy dispute?

I often get asked by Landlords how to avoid end of tenancy disputes which can be stressful and expensive for the landlord. As a letting agency we are proud that we only have a very minimal number of disputes, and we don’t often have to go through often stressful disputes with tenants. 

 The TDS (The Dispute Service) advises that deposit disputes happened in just 0.70% of Tenancies in England and Wales in 2022 and 2023, however for this unlucky few, a dispute can cause expense, stress and often can be very time consuming putting the case together for the arbitration of the dispute.

Disputes tend to happen when Tenants don’t believe they have done something wrong. They often may say the property was left better then when they moved in, so it is important to keep an inventory record of the original condition. The most common disputes are cleaning at the end of the tenancy. I always advise Tenants there is no wear and tear with cleaning. However, it is important that the Inventory does show the property was clean at the start.  Adding a clause in the Tenancy Agreement that ‘the property must be cleaned to a professional standard’ can prevent issues escalating and can leave little room for manoeuvre.

It is important to understand that these dispute issues do not just occur overnight. So doing regular Tenancy inspections can help to nip issues in the bud before they escalate and end up in dispute at the end. Our managed services offer regular inspections and can help both landlord and tenant to maintain a healthy relationship. Regular inspections can also help tenants with minor issues such as damp and humidity before this escalates to more serious issues.

Should you have a dispute then an inventory with dated photos is essential to prove the condition at the start of Tenancy. The condition at the start and end of the Tenancy can be easily proved using an inventory and final checkout report if needed for any arbitration. Again, Emsleys Lettings are here to help in these stressful situations. Our terms and conditions are clear and concise and provide confidence for both landlord and tenant.

Contact our team to today for valuations, advise or to sign up to our services.

Written By Mark, Property Maintenance Coordinator