Check-Out the Long-Term Benefits of Check-In Reports…

Hands-up who likes doing check-in reports? These start-of-tenancy reports may not be the most popular of activities for the letting agent at a time when there are so many other essential forms to fill in, checks to complete, landlords to keep happy and tenants to liaise with – but check-in reports do come with valuable long-term benefits.

Here are three ways check-ins can protect your agency, properties and tenants in the future:

1. Lower risk of deposit disputes and faster resolution

Skipping check-in reports can be tempting, especially if an inventory report has already been completed as it may seem like duplication of effort. However, if there is any time delay between the inventory and move-in date, a check-in report can provide greater accuracy and clearer evidence on details such as cleanliness, energy meter readings or the state of the garden – conditions that may have changed in the interim. View it as an update to the inventory. This information can greatly reduce arguments, speed up dispute resolution and, in many cases, avoid dispute cases altogether. With Inventory Hive you can also copy the contents from previous reports you have created, including the photos to save you time.

2. Lower risk of damage and costs

Check-in reports, like inventories, help to decrease the likelihood of damage to the property – and the subsequent costs that could arise from that damage. When done right, a check-in report with dated photos and notes explicitly shows the tenant how that property should be kept. It gives them a clear benchmark to keep to (allowing for natural wear and tear) – one that is less open to misunderstanding or ambiguity. The more detail you go into at that early stage of tenancy, the more likely the property will be maintained.

3. Improved client relationships and agency reputation

Transparency and clear agreement upfront on the condition of the property not only shows your agency’s professionalism, it strengthens your relationships with tenants and landlords too. This will all result in easier dealings, fewer disputes and a much better reputation. In a world where positive reviews are becoming increasingly important in business, this can make all the difference when it comes to filling properties quickly in the future. It does pay to tick all the boxes.

The reason check-in reports are sometimes skipped comes down to time and hassle. In the past, that made sense but with today’s proptech it’s easy to speed up the old, paper-based manual form-filling. Check-in and inventory reports are no longer the laborious process they once were.

The Inventory Hive platform, for example, comes with pre-populated templates, prompts, 360-degree camera, secure storage, tenant communications, visit planners and translation features for non-English speaking tenants. It saves letting agents hours, if not days, in tenancy admin – and reduces dispute frequency too.

Learn more or sign up for a free 30-day trial at Inventory Hive to see how easy it makes the check-in process.