We have served a section 21 on a tenant and they are due to leave next month. They are insisting on an accompanied check out inspection, we don’t usually do this as we compile a photographic check out report at the end of the tenancy once the keys are returned to us. The tenant is very volatile and I don’t feel it would be safe for any member of staff to attend but I wondered if legally the tenant has a right to an accompanied check out.
Question
Ending a Tenancy (England) | England | Tenant Moves Out (England)
Accompanied check out inspection
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2 Comments
No, there’s no law governing how checkouts work. Make sure the terms of the tenancy don’t specify any specific method.
We suppose the downside to them not being there is if there’s damage, they could say it was fine when they left it and that you caused the damage after keys handed in. But, this would be a rare event and would normally be clear the damage wasn’t just caused in a meter of moments so should be fine.
We had a situation years ago where the ‘check-out’ and photographs were taken immediately after the tenant had left and we lost the claim for compensation as they were deemed by the adjudicator as taken after the tenant had left. It’s a more robust process if the tenant is present to witness what it is you are recording at the check-out so the evidence submitted for any claim will already be known to them (though they may still challenge it!) – it should not come as a shock to the tenants and they cannot claim damage was done after they left.