What is a check-in report?
The check-in inventory allows the landlord and the tenant to get a precise description of the condition of the property, as well as the
contents of the accommodation (whether furnished or not), before starting the contract.
It is carried out by an independent agency, not the letting agent; whose unique purpose is to conduct check-in/check-out inventories.
The check-in inventory is neither in favour of the tenant, nor the landlord.
The inventory and check-in reports must contain readings for electricity, gas and water, if they are available and accessible.
When does the check-in take place?
The inventory and check-in will take place on the first day of your rental lease (provided all fees and rents have been paid).
A check-in inventory report will be sent to the tenant and the landlord, and signed up by both parties.
This report will be very useful when checking-out.
You have a statutory period of seven days within which to express your disagreement with one or more of the points included in the check-in report.
Once this period has elapsed, all details contained in the check-in report shall be deemed accepted by the tenant and the
property owner, and are legally binding.
The check-in appointment
You will meet the agent who will conduct the check-in inventory on-site, on the first day of your tenancy. The timing of the appointment will be indicated to you beforehand.
The agent will already have the keys of your rental accommodation, and you will receive them at the end of the check-in inventory.
The agent will have a look at the whole property, and at each room. He/she will take some pictures and precise notes.
The appointment can last between 30 and 180 minutes, according to the size of the accommodation, and the agency (some are more detailed than others)
You don’t have to follow the agent as you will receive a complete report later on. In fact, you do not even need to attend, if you don’t want to, or can’t. In that case, you can usually collect your keys from the estate agent, after the inventory.
What is in the check-in report?
Generally, the report is written by the agency within 48 hours following the appointment (it can be longer).
The report comprises a description of the contents in the accommodation, its condition, some pictures and written notes, as well as
the meter readings (when they exist and when they are easily accessible during the check-in inventory) and the number of sets of keys that were handed out to you.
The report can comprise of up to fifty pages, and this is totally normal.
Elements to pay attention to
- Meter reading : if possible, take a picture of each meter reading yourself (electricity, gas, and water if there is one, which is not always the case).
- Marks on the walls : pay attention to marks on the walls. Make a note or take some pictures of them.
- Hooks on the walls : make a note if some marks are remaining because of wall fixings (it is often a contentious issue when
checking-out). - Additional elements : sometimes, previous tenants or landlords left unwanted objects. If you want them to be removed, you must contact the landlord to ask for authorization and/or to ask him to do it for you (check who will have to pay for this
before agreeing to anything). Keep a written proof of this, or better, notify the inventory agency immediately, so it is included in the report. Otherwise, these objects will be part of the inventory, and must be present when checking out at the end of your tenancy.