So You’ve Found a Tenant – What Now?
Practical preparation for landlords and letting agents in England. Updated 7 October 2026.
Finding a tenant is an important step. A little organisation before move-in can make the handover clearer for everyone and save time when the tenancy ends.
This guide focuses on the property records and preparation around a new letting. Check the current official guidance for the requirements that apply to your property and tenancy.
Start with the right tenancy paperwork
Use an agreement and written information appropriate to the current rules. For assured tenancies in England, the framework changed on 1 May 2026: the old assured shorthold tenancy model should no longer be used for a new assured tenancy. Read the government guide to assured periodic tenancies rather than relying on an old AST template.
Confirm the applicable safety, licensing and information requirements before move-in. The government landlord guidance is a useful starting point. Referencing and any required Right to Rent checks are separate from the property inventory.
Keep deposit arrangements organised
Where tenancy-deposit protection applies, use an approved scheme and provide the required information within the applicable deadline. Keep evidence of payment, protection and the information supplied. See the current government deposit-protection guidance.
The schemes are TDS – Tenancy Deposit Scheme, DPS – Deposit Protection Service and MyDeposits.
Prepare the property before the inventory
Finish planned cleaning and repairs before the inspection wherever possible. Tell your clerk about access arrangements, furnished items, outbuildings and anything that needs particular attention. Agree how keys will be collected and returned.
A record taken before the tenant moves their belongings in is easier to follow. Keep cleaning invoices, repair records and other relevant documents alongside the report.
Create a clear starting record
A useful inventory combines room-by-room descriptions with photographs that show both the overall condition and relevant detail. It should help someone who was not at the inspection understand what was present and how it looked.
Record existing marks and wear, the standard of cleanliness, contents, keys and accessible meter readings. Give the tenant an opportunity to review the report and record any comments through the agreed process.
Why the evidence matters later
At check-out, a clear starting record helps distinguish existing issues from changes during the tenancy. Any proposed deduction needs to be supported by the circumstances and evidence, with fair wear and tear taken into account.
A missing inventory can make a claim harder to support, but it does not automatically decide every deposit outcome. TDS explains that other evidence may also be considered. No inventory report guarantees the result of a dispute.
Make the handover straightforward
Keep the report, agreed comments, key record, meter readings and relevant documents together. Confirm who the tenant should contact about maintenance and how issues should be reported.
Blue Sky Inventories provides independent check-in inventories, check-out reports and mid-term inspections in Sheffield. View our sample reports or request a quote for your property.