Reads as fair wear and tear
- A worn path in the carpet along the natural walking route
- Curtains and paintwork faded by sunlight
- Light scuffs where furniture stood, fingermarks near switches
- A mattress compressed by years of normal sleeping
Check-Out Report
The end-of-tenancy inspection that settles the deposit question: every item compared against the check-in, fair wear and tear separated from genuine damage, and the evidence packaged the way deposit schemes want to receive it.
The comparison
Item by item against the day they moved in
A check-out is not a fresh look at the property — it's a comparison. The clerk works through the check-in report line by line, recording the current condition of each element against what was agreed at the start: same rooms, same order, same items. Where condition has changed, the change is described and photographed alongside the original check-in photograph, so the two states sit side by side on the page.
The report then does the analytical work that decides deposits: for each change, it states whether the deterioration reads as fair wear and tear or as damage, cleaning or missing items chargeable to the tenant, taking into account how long the tenancy ran and how many people lived there. Final meter readings are taken, returned keys are counted against the check-in list, and anything left behind or removed is logged.
Because the comparison is anchored to a signed baseline, the conclusions are hard to argue with — which is why most check-outs end in agreement rather than adjudication.
Recorded at check-out
- Condition of every check-in item, compared and photographed
- Wear and tear vs damage called on each change
- Cleaning standard against the check-in standard
- Final meter readings and key return logged
- Items missing, replaced or left behind noted
The distinction that decides deposits
Fair wear and tear vs tenant damage
Adjudicators don't rule on whether the property looks worse — after any real tenancy, it will. They rule on whether each specific change goes beyond what reasonable use of that item, by that household, over that period would produce. A tenant cannot be charged for the property simply having been lived in; they can be charged for damage, missing items and cleaning shortfalls. The report's job is to put every change on the correct side of that line, with the evidence attached.
Reads as chargeable damage
- An iron burn or wine stain in the middle of that same carpet
- A cracked basin, torn curtain or cigarette-marked worktop
- Unapproved paint colours or filled-and-unpainted walls
- A property returned dirty against a professionally cleaned check-in
No new-for-old: even for genuine damage, schemes apply the principle of betterment — a landlord is compensated for the remaining life of the damaged item, not handed a brand-new replacement at the tenant's expense. Our reports note item age where the check-in records it, which keeps claims realistic and therefore successful.
Timing and next steps
Inspect promptly, claim cleanly
Book the check-out for the day the tenancy ends where possible — after the tenant's belongings are out and keys are back. A prompt inspection closes the gap in which "that mark wasn't there when I left" becomes arguable, and keeps you comfortably inside your deposit scheme's window for proposing deductions. If a dispute does proceed, you'll hold an evidence pack already formatted for adjudication: baseline, comparison, side-by-side photographs, dates and signatures.
The check-out also tells you exactly what the property needs before re-letting — and if problems like damp or unauthorised occupants surfaced late, periodic mid-term inspections during the next tenancy will catch them early instead. Starting the next tenancy? Book the inventory and check-in at the same time. Send the tenancy end date and property details for a fixed quote.
Common questions
Check-out questions, answered
How much does a check-out report cost?
It depends on the size and furnishing of the property and the length of the check-in inventory we're comparing against. Send the address, bedroom count and furnishing level via the quote form and we'll reply with a fixed quote, usually the same working day.
What counts as fair wear and tear?
Deterioration from normal, reasonable use over time: a worn path in a hallway carpet, faded curtains, minor scuffs where furniture stood, small nail holes from permitted pictures. Adjudicators judge it against the tenancy's length, the number of occupants and the item's age and quality — a carpet after five years of family occupation is expected to look lived on.
When should the check-out happen?
As close to the end of the tenancy as possible — ideally the day the tenant hands back the keys, once their belongings are out. The longer the property stands between tenancy end and inspection, the easier it is to argue that a mark appeared afterwards. Prompt inspection also keeps you inside the deposit scheme's timescales for raising deductions.
What if there was no check-in report?
We can still document the end condition thoroughly, and that has real value for re-letting and for negotiation — but without an agreed starting record, proving that damage occurred during the tenancy is genuinely difficult, and adjudicators usually give the tenant the benefit of the doubt. It's the strongest argument for booking the inventory and check-in properly next time.
What if the tenant disagrees with the findings?
The report is factual, photographic and tied to the check-in baseline, which resolves most disagreements on its own. If a deduction still ends up in dispute, the evidence pack is already formatted for the deposit scheme's adjudication process — side-by-side comparisons, dates and signatures — so you submit it rather than reconstruct it.