Terms and conditions for a property inventory clerk

An inventory clerk's report is the evidence in a deposit dispute between two parties who each want it to favour them. The terms have to define the report as an impartial record of visible condition on the day, say what it does not cover, deal with access and timing, and make clear that the clerk records and the parties dispute. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Inventory clerks and inventory companies in England and Wales producing inventories, check-in and check-out reports and mid-term inspections for letting agents, landlords and property managers. These are business-client terms.

What matters in inventory terms

An impartial record of visible condition

The terms should say that the report records the condition and contents of the property as visible on the day, without moving furniture, testing appliances beyond stated checks, or inspecting inaccessible areas, that it is not a survey or a valuation, and that the clerk acts impartially between landlord and tenant. That impartiality is the report's value in a dispute, and the terms should say that the clerk takes instructions on scope but not on findings.

Check-in, check-out and the comparison

A check-out compares the property with the check-in report, and the terms should say that the comparison is limited by the quality of the original inventory, that cleanliness and fair wear are described rather than adjudicated, and that the clerk does not decide deposit deductions, which are for the parties and the deposit scheme under sections 212 to 215 of the Housing Act 2004. Where the original inventory was prepared by someone else, the terms should say so and limit reliance on it.

Access, timing, keys and the tenant

The terms should make the client responsible for access, keys and the presence or absence of the tenant, say that a failed appointment caused by the client or the tenant is chargeable, that reports are delivered within a stated time of the visit, and that the tenant's comments on a report are recorded but do not alter the clerk's findings. Photographs form part of the report and are retained as the terms describe.

Reports, ownership and use in disputes

Reports are prepared for the client and may be given to the tenant and the deposit scheme, and the terms should say so. Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 the report and photographs remain the clerk's until assigned; the terms should licence their use for the tenancy and any dispute. The clerk may be asked to give evidence or clarification, and the terms should say whether that is included or charged.

Fees, liability and data

Fees are per report by property size, invoiced on delivery or monthly to agents, with interest and fixed compensation on late payment under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. Liability should be capped at the fee for the report, with consequential loss and the outcome of any deposit dispute excluded, tested for reasonableness under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. The clerk holds tenants' names and images of their belongings, which are personal data under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and the terms should say how they are handled.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

The landlord lost a deposit claim and blames our check-out report. Are we liable?

If the terms say the report records visible condition impartially, that deductions are for the parties and the scheme, and that the outcome of a dispute is excluded, the landlord's disappointment is not a claim. The photographs and the report are the record.

The tenant refuses to accept the check-in report. What happens?

The terms should provide that the tenant's comments are recorded and attached, that the report stands as the clerk's findings, and that disputes are for the parties. The clerk's job is to record accurately, not to negotiate.

Can we charge when nobody turned up with the keys?

If the terms make access and keys the client's responsibility and provide a charge for a failed appointment, yes. Say it in the booking confirmation.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms of business for a letting agent
• Terms and conditions for an energy assessor

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.