Essential Info

Inventory and charges.... if these walls could talk

By UALHalls 01 Feb 2022

Wondering what an inventory is, and why you should fill it out? This article is worth your time and your money to read!

What is an inventory?

An inventory is used by tenants to record the state of the room and kitchen they are renting at the start of their tenancy. This ensures existing damage is noted and the landlord (UAL or your hall provider) will not be able to charge you for any damage in the room which was there before you arrived. This is a standard procedure in all rented accommodation in the UK, and it is your responsibility as part of your contract to make sure you have completed it.

Why should I fill out my inventory?

We get it, you have just moved into your new room to start your exciting new life in London, and you are asked to look around your room and flat for marks on walls and carpet stains - not really a fun activity! BUT not fully filling out your inventory or just simply not doing it could cost you hundreds of pounds in damages that you did not cause.

How do I complete it?

You will be provided with details when you move into your new hall of how the inventory should be completed, in most halls, this is submitted online, but in some of our halls we provide a paper form. You should return your completed inventory within 48 hours after you move in.

Top tips from our Residence Managers

Our Residence Managers have dealt with a lot of damage charge disputes and have provided the top tips below on how to avoid receiving a charge because of not completing your inventory properly:

Always complete your inventory- if you do not complete an inventory, it will be very hard for you to dispute a charge as there is no record that the damage was there before you arrived
Read your Tenancy Agreement and hall handbook so that you know what the damage charges are for your hall
Take pictures or even better a video of any damage you can see when you first move in, including a picture video of your door number so that it is recognisable as your room. Even if you think the damage is very small and does not matter it is best to record. The more information the better, this will ensure your hall’s team fully understand what the room looked like when you moved in.
Get creative and use the pin board available to pin any pictures or artwork you would like to display in your room, you could also bring a free-standing pin board if you want to add more items.

If there is any damage to my room at the end of my tenancy what happens?

You will receive an email to tell you what damage charges you have incurred. The most common charges are:

Rubbish left behind – ALWAYS leave your room empty, if there is anything that needs to be disposed of or recycled you will be charged
Marks on walls- This includes marks from blue/white tac no matter how small. The whole wall will have to be painted as we cannot leave a wall patchy for the next tenant and you will be charged for the full wall paint.

If there is any damage in my room once I depart, can I not fix it myself?

No, this is not an option, as stated in the tenancy you are not allowed to carry out DIY in your room. Our team on site are best placed to complete any repairs or painting work and this ensures that there is a good standard of work completed. If you try to fix an issue and create further damage, the charge will increase, so please always let us take care of it. The charge for something like painting one wall will include the cost of the paint and the labour cost for the operative who must complete it.

If you are still unsure how to complete the inventory, do not worry. You can always speak to a member of your hall’s team once you arrive.

Have any questions? Get in touch with the team:

E: hallslife@arts.ac.uk

T: +44(0)20 3890 6039

Instagram: UAL_HallsLife