DIY InventoryGeneral information for England as at October 2026, not legal or tax advice. Some rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check gov.uk or a qualified adviser for your situation.
A furnished inventory lists every piece of furniture, appliance and household item as well as the condition of the building, so it is longer and costs more if a clerk does it. An unfurnished inventory has fewer items to list but still needs a full schedule of condition: walls, floors, doors, windows, kitchen, bathroom, fixtures and fittings. Both matter equally for the deposit, because damage to the building itself is often the most expensive kind.
What's the difference between a furnished and unfurnished inventory?
| Unfurnished | Furnished | |
|---|---|---|
| Building and decor | Every room, ceiling to floor | Every room, ceiling to floor |
| Fixtures and fittings | Kitchen units, sanitaryware, lights, curtain rails, flooring | The same |
| White goods | Often some (oven, hob, sometimes fridge or washer) | Usually all of them |
| Furniture | None, or a few pieces | Beds, mattresses, sofas, tables, chairs, wardrobes |
| Soft furnishings | Curtains or blinds, if left | Curtains, cushions, rugs, sometimes bedding |
| Small items | Rarely | Sometimes crockery, cutlery, pans, lamps, mirrors |
| Time to do it | Shorter | Often twice as long, or more |
What should an unfurnished inventory include?
"Unfurnished" rarely means empty. Even a bare flat has plenty that can be damaged, cleaned badly or go missing. Record, room by room:
- Walls, ceilings and woodwork: paint colour, marks, nail holes, cracks, signs of damp.
- Floors: carpet, laminate, tiles or wood, with any stains, wear paths or burns.
- Doors, handles, locks, windows, sills, glazing and window restrictors.
- Kitchen: units, worktops, sink, taps, tiles, extractor and any appliances left.
- Bathroom: bath or shower, screen, toilet, basin, sealant, grout, tiles, extractor fan.
- Lights, switches, sockets, radiators, curtain rails and blinds.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, meters and keys.
Our room checklists list every item, for example the kitchen checklist.
What should a furnished inventory include?
Everything above, plus every item the landlord is providing. For each one, record:
- A description that identifies it: "3-seater sofa, grey fabric, wooden legs", not just "sofa".
- The quantity: 4 dining chairs, 6 dinner plates, 2 bedside tables.
- Its condition and cleanliness, including stains, scratches, wobbles and tears.
- Whether it works, for appliances, lamps and anything with a switch.
- Mattresses checked on both sides with the bedding off, as stains on mattresses are a common dispute.
- Labels on upholstered furniture: a photo of the fire safety label is worth having.
Photograph each item on its own, then close-ups of any marks. Our guide on how to photograph a rental property shows how.
Part-furnished properties
Part-furnished usually means white goods and a few pieces such as a bed or wardrobe. Treat each item supplied exactly as you would in a furnished let, and note clearly which items belong to the landlord. That stops arguments at the end over whether the tenant brought something or took something away.
Rules that apply to furnished lets
- Fire safety of furniture: upholstered furniture supplied in a let must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. Most compliant items carry a permanent label.
- Electrical safety: the fixed wiring needs an EICR at least every 5 years in furnished and unfurnished lets alike. Testing the appliances you supply isn't required by those rules, but it's sensible. You can book an EICR on our certificates page.
- Tax: landlords can usually claim the cost of replacing furniture, appliances and furnishings like for like (replacement of domestic items relief), so keep receipts. The first purchase for a new let doesn't qualify.
The deposit cap, fee ban and the Renters' Rights Act rules apply the same way whether or not a home is furnished.
How furnishing affects deposit disputes
Furniture wears faster than walls, so fair wear and tear allows for more change over a tenancy. A sofa that was "good" at the start of a three-year tenancy can reasonably be "fair" at the end. Adjudicators also consider the age of an item and its expected life, so a landlord usually can't claim the full cost of a new item to replace an old one. Recording the age or purchase date of furniture at check-in helps. Read fair wear and tear vs damage for more.
Doing either kind on your phone
DIY Inventory handles both. Each room starts with its checklist and you can add any item, with a description, quantity, condition (new, good, fair or poor), marks, cleanliness and whether it works. At least 8 photos per room, with the date and time burned into every photo. It costs £30 per report however many items there are, so a furnished home doesn't cost more. Start your inventory free.
Questions
Is an inventory needed for an unfurnished property?
Yes. Walls, floors, doors, the kitchen and the bathroom can all be damaged, so you still need a detailed record of their condition with photos.
Does a furnished inventory cost more?
With an inventory clerk, usually yes, because it takes longer. With DIY Inventory every report is £30, furnished or not.
Should kitchenware and bedding be on the inventory?
If the landlord provides them, yes. List each type with its quantity and condition, so anything missing or broken at the end can be shown.
What does part-furnished mean?
There is no legal definition. It usually means appliances and a few pieces of furniture are provided, so list exactly which items belong to the landlord.
Can a landlord charge for old furniture that was damaged?
They can claim for damage beyond fair wear and tear, but adjudicators normally take the item's age into account, so the claim is usually less than the cost of a new one.
Updated 27 October 2026