DIY InventoryRenting in Bath: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Bath can get help.
Homes to rent in Bath
Bath’s housing is dominated by Georgian and Victorian Bath stone terraces and townhouses, many divided into flats, within a World Heritage Site with many listed buildings. Its two universities create a large student rental market, particularly in Oldfield Park and Widcombe, with many shared houses. Outside the city, Keynsham sits between Bath and Bristol, and the Somer valley towns of Midsomer Norton and Radstock are former coalfield settlements with stone terraces and new estates.
Average rent: £1,863 a month (ONS, February 2026), up 8.2% on a year earlier. Source
On moving-in day
- Before unpacking, photograph every room: a wide shot, then each item, with the date and time on every photo.
- Photograph the meters (gas, electricity, water) and write down the readings.
- Count the keys and fobs, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Note anything worn, marked or not working, and send it to the landlord or agent within a few days.
Things to look at in Bath homes
- Georgian sash windows in Bath’s terraces: photograph cords, catches, glass and any rot on sills and frames.
- Student shared houses in Oldfield Park and Widcombe: photograph each bedroom door lock and key, fire doors, alarms and the shared kitchen and its appliances.
- Basement and lower-ground flats in stone houses: photograph walls, vaults and window wells for damp and mould.
- Listed buildings: photograph original features such as shutters, fireplaces and plasterwork, and do not treat repairs needing listed building consent as tenant faults.
- Stone terraces in Midsomer Norton and Radstock: photograph back yards, rear walls and chimney breasts for damp.
Your deposit
Your landlord must protect your deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days and tell you which. At the end, deductions can only be for damage beyond fair wear and tear, cleaning back to the check-in standard, or rent owed. A dated check-in record is your best protection.
Help from the council
Tenants in Bath and North East Somerset can contact the council’s housing services team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in a rented home. Bath & North East Somerset Council: private renting.
Renting in Bath: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Bath?
Photograph every room and item before you unpack, with the date on each photo: walls, floors, windows, appliances, meters and keys. Note anything worn or damaged and get the landlord or agent to agree it in writing.
How do I get my deposit back?
Leave the home as you found it, allowing for fair wear and tear, and compare it with the check-in record. If you disagree with deductions, the deposit scheme’s free dispute service decides on the evidence.
Where can renters in Bath get help?
Tenants in Bath and North East Somerset can contact the council’s housing services team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in a rented home.
Can a tenant do the check-in inventory?
Yes. With DIY Inventory a tenant can do it on their phone and send the landlord a link to check and sign it, so both sides have the same dated record.
Nearby areas
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