Renting in Bournemouth: check-in and getting your deposit back

Homes to rent in Bournemouth

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a large coastal conurbation with a big private rented sector, especially in central Bournemouth and Boscombe, where many Victorian villas and hotels have been converted into flats. Bournemouth University and the Arts University bring a large student market around Winton, Charminster and Talbot. Poole has quayside apartment blocks and older terraces, while Christchurch and the eastern suburbs have many bungalows and retirement flats. Seafront and clifftop blocks are exposed to salt air and wind.

Average rent: £1,349 a month (ONS, March 2025), up 7.7% on a year earlier. Source

On moving-in day

1. Before unpacking, photograph every room: a wide shot, then each item, with the date and time on every photo.
2. Photograph the meters (gas, electricity, water) and write down the readings.
3. Count the keys and fobs, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
4. Note anything worn, marked or not working, and send it to the landlord or agent within a few days.

Things to look at in Bournemouth homes

• Converted Victorian villas in Boscombe and central Bournemouth: photograph each flat's door, fire doors and alarms, and the shared hallway and meters.
• Student houses in Winton and Charminster: photograph every bedroom, its lock and furniture, and the shared kitchen and bathroom, at the start and end of each year.
• Seafront and clifftop flats: photograph window seals, balcony doors and railings for salt corrosion, and any mould on outside walls.
• Purpose-built apartment blocks: record fob and key counts, parking permits or spaces, bike and bin stores.
• Bungalows in Christchurch and Southbourne: note gardens, garages, drives and any adaptations such as grab rails.
• Quayside flats in Poole: check for condensation and mould, and that extractor fans and window vents work.

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 can report disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in privately rented homes to BCP Council's private sector housing team.

Do your check-in free Moving-in checklist