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For tenantsRenting in Bracknell Forest: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Bracknell Forest can get help.
Homes to rent in Bracknell Forest
Bracknell is a post-war new town, so much of its housing is terraced and semi-detached houses and maisonettes built from the 1950s to the 1980s in planned neighbourhoods. The regenerated town centre has added apartment blocks, many let to commuters. Large new estates have been built at Warfield and Binfield, while Crowthorne, Sandhurst and the Ascot fringe have older and larger houses. Demand for rented homes comes from commuters to Reading, London and the Thames Valley's employers.
Average rent: £1,499 a month (ONS Price Index of Private Rents, 2026), up 6% 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 Bracknell Forest homes
- New-town terraces and maisonettes: photograph the shared paths, garage courts, communal bin stores and any shared entrances.
- Town-centre apartment blocks: record fob and key counts, parking spaces, and the intercom and bike store.
- New-build homes at Warfield and Binfield: note snagging marks, sealant around baths and showers, and new fences and turf.
- Flat-roofed garages and extensions common in 1960s and 1970s houses: photograph the roof edges and ceilings for leaks.
- Homes near the woods around Crowthorne and Ascot: check gutters, moss on roofs and damp on north-facing walls.
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 Bracknell Forest Council's private sector housing (environmental health) team. Bracknell Forest Council: private renting.
Renting in Bracknell Forest: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Bracknell Forest?
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 Bracknell Forest get help?
Tenants can report disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in privately rented homes to Bracknell Forest Council's private sector housing (environmental health) team.
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.
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