DIY InventoryRenting in Coventry: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Coventry can get help.
Homes to rent in Coventry
Coventry's centre was rebuilt after wartime bombing, so the city mixes post-war blocks and estates with surviving Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Earlsdon, Foleshill, Stoke and Hillfields. Two universities, Coventry and Warwick, create a large student market, with many HMOs and purpose-built student towers in and around the city centre, Canley and Tile Hill. The private rented sector has grown quickly and includes many terraced houses converted to shared housing. Regeneration has replaced some post-war estates and added new apartment blocks.
Average rent: £1,020 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 2.4% 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 Coventry homes
- Student HMOs near Coventry University and the University of Warwick: photograph each bedroom's lock, furniture and fire door, and every shared appliance separately.
- Victorian terraces in Earlsdon and Foleshill: check damp on party walls and chimney breasts, sash or replacement windows and the back yard.
- Flats in city-centre blocks: note fob and key counts, intercom, bin store and bike store access, and any balcony condition.
- Post-war council-built houses in Tile Hill and Canley: record gardens, fences, sheds, the boiler and consumer unit.
- Shared houses: record the meter readings and who holds which room keys, as several tenants may share one supply.
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 with disrepair or unsafe conditions in a private rented home can contact Coventry City Council's private sector housing team, which can inspect and take enforcement action. Coventry City Council: private renting.
Renting in Coventry: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Coventry?
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 Coventry get help?
Tenants with disrepair or unsafe conditions in a private rented home can contact Coventry City Council's private sector housing team, which can inspect and take enforcement action.
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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