DIY InventoryInventory and check-in reports in Dorset
Dorset Council covers the county outside Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: market towns, coast and a large rural area with many thatched, cob and stone cottages, often listed or in conservation areas and off the gas grid. Weymouth has many Georgian and Victorian seafront houses converted to flats, and Portland has its own stone-built housing. Second homes and holiday lets are common on the coast, and there is military housing around Bovington, Blandford and Portland.
Homes sold in Dorset in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 1,589 | £525,498 |
| Terraced | 1,101 | £279,860 |
| Semi-detached | 822 | £343,231 |
| Flat or maisonette | 648 | £191,035 |
| Other | 176 | £566,672 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
What to check at a Dorset check-in
- Thatched cottages: photograph the thatch, ridge and any netting from the outside, and check smoke and heat alarms inside.
- Cob and stone cottages: photograph damp patches, lime render and any cracks, room by room.
- Seafront flats in Weymouth and Swanage: photograph window frames, balconies and metal fittings for salt corrosion.
- Rural homes off the gas grid: photograph the oil tank and gauge reading, the boiler, and any septic tank or private water supply.
- Homes near the coast at Lyme Regis and West Bay: photograph any cracks in walls and paths, as parts of this coast are unstable.
Do it yourself in Dorset
- No clerk to book: do it whenever you have the keys, before the tenant moves in or with them there.
- £30 a report instead of a clerk’s fee for every check-in, inspection and check-out.
- The check-out starts from the check-in and shows what has changed, photos side by side.
- Prefer paper? Use the free inventory template.
Inventories in Dorset: questions
How much does an inventory clerk cost in Dorset?
Clerks usually charge per visit, more for bigger or furnished homes, so a check-in and a check-out together often come to a few hundred pounds. With DIY Inventory each report is £30, whatever the size, and you can do it as soon as you have the keys.
What is the average rent in Dorset?
£1,056 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 4.9% on a year earlier. Rents vary a lot by street and type of home; the free property report shows sold prices, the EPC and more for any Dorset postcode.
Do landlords need a licence in Dorset?
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme. Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only mandatory licensing, for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. Fees: £900 for a new five-year HMO licence and £740 to renew (from April 2026), 10% less for members of a landlord association Check the council’s own page before letting, as schemes change.
Can I do my own check-in inventory in Dorset?
Yes. Landlords, agents and tenants can do it on a phone: a photo checklist for every room, the date and time stamped on every photo, every item’s condition, and both sides sign. The PDF is ready the moment it’s signed.
Will a DIY inventory stand up in a deposit dispute?
Deposit schemes (DPS, TDS, mydeposits) decide on the evidence, above all the condition at check-in compared with check-out. Dated photos of every room, signed by both sides, are exactly that evidence.
Nearby areas
Ready when you have the keys
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