DIY InventoryRenting in Ealing: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Ealing can get help.
Homes to rent in Ealing
Ealing has a big private rented sector, with Edwardian and Victorian houses in Ealing, Acton and Hanwell widely split into flats and many interwar terraces and semis let in Southall, Greenford and Northolt. North Acton and the Park Royal fringe have new tall blocks of flats and student housing, and South Acton is a long-running estate regeneration. The council licenses all HMOs and private lets in 15 of its wards.
Average rent: £2,109 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 3.0% 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 Ealing homes
- In Edwardian conversions in Ealing and Acton, photograph the communal hallway, the flat's front door and the meter cupboard, and count the street door and flat keys.
- In Southall and Greenford terraces, photograph any garden outbuildings, extensions and loft rooms, and note which rooms are included in the let.
- In North Acton new-build blocks, record fob, lift and post box key counts and photograph the heat interface unit, appliances and balcony.
- Check bay and sash windows in period houses for rot, broken catches and draughts, and photograph each lock.
- Photograph ceilings and corners in bathrooms and bedrooms for mould, and check extractor fans work, as condensation is common in older terraces.
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
Ealing Council's private sector housing team handles complaints about disrepair and unsafe conditions in private rented homes and enforces its licensing schemes. Ealing Council: private renting.
Renting in Ealing: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Ealing?
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 Ealing get help?
Ealing Council's private sector housing team handles complaints about disrepair and unsafe conditions in private rented homes and enforces its licensing schemes.
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.
Neighbouring boroughs
BrentHarrowHillingdonHounslowHammersmith and FulhamAll areas