DIY InventoryRenting in Exeter: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Exeter can get help.
Homes to rent in Exeter
Exeter is a compact cathedral and university city where about a quarter of households rent privately, a share that rose noticeably between 2011 and 2021. Student shared houses are concentrated in the terraced streets around the University of Exeter's Streatham campus, including St David's, Pennsylvania and Newtown, where an Article 4 Direction has controlled new HMOs since 2012. Georgian and Victorian terraces near the centre are often split into flats, while the eastern edge has large new estates around Newcourt, and purpose-built student blocks have been added across the city.
Average rent: £1,319 a month (ONS, January 2026). 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 Exeter homes
- Student shared houses near the university: photograph each bedroom's lock, furniture and fire door separately, and note smoke alarms and fire blankets.
- Georgian and Regency conversions in St Leonard's: check sash windows, cornices and ceilings for cracks, and photograph shared hallways and meter cupboards.
- Victorian terraces in Heavitree and Newtown: look for damp at the base of walls and in rear kitchens, and photograph back yards and rear access lanes.
- Hillside homes in Pennsylvania and Exwick: photograph steps, retaining walls and sloping gardens, and note any guttering or drainage problems.
- New-build flats around Newcourt: record fob and key counts, parking permits, bin stores and any snagging still outstanding.
- Homes near the river and the Exeter Canal in St Thomas and Alphington: note any signs of past flooding or damp in ground-floor rooms.
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, damp or safety problems in a private let can contact Exeter City Council's private sector housing team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.
Renting in Exeter: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Exeter?
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 Exeter get help?
Tenants with disrepair, damp or safety problems in a private let can contact Exeter City Council's private sector housing team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.
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.