DIY InventoryRenting in Fylde: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Fylde can get help.
Homes to rent in Fylde
Fylde is a coastal and rural borough on the Lancashire coast, centred on the twin resort of Lytham St Annes, where large Victorian villas and many seafront flats sit alongside interwar suburbs. Inland, Kirkham and Wesham are older market and mill towns that have grown with large new estates, and villages such as Freckleton and Warton house workers at the aerospace site at Warton. Bungalows are common and the area is popular with retired people, while private lets include converted flats in St Annes and family homes inland.
Average rent: £870 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 5.3% 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 Fylde homes
- Seafront flats and villas in St Annes and Lytham: check window frames, door ironmongery and external metalwork for salt and wind damage, and photograph communal areas.
- Victorian villas split into flats in St Annes: record fire doors, alarms, meter cupboards and shared bin stores, and note fob and key counts.
- Bungalows across the borough: photograph lofts if accessible, conservatories, garages and gardens, which are often part of the let.
- Homes near the Ribble estuary in Freckleton and Lytham: look for damp and condensation on exposed walls and any signs of past flooding.
- New-build estates in Wesham and Kirkham: note any snagging still outstanding, plus meter readings and parking allocations.
- Older brick terraces in Kirkham: check rear yards, outhouses and the base of walls for damp.
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 Fylde Council's environmental health (private sector housing) team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord. Fylde Council: private renting.
Renting in Fylde: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Fylde?
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 Fylde get help?
Tenants with disrepair, damp or safety problems in a private let can contact Fylde Council's environmental health (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.