DIY InventoryRenting in Harrow: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Harrow can get help.
Homes to rent in Harrow
Harrow is largely 1920s and 30s Metro-land suburbia: semi-detached and terraced houses built along the Metropolitan line, many since extended into lofts and to the rear. Private renting rose by about 8 percentage points between 2011 and 2021, one of the biggest rises in London, to nearly 30% of households, and many family houses are let whole or as shared homes. Harrow town centre and Wealdstone have new-build flats and towers on former office and industrial sites. Selective licensing now covers six wards, including Edgware, Wealdstone and Greenhill.
Average rent: £1,778 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 2.9% 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 Harrow homes
- Extended inter-war semis: photograph loft-conversion rooms, rear-extension rooflights and flat roofs, and any ceiling stains below them.
- Metro-land houses with front driveways: photograph the drive, front wall, garage door and its keys or remote.
- Rear gardens and sheds: photograph lawns, fences, gates and any outbuildings, and note what is left in them at check-in.
- Family houses let as shared homes: photograph each bedroom's lock and smoke alarm and the shared kitchen appliances.
- New-build flats in Harrow town centre and Wealdstone: record fob, parking and post-box key counts and photograph balconies and integrated appliances.
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
Private tenants can report disrepair, damp, overcrowding or unsafe conditions to Harrow Council's private sector housing team, which can inspect and serve notices on landlords. Harrow Council: private renting.
Renting in Harrow: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Harrow?
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 Harrow get help?
Private tenants can report disrepair, damp, overcrowding or unsafe conditions to Harrow Council's private sector housing team, which can inspect and serve notices on landlords.
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.