DIY InventoryInventory and check-in reports in Hastings
Hastings and St Leonards is a hilly seaside town with one of the highest shares of private renting outside the big cities. Much of the rented stock is in large Regency and Victorian houses in the town centre and Central St Leonards that have been split into flats and bedsits, many on steep streets close to the sea. The Old Town has historic cottages and timber-framed houses, while Hollington, Baird and Ore have post-war estates. A selective licensing scheme ran in seven central wards from 2015 to 2020.
Homes sold in Hastings in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 286 | £291,911 |
| Flat or maisonette | 278 | £176,582 |
| Semi-detached | 205 | £341,117 |
| Detached | 182 | £412,013 |
| Other | 35 | £302,677 |
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 Hastings check-in
- Regency and Victorian houses split into flats in St Leonards and the town centre: photograph each flat's door, meters, fire doors, alarms and the shared hallway and stairs.
- Seafront homes: look for salt corrosion on window frames, balcony rails and door furniture, and damp on exposed walls.
- Hillside homes on steep streets: photograph steps, sloping paths, retaining walls and any cracking, which can come from ground movement.
- Old Town cottages: record beams, low doorways, uneven floors, open fireplaces and any damp in basements or rear walls.
- Sash windows in period conversions: photograph cords, locks, cracked panes and any rot.
Do it yourself in Hastings
- 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 Hastings: questions
How much does an inventory clerk cost in Hastings?
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 Hastings?
£1,008 a month (ONS, September 2026), up 1.7% 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 Hastings postcode.
Do landlords need a licence in Hastings?
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme in force that could be confirmed. The 2015 to 2020 scheme covering seven wards (Braybrooke, Castle, Central St Leonards, Gensing, Old Hastings, Ore and Tressell) ended in October 2020, and the government refused the council's application to renew it in 2021. Check the council’s own page before letting, as schemes change.
Can I do my own check-in inventory in Hastings?
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.
Ready when you have the keys
Start your Hastings inventory today, on your phone. It’s free until you download it.
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