DIY InventoryRenting in Islington: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Islington can get help.
Homes to rent in Islington
Islington is small and densely built: Georgian and Victorian terraces, most of them long since split into flats, sit beside large council estates and newer blocks. Social renting is unusually high here, so many private lets are flats in converted houses or resold former council flats. Rents are among the highest in inner London, and the council licenses most private lets, either as HMOs borough-wide or through selective licensing in ten wards from November 2026.
Average rent: £2,884 a month (ONS, September 2026), up 6.6% 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 Islington homes
- Flats in converted Georgian and Victorian houses: photograph sash windows, cords and locks, and any cracks over doors and in cornices.
- Ex-council flats on estates: note the number of entry fobs and keys, and photograph the communal door, the meter cupboard and the bin store.
- Basement and lower-ground flats: photograph walls at floor level, window wells and any signs of damp or mould.
- Shared top-floor flats: photograph the loft hatch, roof lights and ceilings under the roof for water stains.
- Selective or HMO licence: photograph the licence and any fire doors, alarms and fire blankets the licence conditions require.
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
Islington Council's private sector housing team can inspect privately rented homes for disrepair and hazards and enforces its licensing schemes; start from the private sector housing pages of islington.gov.uk. Islington Council: private renting.
Renting in Islington: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Islington?
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 Islington get help?
Islington Council's private sector housing team can inspect privately rented homes for disrepair and hazards and enforces its licensing schemes; start from the private sector housing pages of islington.gov.uk.
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.