DIY InventoryRenting in Kirklees: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Kirklees can get help.
Homes to rent in Kirklees
Kirklees covers Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley and the Spen Valley towns, and the Pennine valleys of the Colne and Holme. Much of the housing is Victorian stone terraces and back-to-backs built for the wool and textile mills, often on steep hillsides, with converted mills and student flats in Huddersfield near the university. The valleys have weavers' cottages and stone farmhouses, while the outskirts of the towns have interwar, post-war and modern estates. Rents rose sharply in the year to August 2026.
Average rent: £782 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 12.8% 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 Kirklees homes
- Stone terraces and back-to-backs: look for damp on thick walls, especially on walls built into the hillside, and photograph cellars and shared yards.
- Steep hillside homes in Lockwood, Holmfirth and the valleys: photograph steps, sloping paths and retaining walls, and note any cracking.
- Student shared houses near the University of Huddersfield: photograph each bedroom's lock and furniture, fire doors, alarms and the kitchen.
- Converted mills and town-centre flats: note fob and key counts, lifts, bin stores and bike stores, and look for condensation around large windows.
- Homes near the Colne, Holme and Calder: look for signs of past flooding or damp in ground-floor rooms.
- Pennine homes at height: record the boiler, radiators, loft insulation and any frost damage to outside pipes, gutters or pointing.
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 Kirklees Council's private sector housing team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord. Kirklees Council: private renting.
Renting in Kirklees: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Kirklees?
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 Kirklees get help?
Tenants with disrepair, damp or safety problems in a private let can contact Kirklees 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.