DIY InventoryInventory and check-in reports in New Forest
New Forest District wraps around the New Forest National Park, with coastal towns such as Lymington and New Milton, the Waterside towns of Totton, Hythe and Fawley by Southampton Water, and the Avon valley towns of Ringwood and Fordingbridge. Most households own their homes, and about one in seven rent privately, often in Victorian cottages, post-war estate houses and flats. Homes in the national park include older forest cottages, some thatched and some off mains gas.
Homes sold in New Forest in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 793 | £622,414 |
| Semi-detached | 423 | £380,846 |
| Terraced | 358 | £317,969 |
| Flat or maisonette | 272 | £224,167 |
| Other | 60 | £565,365 |
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 New Forest check-in
- Coastal homes in Lymington, Milford on Sea and Barton: photograph salt-pitted metal, window seals and any damp on seaward walls.
- Forest cottages and thatched homes: record the thatch where visible, beams, wood burners and flues, and damp in solid walls.
- Rural homes off mains gas: photograph the oil tank, its gauge level and the boiler service label.
- Homes in the Avon valley near Ringwood and Fordingbridge: note any signs of past flooding on floors and lower walls.
- Homes with forest grazing outside: record gates, cattle grids, fences and gardens, as ponies and cattle roam the open forest.
Do it yourself in New Forest
- 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 New Forest: questions
How much does an inventory clerk cost in New Forest?
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 New Forest?
£1,240 a month (ONS, May 2026), up 1.5% 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 New Forest postcode.
Do landlords need a licence in New Forest?
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme. Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only the national mandatory licence for HMOs with five or more unrelated people forming two or more households. Fees: £976 for an HMO licence, paid as £317 on application and £659 before the full licence is issued Check the council’s own page before letting, as schemes change.
Can I do my own check-in inventory in New Forest?
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.
Nearby areas
Ready when you have the keys
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