DIY Inventory

← All areas · Reigate and Banstead

For tenants

Renting in Reigate and Banstead: check-in and getting your deposit back

What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Reigate and Banstead can get help.

Homes to rent in Reigate and Banstead

Reigate and Banstead is a prosperous commuter borough, with large detached and semi-detached houses in Banstead, Kingswood, Tadworth and on Reigate's hills. Redhill has more Victorian terraces, flats over shops and new apartment blocks near the station, and the number of HMOs there has grown quickly in recent years. Merstham has a large post-war estate under regeneration, while Horley, close to Gatwick, has grown with big new-build neighbourhoods. Private renting is a modest share of homes but rents are high.

Average rent: £1,636 a month (ONS, May 2026), up 2.5% on a year earlier. Source

On moving-in day

  1. Before unpacking, photograph every room: a wide shot, then each item, with the date and time on every photo.
  2. Photograph the meters (gas, electricity, water) and write down the readings.
  3. Count the keys and fobs, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
  4. Note anything worn, marked or not working, and send it to the landlord or agent within a few days.

Things to look at in Reigate and Banstead homes

  • Shared houses and bedsits in Redhill: photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors, alarms and the shared kitchen and bathroom separately.
  • New apartment blocks near Redhill and Reigate stations: note fob counts, parking bays, bike stores and balconies.
  • New-build homes in Horley: record snagging marks, sealant, new turf and fences, and window seals that matter for aircraft noise.
  • Large detached houses in Banstead, Kingswood and Tadworth: photograph garden equipment, gates, driveways and any outbuildings or pools listed in the tenancy.
  • Post-war estate homes in Merstham: photograph communal areas, garages and older windows and boilers.

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 can report disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in privately rented homes to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council's environmental health team.

Do your check-in free Moving-in checklist

Questions

Renting in Reigate and Banstead: questions

What should I check when I move into a rented home in Reigate and Banstead?

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 Reigate and Banstead get help?

Tenants can report disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in privately rented homes to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council's environmental health team.

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.

Nearby

Nearby areas

Epsom and EwellMole ValleyTandridgeCrawleySuttonCroydonAll areas

Ready when you have the keys

Record your Reigate and Banstead home’s condition today, on your phone.

Start free