DIY InventoryRenting in Rochdale: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Rochdale can get help.
Homes to rent in Rochdale
Rochdale grew on cotton, and its inner areas such as Deeplish, Newbold, Wardleworth and Spotland are dominated by Victorian terraces, many of them privately rented. Large post-war estates sit at Kirkholt and Langley in Middleton, and Heywood and Middleton mix older terraces with newer homes. Towards the Pennines, Littleborough and Milnrow have stone terraces and cottages, while Norden and Bamford are more suburban. Every HMO in the borough now needs a licence.
Average rent: £829 a month (ONS, May 2026), up 8.4% 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 Rochdale homes
- Shared houses with three or more tenants: note the HMO licence number and photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors, alarms and the shared kitchen separately.
- Victorian terraces in Deeplish, Newbold and Spotland: photograph damp at the base of walls, cellar heads, back yards and alley gates.
- Stone cottages in Littleborough and the Pennine villages: record damp in thick walls, stoves and chimneys and windows exposed to the weather.
- Flats in town-centre blocks: note fob and key counts, lifts, bin stores and fire doors.
- Post-war estate homes in Kirkholt and Langley: photograph gardens, fences, sheds and older 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 Rochdale Borough Council's private sector housing team. Rochdale Borough Council: private renting.
Renting in Rochdale: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Rochdale?
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 Rochdale get help?
Tenants can report disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in privately rented homes to Rochdale Borough Council's private sector housing 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.