DIY InventoryRenting in Rossendale: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Rossendale can get help.
Homes to rent in Rossendale
Rossendale's towns fill the narrow Pennine valleys, and most of the housing is Victorian stone terraces built for the cotton and slipper mills, many on steep hillsides. Bacup and Stacksteads have some of the cheapest homes and a sizeable private rented sector, while Rawtenstall, Haslingden and Helmshore mix terraces with post-war and newer estates. Some mills have been converted to flats. Damp and exposure to Pennine weather are common issues in the older stone homes.
Average rent: £811 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 4.3% 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 Rossendale homes
- Stone terraces in Bacup and Stacksteads: photograph damp at the base of walls, cellars, and mould in back rooms built into the hillside.
- Hillside homes throughout the valley: record steps, retaining walls, gutters and downpipes and any water coming off the slope.
- Terraces near the River Irwell in Stacksteads and Waterfoot: photograph any tide marks, damp low on walls and air bricks.
- Mill conversions: note fob and key counts, intercom, parking and the state of shared corridors.
- Older homes with gas fires or stoves: photograph the appliances, chimneys and carbon monoxide alarms.
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 Rossendale Borough Council's environmental health team. Rossendale Borough Council: private renting.
Renting in Rossendale: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Rossendale?
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 Rossendale get help?
Tenants can report disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in privately rented homes to Rossendale 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 areas
BurnleyHyndburnBlackburn with DarwenBuryRochdaleCalderdaleAll areas