DIY InventoryRenting in Swindon: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Swindon can get help.
Homes to rent in Swindon
Swindon grew around the Great Western Railway works, leaving a large stock of Victorian terraces near the centre, including the stone cottages of the Railway Village. Much of the town is post-war and later: council-built estates, then the large West Swindon and North Swindon developments, and now new-build villages to the south and east. Private renting is close to the national average and higher in the central terraces and town-centre flats. The town is popular with commuters to Reading, Bristol and London.
Average rent: £1,103 a month (ONS, September 2026), up 5.0% 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 Swindon homes
- Victorian terraces in Gorse Hill and Rodbourne: photograph back yards, rear walls, outhouses and any damp in the back rooms.
- Office-to-flat conversions in the town centre: record room sizes, windows, ventilation, fob counts and bin store access.
- 1970s and 1980s houses in West Swindon: check window seals, garages in blocks and shared paths and parking courts.
- New-build homes in North Swindon and Wichelstowe: note snagging marks, fences, turf and any management company areas.
- Railway Village cottages in a conservation area: photograph original windows, doors and stonework, as changes may need consent.
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
Private tenants can contact Swindon Borough Council's private sector housing team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions. Swindon Borough Council: private renting.
Renting in Swindon: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Swindon?
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 Swindon get help?
Private tenants can contact Swindon Borough Council's private sector housing team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions.
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.