DIY InventoryRenting in West Lancashire: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in West Lancashire can get help.
Homes to rent in West Lancashire
West Lancashire mixes the market town of Ormskirk, the 1960s new town of Skelmersdale and a large area of flat farmland and villages. Edge Hill University makes student lets common in Ormskirk, while Skelmersdale has many former development corporation homes, some now let privately. Burscough and the villages have seen new estates, and the rural north has farm cottages and bungalows. Most households own their home.
Average rent: £805 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 5.6% 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 West Lancashire homes
- Student houses in Ormskirk near Edge Hill University: record each bedroom's lock, furniture and fire doors, and check the HMO licence for five or more sharers.
- 1960s homes in Skelmersdale: photograph flat roofs, older windows and communal footpaths, garages and bin areas.
- Victorian terraces in Ormskirk and Burscough: check rear yards, sash or replacement windows and any damp in back kitchens.
- Rural homes on the mossland farms: record oil tanks, septic tanks and any signs of subsidence or cracking on soft ground.
- New-build estates in Burscough: check sealant, flooring and any snagging marks, and who maintains shared green space.
- Stone cottages in Parbold and Up Holland: photograph damp patches, chimneys and timber windows.
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
West Lancashire Borough Council's Private Sector Housing team advises private tenants and takes action on disrepair and unsafe conditions. West Lancashire Borough Council: private renting.
Renting in West Lancashire: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in West Lancashire?
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 West Lancashire get help?
West Lancashire Borough Council's Private Sector Housing team advises private tenants and takes action on disrepair and 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.
Ready when you have the keys
Record your West Lancashire home’s condition today, on your phone.
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