When renting out your property, with or without furniture, a risk is taken that upon termination of such tenancy the property and/or the fixtures/fittings/furniture are not returned with only the normal “wear and tear” deterioration.
However, how do you “prove” that the property and/or the furniture was in a much better state before the tenancy and how do you “secure” your property?
A few actions can be undertaken in order to better your position as landlord:
- Take photos/videos of the property and/or of the fixtures/fittings/furniture before and after the tenancy;
- Draft, as much as possible, a clear and detailed list of the fixtures/fittings/furniture in the property and add such to the tenancy agreement. Add brand, model, date of purchase and purchase price of all items. Ask the tenant to sign such list as confirmation that these items are indeed in the property upon the start of the tenancy. Once the tenancy has been terminated, a check of this list should be made together with the tenant. If something is missing/broken ask the tenant to sign a document confirming such;
- Make sure that any evidence (either photos/videos or list) is clearly dated. Set the dated digitally on the video camera and ask the tenant to handwrite the date on the list;
- Keep receipts of the fixtures/fittings/furniture and other documents indicating brand and model;
- Etc.
Additionally and in order to safeguard the premises and the inventory, you may consider:
- Explicitly indicating in the agreement, the names of the person who may reside on the premises;
- Adding a limitation of the number of persons which are allowed to reside at the premises;
- Exclude pets (and maybe even children);
- Exclude (long term) visitors;
- Ask the tenant to report any faults/damages in the apartment within 15 days of the tenancy;
- Etc.
The above suggestions are not limited and other actions may need to be taken in order to “secure” your property fully. Nevertheless, they may assist y in starting off on the right foot and may even put you in a better position during court proceedings.