The inventory of fixtures: steps, obligations, and advice to avoid disputes
The day of the lease signing is also the day of the handing over of the keys and thus of the entry inventory into the housing. A key date in your rental investment!
We remind you that this duly completed and signed inventory is, by the way, one of the documents to attach to the lease. A new inventory, called exit, must be carried out when the tenant leaves the housing. It is better not to take these steps lightly: it is the comparison of these documents that allows conclusions to be drawn in case of dispute between landlord and tenant. So no room for doubt! To clarify the matter, here is a bit of literature on the subject.
Bringing together the right conditions 💡
Address all the points 🔠
We have compiled for you the information to be documented in writing, as much as possible with supporting photos:
Type of inventory : entry or exit ;
Date of establishment ;
Exact address of the accommodation ;
Identity of both parties ;
Reading of water and energy meters ;
Number of keys and remote controls allowing access to the accommodation and the building ;
Detailed description of the condition, in all rooms of the accommodation, of the coverings (floors, walls, ceilings, baseboards) and equipment. Reservations can be noted.
Signature of the tenant and signature of the landlord or the bailiff appointed for the occasion.
When the inventory is carried out by an external party, part of the service costs may be charged to the tenant, limited to 3 euros including tax per square meter of living space, provided that the amount obtained does not exceed the costs borne by the owner.
Enough theory, because it’s much easier with a template:
In case of regret 🤔
Don't panic! A period of 10 calendar days allows for the modification of the inventory from the date of its signature. 📆
Be cautious... In the event that you, as the landlord, refuse to modify the inventory in accordance with the tenant's request, they have the right to refer the matter to the conciliation commission of the housing department.
If there is a dispute ⚔️
We assure you: in most cases, it goes very well. Nevertheless, the law has provided various remedies for situations that are a little less idyllic:
one of the two parties does not show up to establish a contradictory inventory: it is then possible to engage a bailiff;
dispute following the exit inventory: it is the departmental conciliation commission that must be seized within 3 years if the formal notice to the other party by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt has yielded nothing.
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