Inventory App for Letting Agents: Check-In, Check-Out and Inspections Across a Portfolio

Short answer: a small letting agency managing around 50 properties needs an inventory app that produces detailed, dated, photo-backed check-in and check-out reports the tenant can review, because deposit schemes treat those reports as the core evidence in a dispute. Since agents can't charge tenants for inventories in England, the cost of producing them falls on the agency or the landlord, so cost per report matters. Below we cover what the deposit schemes look for, what the law says about fees, how to run inspections across a portfolio, and where Landlord HQ fits, including where it doesn't.

Disclosure: we make Landlord HQ. We've been upfront about its limits for agencies.

What deposit schemes look for

All three government-approved schemes publish guidance on evidence, and it points the same way.

• The Deposit Protection Service (DPS) lists "signed check-in and check-out inventory reports" first among common evidence. It says that at the very least you should provide the tenancy agreement and the check-in and check-out reports. It also says the tenant's signature matters most, and that where a tenant hasn't signed, an email or proof of postage showing they were given the report and a chance to respond may be useful (DPS).
• mydeposits says that without comparative check-in and check-out documents a landlord's damage claim "is likely to fail". It adds that reports compiled by agents or landlords, rather than an independent third party, "will require supporting evidence that the tenant has seen the inventory and had an opportunity to agree the contents or comment on it" (mydeposits guide).
• The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) Code of Recommended Practice asks members to make sure the inventory is "sufficiently detailed and up to date to allow it to be used as a fair measure at the end of the tenancy". It also asks members to respond to tenant comments within 7 working days, to give tenants the chance to attend check-out, and to supply the check-out report promptly (TDS Code).

What this means for an agency: if your own staff produce the reports, the evidence that the tenant received each one matters as much as the report itself. Send every report in a way that leaves a dated trail.

The Tenant Fees Act: you can't charge tenants for inventories

Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords and letting agents in England can only charge tenants permitted payments, such as rent, a refundable deposit, a holding deposit, and certain default and change fees. Gov.uk's guidance on fees you can charge as part of a tenancy lists an inventory service as something a tenant can choose to buy, but you can't require them to pay for it.

In practice, check-in and check-out inventories are a cost to the landlord or the agency. Whether you use an inventory clerk or do them in-house, the cost per report goes straight into your margin or your landlord fees.

Managing inspections across around 50 properties

Our landlord inspection checklist covers what to check in each room, and our property inventory template covers what goes into an inventory. For an agency, the harder problem is volume and consistency:

1. One standard layout. Every property and every member of staff uses the same room order and wording conventions ("describe, don't grade"), so check-out reports line up with check-in reports.
2. A schedule. Map out check-ins, interim inspections and check-outs for the portfolio. Interim inspections aren't required by the deposit schemes, but the DPS lists signed periodic inspection reports as accepted evidence.
3. A dated sending trail. Email each report to the tenant on the day and keep the sent record. That's the "opportunity to comment" evidence mydeposits describes.
4. A comment window. Give tenants a set period to raise discrepancies in writing, and reply within 7 working days, as the TDS Code expects.
5. HMOs. Shared houses need common-parts checks too. See our HMO inspections guide.

Where Landlord HQ fits for a small agency

Landlord HQ was built for UK private landlords, but its Pro plan suits a sole agent or a very small team where one person runs inspections on their own iPhone.

• Room-by-room inspections: move-in, interim and move-out, logging condition, photos and notes.
• Timestamped PDF reports: generated with one tap and emailed to the tenant from the app, which gives you the dated sending trail.
• Compliance vault: Gas Safety, EICR, EPC, HMO Licence and PAT records for each property, with reminders 60 and 30 days before expiry.
• Works offline: useful in basements and on rural lets.

Get Landlord HQ on the App Store.

Pricing (checked on landlord-hq.co.uk, 26 October 2026)

Honest limits for agencies

• iPhone only. No Android, iPad-specific or web version is advertised.
• Sync is personal. Data syncs through iCloud across the user's own Apple devices. It isn't a shared agency database.
• No team accounts. There are no multi-user logins, staff permissions or shared workspaces. Two negotiators can't work on the same portfolio in one account.
• No tenant or landlord portal. Reports go out by email. Clients and tenants don't log in.
• No integrations with property management or accounting software are advertised.

If your agency needs several staff on one shared portfolio, client portals or a CRM link, a dedicated agency platform will suit you better. Landlord HQ fits where one person does the inspections and wants a low, fixed cost.

FAQ

Can letting agents charge tenants for an inventory or check-out?
Not in England. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, only permitted payments can be charged, and inventory, check-in and check-out fees aren't among them.

What evidence do deposit schemes want at the end of a tenancy?
At minimum the tenancy agreement and check-in and check-out reports, ideally with dated photos and evidence that the tenant saw them and could comment (DPS, mydeposits).

Do inventories have to be done by an independent clerk?
No. Agent- or landlord-prepared reports are accepted, but mydeposits says they need supporting evidence that the tenant had the chance to agree or comment.

Can several staff share one Landlord HQ account?
No. Landlord HQ has no team accounts. Data syncs only across one user's own Apple devices through iCloud.

How much does Landlord HQ cost for 50 properties?
Pro is £19.99 one-off for unlimited properties and inspections. There's no subscription.

Sources

• DPS common dispute questions: https://www.depositprotection.com/learning-centre/disputes/common-dispute-questions
• mydeposits, Tenancy deposits, disputes and damages: https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Deposits-disputes-and-damages-3008.pdf
• TDS Code of Recommended Practice: https://custodial.tenancydepositscheme.com/public/support/2tds-code-of-recommended-practice-booklet.pdf
• Gov.uk, fees you can charge as part of a tenancy: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fees-you-can-charge-as-part-of-a-tenancy
• Tenant Fees Act 2019: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/4
• Landlord HQ pricing: https://landlord-hq.co.uk (checked 26 October 2026)