The changing face of inventory

Inventory Clerks , Inventory House have been established since 2004 providing inventory services to more than 5000 properties per year in that time. Kevin Crack managing director talks us through the changes and developments in this emerging industry.

As a lettings negotiator and manager based in Wapping and Docklands in 2000/2001, inventory check-ins, check-outs were a service landlords and tenants were either unaware of or knew very little about. Landlords who provided an inventory tended to do so hand written on a scrap bit of paper. When a professional inventory was called upon it was often difficult finding a good inventory clerk, they were either not open for business, unavailable when tenants wanted to move in or were unable to travel in to London.

So Inventory House was formed. Our aim, to fill this gap, to provide a corporate, professional property inventory service with a corporate brand, corporate clerks, the highest quality reports and yes branded Smart cars! A service estate agents, landlords and tenants could rely on to always be available when needed. The key to it was to raise the standard of quality in the reports produced and to offer a more dynamic service than that seen anywhere before. It wasn't easy; I remember walking into one particular estate agent in our first week trying to sell our services and on announcing that I was an inventory clerk, one gentleman shouted across the room, what, as in foot soldier?

Then in 2007 the government introduced the Tenancy Deposit Scheme which in turn led to inventory reports having far greater importance and independent inventory services being taken far more seriously than ever before. Landlords and tenants suddenly became interested in what we were doing at check-in and check-out appointments and were taking the time to read through our reports.