Property Inventory Services in Wolverhampton

Higher rents mean tenants question every deduction

ONS figures show Wolverhampton rents climbing fast in recent years. More people rent here too. At the 2021 Census, nearly one in five Wolverhampton households rented privately.

A higher rent means a bigger deposit, because the cap is five weeks' rent. In my experience, the bigger the deposit, the harder a tenant fights any deduction you can't prove.

The council has also stepped up enforcement on private landlords.

So your report has to convince three people: the tenant, the adjudicator and the council officer.

A shared house in Whitmore Reans isn't a semi in Tettenhall

An old terrace and a new flat can be streets apart here. I don't inspect them the same way.

Whitmore Reans, Blakenhall and All Saints: I record every room separately

Near the centre, Victorian terraces line the old roads. Some are now shared houses and room lets, a few with students from the city campus. Blakenhall and Whitmore Reans also saw 1960s council blocks go up.

I give each bedroom its own record, down to the door, lock and keys. Then I do the shared kitchen and bathroom. When tenants leave at different times, that record shows who did what.

Tettenhall, Penn and Compton: I never rush a period home

West of the centre are Victorian villas, bay window semis and long gardens. ONS figures show semis here rent for well above flats. Bigger homes mean bigger deposits.

Fireplaces, cornicing, sash windows, the shed: it all goes on the record. A rushed report misses half of it. I'd rather spend the extra time now than lose the argument later.

Heath Town, Bilston and Wednesfield: every check-out matched to day one

North and east, the estates go back to the 1920s. Low Hill alone got more than 2,000 council houses between 1925 and 1929. With Bushbury, Fallings Park and The Lunt, these streets hold many of the city's more affordable lets.

Where tenants change often, each check-out must line up with the last check-in. Paintwork, carpets, gardens and condensation cause most disputes. Timestamped photos settle them.

Canalside South and Smithgate: I log the builder's snags first

Canalside South and Smithgate are new neighbourhoods in the city centre. Both include homes built for renting.

New flats still get hairline cracks, sticking doors and gaps in the sealant. I write these up as build snags at check-in, apart from the tenant's record. Then nobody argues about them later.

What I tell Wolverhampton landlords to check first

Article 4: small HMOs need planning permission

Anywhere in the city, turning a house into a small HMO needs planning permission. That means an HMO for three to six people. The rule comes from the City of Wolverhampton Council's Article 4 direction.

It doesn't cover Perton or Codsall in South Staffordshire, or Willenhall in Walsall. So check which council you're in before you buy. There's more in our landlord's guide to HMOs.

HMO licensing: check before you let

An HMO needs a licence if five or more people from two or more households live there. Councils can also add their own local licensing schemes. So check the City of Wolverhampton Council's website before you let.

The landlord database: keep your EPC ready

The Renters' Rights Act brings in a national landlord database for rented homes. It asks for your EPC details. So keep a valid EPC on file for every let.