The best property inventory services and software for UK landlords in 2026

The best inventory service for a self-managing landlord is an independent clerk for the check-in and check-out and software for the interim inspections in between. Nationally, No Letting Go is the largest independent provider with more than 100 local offices and an NRLA member discount, and OpenRent's clerk service starts at £95; in London, local clerks such as Landlord Certificates publish inventories from £82. For software, Inventory Hive, InventoryBase and Property Inspect let a landlord produce the same time-stamped, photographed, signed report a clerk would, and Inventory Hive is the NRLA's software partner. An inventory is only worth what it proves in a deposit dispute, and the adjudicators at mydeposits state that the more detailed the report and the better the photographs, the more weight it carries. This guide compares eight services and platforms on price per report, coverage, features and evidential standard, with facts checked on 5 September 2026.

What the report must contain, room by room, is in our guide to creating a property inventory; this article is about who or what produces it. An inventory is defined in our dictionary; the check-in report and check-out report are the two ends of it.

Which route suits which landlord

What an inventory must do to survive a dispute

A deposit adjudicator decides on the balance of the evidence, and the inventory is the landlord's principal evidence. A report that holds up has a dated, room-by-room description of condition and cleanliness, time-stamped photographs of every surface and item, meter readings, a record of keys, and the tenant's signed agreement at check-in and a comparative report at check-out. Deductions turn on the difference between damage and fair wear and tear, which only a detailed baseline can show; how adjudication weighs the evidence is in our guide to handling deposit disputes. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 the landlord pays for the inventory in England and cannot pass the cost to the tenant (legislation.gov.uk); the same applies in Scotland and Wales.

Since 1 May 2026 every tenancy in England is periodic, so there is no fixed renewal date at which to re-inventory; interim inspections carry the condition record through a tenancy that may run for years. See part two of the Renters' Rights hub on the standards a property must meet throughout.

What we compared

We assessed each provider on published price per report, whether reports are independent, national or regional coverage, turnaround, software features (photographs, signatures, comparative check-out, meter capture), and whether the format is one adjudicators see routinely.

The eight services and platforms compared

Prices as published on 5 September 2026 where a rate is published; clerks price by bedrooms and furnishing, so a quote for your property is the only reliable figure. Estimate the cost for your property with the property inventory calculator.

The signed report is a document the landlord must keep for the life of the tenancy and beyond; August holds it against the tenancy in documents so it is there at check-out.

1. No Letting Go: best national independent provider

No Letting Go is the largest independent inventory provider in the UK, with more than 100 local offices producing inventories, check-ins, routine visits and check-outs to a consistent national standard, by trained and insured assessors using digital software with time-stamped photography. Its reports capture compliance data such as smoke and CO alarm checks and furniture regulations as standard. It is the NRLA's and mydeposits' inventory partner, and NRLA members get discounted rates. Its Kaptur software lets a landlord produce some reports and outsource others.

2. OpenRent inventory service: best for occasional use

OpenRent arranges professional inventories through accredited clerks from £95, with a check-in slot booked alongside the inventory so the tenant signs the report digitally and receives the keys in one visit. It is the simplest route for a landlord letting one or two properties who does not want a subscription or a clerk relationship. OpenRent's inventory service is the same company reviewed in our advertising and tenant referencing guides.

3. Landlord Certificates: best London value

Landlord Certificates publishes an £82 inventory across London alongside its gas, electrical and EPC services, which makes it the cheapest published London clerk and convenient for a landlord booking several certificates at once. Check-in and check-out are priced separately.

4. Local independent clerks: best for a regional relationship

Outside London the market is local clerks, many trading as sole practitioners. The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks accredits members, and the NRLA's own guidance recommends AIIC clerks for their training and consistency. Expect £80 to £200 depending on bedrooms and furnishing, and ask to see a sample report before you book.

5. Inventory Hive: best software for doing it yourself properly

Inventory Hive is the NRLA's software partner, cloud-based with iOS and Android apps, producing unlimited inventories, check-ins, interim inspections and side-by-side comparative check-outs with digital signatures, tenant feedback, voice dictation, templates and AI meter reading. Pricing is per property with a 30-day free trial. It is the tool for a landlord who will do the walk-through themselves but wants the output to look like a clerk's.

6. InventoryBase: best for portfolios and custom templates

InventoryBase is the platform many professional clerks use, with custom workflows, white-label reports, audit trails and scheduling. It suits a portfolio landlord or small agency producing reports at volume and wanting templates that match their own standard.

7. Property Inspect: best for inspections and compliance capture

Property Inspect combines inventories with inspection scheduling, compliance checklists and reporting, and suits a landlord who wants the interim inspection programme and the compliance record in one tool.

8. Kaptur by No Letting Go: best for mixing DIY and outsourced

Kaptur is No Letting Go's own software, sold pay-per-report or by subscription, with the option to send any report to a No Letting Go clerk. It suits a landlord who will do interim inspections themselves but wants an independent check-in and check-out without changing systems.

What an inventory costs

An independent inventory with check-in costs £80 to £200 for an unfurnished one-bed flat and £150 to £350 for a furnished three-bed house, with check-out typically £70 to £150 and interim inspections £50 to £100. Software runs from about £5 to £15 per property per month or a per-report fee. Against a deposit of five weeks' rent, which is £1,400 on a £1,200 rent, an independent report at each end of the tenancy is the cheapest insurance in letting.

Can a landlord do their own inventory?

Yes, and a landlord-produced report is admissible, but adjudicators give independent reports more weight because the landlord has an interest in the outcome. The practical compromise most landlords settle on is an independent clerk for check-in and check-out, where the money is decided, and software for the visits in between. Mid-tenancy visits are covered in rental property inspections; the check-out and cleaning standard is covered in end of tenancy inventory checks.

From working with landlords across the UK, the inventories that lose disputes are not the amateur ones; they are the good ones that were never signed by the tenant, or whose photographs carry no date. Whatever route you choose, get the signature and keep the timestamps.

Interim inspections

Issues a clerk or a landlord flags at an interim inspection, a leaking seal, a blocked gutter, damp behind a wardrobe, can be logged straight into August's maintenance feature, which is also where the tenant reports them between visits, so the condition record and the repair record are the same record.

Frequently asked questions

Who does the best property inventories?

No Letting Go for national independent reports, OpenRent for pay-per-report occasional use, Landlord Certificates for London value, and an AIIC-accredited local clerk elsewhere. For software, Inventory Hive is the NRLA partner and the easiest for a self-managing landlord.

How much does a property inventory cost?

£80 to £200 for an unfurnished flat and up to £350 for a furnished house, plus £70 to £150 for check-out. OpenRent starts at £95 and Landlord Certificates at £82 in London. The landlord pays; charging the tenant is a banned fee.

Does an inventory have to be independent?

No, but independent reports carry more weight at adjudication. Use a clerk for check-in and check-out and software for interim visits.

Do I need August to manage inventories?

No. You need a report produced, signed and kept. August keeps it against the tenancy and links the issues it raises to the maintenance record. You can start for free.

This article is general information. Provider prices change; confirm before booking.