The inventory is the inspection of a dwelling carried out twice:when the tenant arrives and when he returns the keys. Both the landlord and the tenant must be present during the inventory. If the accommodation is managed by an agency, the real estate agent replaces the owner. Making an inventory is used to see if the accommodation requires repairs and when the tenant leaves, if everything is in the same condition as when he arrived. The inventory document also helps determine who the tenant or landlord will have to pay if work is needed. As a tenant, you have the right to request an inventory if it has not been planned to make one. It is in your interest to realize this, because if you do not, it means that you have received the accommodation in good condition. If the landlord refuses to make one, then he cannot ask you to pay for damages at the end of your lease.
The inventory includes the drafting of a document that can be written in a more or less formal way. The best solution is to write it down while you are inspecting the accommodation to make sure you don't forget anything. Do not hesitate to be very precise during the first inventory and to detail the small defects (like a piece of wallpaper torn off a wall for example). Be careful also to take into account any electricity or water cuts and to issue a reservation on these points as a tenant. Thus, if household appliances do not work and you could not test them at the time of the inventory, you will not have to pay to replace them. Before an inventory of fixtures of exit of the accommodation, think of cleaning completely, insist especially on the kitchen and the bathroom.
