The Ultimate Guide to Writing an Inventory List for Subletting

A well-thought-through inventory list is a crucial component when subletting your home, as it provides a perfect overview of all the items in your home as well as their condition before renting out. The inventory list will help and minimize any potential disputes about damage done by your tenant.

The Ultimate Guide to Writing an Inventory List for Subletting
Photo by Anete Lusina/Pexels

Welcome to our guide that will help you sublet your home and creating the perfect inventory list. We understand that it can sometimes be overwhelming to prepare everything that is needed to sublett, which is why we're here to help you through the process.

A well-thought-through inventory list is a crucial component when subletting your home, as it provides a perfect overview of all the items in your home as well as their condition before renting out. The inventory list will help and minimize any potential disputes about damage done by your tenant that may occur during the rental period.

What is an inventory list?

Simply put, an inventory list is a detailed description of all the furniture and belongings that will remain in the rental object during the rental period. This documentation is essential to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts that may arise about the condition of your belongings and it the tenant has broken some of your things.

We recommend that you be as detailed as possible when creating your inventory list. You should always include all belongings that are in the apartment or house, such as couches, chairs, kitchen utensils, and electrical appliances. You should also describe the condition of each item. If you have a couch that is worn out or a carpet with a stain, this should be carefully noted on the inventory list. We also suggest that you take photos so that you can refer to them in case of any disagreements in the future.

Photo of a living room showing a sofa, a table, some plants and a shelf
Photo by Spacejoy on Unsplash

How do I write an inventory list?

An important thing to remember is that you and your tenant should go through your place together to agree on what is there and also what condition it is in. This way, both of you can be sure that you have the same idea of the condition of the place and all the inventory included, thus avoiding any potential conflicts when moving out.

It is also important to note if any of the belongings or the place has damages already, so that this cannot be blamed on the tenant at a later point in time. This information should be approved by the tenant before the rental starts to minimize the risk of misunderstandings later down the line.

As long as all information is clearly written down before the rental starts, preferably with photos, it is easy to know who caused which damages which is a good way to avoid any potential disputes. A good and correctly written inventory list many times guarantees a smooth and problem-free rental for both you and your tenant!

If you want to rent out a room in your apartment or house and love a smooth rental process, you can create a free room ad on Hemavi and avoid unnecessary stress when finding the best roommate.

10 simple steps to write the perfect inventory list

  1. Start early to avoid the very usual moving stress
  2. Create a written document, preferably digital, where you can attach photos
  3. Also write down the number of the inventories, e.g. 4 chairs
  4. Work systematically and go through room by room when writing the inventory list so you don't miss anything
  5. Take photos of all inventories to confirm the condition, especially if something already has damage
  6. Include appliances as part of the inventory
  7. Include other areas such as balcony and storage space
  8. For house owners: Include outdoor furniture and garden tools
  9. Pro tip: Remove or replace valuable belongings if you feel worried
  10. Remember that both the tenant and landlord should sign the inventory list

How do you ensure that the inventory list is valid and approved by both parties?

We recommend attaching the inventory list to the rental agreement that you both sign.

Hemavi offers digital rental agreements created by legal experts for the rental of rooms in Sweden where you can easily attach your newly-written inventory list. We also have a team that is always here to help you with your rental. It doesn't get any easier than that!

Are you renting out a room in Sweden?

Check out our Ultimate Guide to Writing a Room Rental Agreement in Swedenit tells you everything you need to know about room rentals and their lease agreements in Sweden.