No inventory, no claim: What the Renters' Rights Act means for your deposit evidence

By No Letting Go.

The way tenancies work in England changed fundamentally on 1 May 2026. With the Renters’ Rights Act now in force, assured shorthold tenancies are gone and rolling periodic tenancies are the new normal. There is no fixed end date, no built-in reset point, and no section 21 fallback if things go wrong. For landlords and letting agents, this shift makes one thing more important than it has ever been: a clear, thorough, professional tenancy inventory. Because without one, making a deposit claim at the end of a tenancy is not just difficult. In many cases, it is impossible.

Why the Renters’ Rights Act changes the evidence equation

Under the old fixed-term model, a tenancy had a natural start and end. A check-in report at the beginning and a check-out report at the end gave you a defined window to evidence any change in the property’s condition. Rolling periodic tenancies do not work that way. With no fixed end date, a tenancy could run for two, five, or even ten years before a tenant gives notice. The longer a tenancy runs, the harder it becomes to distinguish fair wear and tear from genuine damage – unless you have a documented, timestamped trail of evidence built up throughout the tenancy. The inventory for deposit claims is no longer just a snapshot. It is the foundation of an ongoing compliance record.

The deposit dispute reality

Deposit adjudication has always been evidence-led. What the Renters’ Rights Act has done is raise the bar for what that evidence needs to look like. The most common reasons deposit claims fail at adjudication are:

None of these failures are about having a bad claim. They are about being unable to prove a legitimate one. And under the new tenancy regime, with longer tenancies and more scrutiny at the end of each one, these gaps are harder to recover from.

What a dispute-proof inventory actually looks like

A professional tenancy inventory does several things that a DIY or template-based report simply cannot. Here is what makes the difference when a claim reaches adjudication:

• Timestamped, high-quality photographs. Room overviews, and clear photos of sanitaryware, white goods and items of damage. Dated automatically and stored as part of the report. Photos are important secondary evidence to back up the written word.
• Consistent condition grading. Using the same terminology and grading scale at check-in, periodic property report, and check-out makes it straightforward to evidence change over time.
• Independent clerk sign-off. A report produced and signed by an accredited, independent inventory clerk carries significantly more weight with an adjudicator than one prepared by the landlord or agent.
• Tenant acknowledgement. A check-in inventory signed or digitally acknowledged by the tenant at the start of the tenancy removes any dispute about what the agreed baseline condition was.
• Periodic property reports. Particularly important under rolling tenancies, regular periodic property reports create a documented chain of evidence and flag issues before they become expensive end-of-tenancy disputes.

The periodic property report: Your most underused compliance tool

Most landlords and agents focus on check-in and check-out reports. But for longer-running periodic tenancies, the periodic property reports carried out in between are where the real evidential value is built. A well-documented periodic property report tells you – and crucially, tells an adjudicator – when a problem first appeared. It demonstrates that the landlord was actively managing the property. It gives the tenant an opportunity to raise concerns, and it gives the landlord an opportunity to address them before they escalate into a deposit dispute. Under rolling tenancies with no fixed end point, periodic property reports are no longer optional good practice. They are an essential part of the compliance process.

Frequently asked questions

Do I still need a formal inventory now that ASTs have been abolished?

Absolutely. The tenancy type has changed, but the deposit protection rules have not. To make a deduction from a tenant’s deposit – for cleaning, damage, or unpaid rent – you still need to evidence the claim. Without a clear tenancy inventory showing the original condition of the property, any claim you make is open to challenge.

Can I carry out the inventory myself rather than using a professional clerk?

You can, but it carries significant risk. Adjudicators frequently note that self-prepared inventories lack the consistency, objectivity, and detail of professionally produced reports. An accredited, independent inventory clerk’s report carries considerably more weight in a dispute.

How often should I carry out periodic property reports?

Most agents recommend at least once every six months for standard tenancies, and more frequently for longer-running ones or higher-risk properties. The key is consistency – regular, documented reports that follow a clear format and are stored securely alongside the original inventory.

What happens if I do not have a proper inventory and a dispute arises?

Without clear evidence, an adjudicator will typically decide in the tenant’s favour. The burden of proof sits with the landlord or agent to demonstrate that a deduction is justified. No inventory means no baseline, and no baseline means no claim.

The bottom line

The Renters’ Rights Act has not changed the fundamentals of deposit protection – but it has changed the environment in which those fundamentals play out. Longer tenancies, no no-fault evictions, and greater scrutiny at the end of every letting means the evidence you hold matters more than ever.

A professional tenancy inventory, carried out at check-in, supported by regular periodic property reports, and matched at check-out by an equally thorough report, is the single most effective protection a landlord or letting agent has.

It is not just about winning a dispute. It is about having the evidence to avoid one in the first place.

About No Letting Go

No Letting Go is the UK’s leading independent property inventory management provider, operating through 90+ offices and 300+ trained inventory specialists nationwide. Our Kaptur software platform integrates with mydeposits, giving letting agents and landlords a seamless, end-to-end compliance workflow from check-in to deposit return. Find out more at nolettinggo.co.uk.