When you look to rent out a property there are several professionals that you need to contact before you should proceed. Whilst it may be tempting to do it yourself, as it were and this is certainly an option, there are a lot of hassles and sticking points such as finding a tenant and dealing with their queries. One other thing that an agent brings is the services of an Inventory clerk.
Whether the property is furnished or not the Inventory Clerk is charged with inspecting the property prior to it being inhabited. The task of the inventory clerk is to log every detail about the property from what is included (such as white goods for example) and the general state of the place in terms of decoration. The Inventory clerk then returns at the end of the tenancy to ensure that the property is the way it was, save for understandable and acceptable wear and tear.
This is an important role for both the tenant looking to retain their deposit and for the landlord wanting to ensure their property has been maintained. The Inventory clerk does not need to be deeply detailed, in fact the report they produce should be as succinct and easy to read as possible.