The basic concept behind the need for inventories for residential properties is to protect the tenant’s deposit and the landlord’s property/possessions.

Inventory assembly is both time-consuming and tedious. FACT! Ask any letting agent/landlord.

Current Assembly Methods

There are several methods available to enable an inventory to be assembled. These are:

(*Note that methods 1, 3 and 6 typically have photographic evidence to support them.)

So why is electronic software the best method to assemble an inventory? Simply:

1. More time-effective
2. No ‘secondary transcription’ time/cost
3. No human transcription errors
4. Consistency of terminology
5. End report robustness
6. Fast service turnaround
7. Photo-support inclusive

Remember: well-designed software is essential for quality inventories: it is ‘best practice’!

What is The Bottom Line?

The most crucial factor  time

During this ‘time’ (that is, time at the property) all items, descriptions and photos need to be added accurately and efficiently by the inventory clerk.

Vital things to remember for best practice inventories are:

• Written text is the key part of the inventory document ( especially if a dispute arises )
• The inventory clerk should be the one adding the items.
• Descriptions and details should ideally be added on-site when you see them.
• Evidence of an incomplete or inaccurate inventory loses credibility at ADR (dispute resolution)

Methods 3 – 5 in particular, remove all the written aspect on-site, which invariably takes the longest time to do. Time-saving on-site methods tend to be a compromise by letting an admin/secretary with less experience compile the inventory later. This is quite simply bad practice for two very important reasons: 1. It requires huge amounts of admin time, trawling through video/photos. 2. Inevitably typographical mistakes occur.

The eventual purpose of an inventory is to pass ADR scrutiny by an Adjudicator

Software Benefits

Electronic software addresses many of these problems.

1. Inventory Clerk on-site assembly time is reduced: data-entry typing is minimalised.
2. Items are created and added immediately whilst on site.
3. Photographs are taken within the software package and immediately form part of the completed report.
4. The document is fully completed by the clerk at the property: no transcription errors/time.
5. Document availability for client access time reduced.
6. 24/7 online accessibility for clients

Why Is Software Not Being Used by All Inventory Assemblers?

Current inventory software has limitations. Some are limited to one operating system, have incomplete databases, or simply function poorly, adding to rather than saving on-site assembly. Others have restrictive software/hardware purchase and on-going maintenance costs. Then there’s the inventory upload cost!

These and other reasons have resulted in a reluctance to take the electronic route, despite its potential.

What Does The Future Hold?

Optimise wants to raise and then set the bar.

As a web application, Optimise will be accessible to all operating-system platforms and work on any standards-compliant smartphone or PDA device that has internet access via a browser.

Its comprehensive, intuitive, easy-access database, will dramatical reduce on and off-site inventory assembly and improve document report quality. It will thus eliminate secondary-transcription forever.

Take a look at Optimise potential benefits to your company. Oh, and notice the cost too!