The 14-day void period checklist

The 14 days between tenancies is the single most valuable maintenance window a landlord gets. Used well, you re-let faster, reduce deposit disputes, and protect long-term capital value. Used badly, you carry voids into the next tenancy and accumulate dilapidations that become expensive to reverse. Here's the checklist we use across our managed portfolio.

**Day 1–2 — Inventory & inspection.** Walk the property with the outgoing inventory in hand. Photograph every room, every cupboard, every appliance interior. Note the condition of carpets, paintwork, kitchen worktops, bathroom silicone and grout. Identify dilapidations vs fair wear and tear (the Tenant Fees Act 2019 is strict — keep a copy of the original inventory and check-in photos to hand).

**Day 2–4 — Deep clean.** The single most-cited cause of deposit disputes is 'cleaning standard', and it's the cheapest fix. Book a professional end-of-tenancy clean (£180–£350 depending on property size), with particular focus on oven, hob extractor, fridge interior, washing machine drum and seal, and inside cupboards. A receipt from a professional clean rebuts almost every dispute.

**Day 3–6 — Maintenance & repairs.** Touch-up paint to all high-traffic areas (hallway, kitchen, living room corners, door frames). Full repaint every 3–4 tenancies. Re-seal kitchen and bathroom silicone — black mould here loses tenants at viewings. Replace cracked tiles, damaged blinds, broken curtain rails. Service or replace the extractor fan in bathrooms (£45 fitted) — a working extractor protects the paintwork for years.

**Day 5–8 — Compliance & safety.** EICR within 5 years? Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) in date and lodged with the local authority? Smoke alarms tested on every floor and CO alarm in any room with a fuel-burning appliance? Legionella risk assessment refreshed? Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) E or above? This is the cheapest week to catch anything that's expired.

**Day 7–10 — Service & test.** Boiler service if due (annual is best practice even where not legally required). Take all meter readings — gas, electric, water — and photograph the dials. Test every socket, switch and light fitting. Run the dishwasher and washing machine through a hot cycle to catch faults before the next tenant does. Bleed radiators.

**Day 10–12 — Garden & exterior.** Cut back overgrown vegetation, mow lawns, clear gutters of leaves and silt. A neglected exterior cuts viewing-to-offer conversion by 30–40% even when the interior is perfect. If the property has off-street parking, clear weeds and oil stains.

**Day 12–14 — Final dress.** Change locks if any keys are unaccounted for (£90–£140 for two doors with matching keys). Replace toilet seats (£18). Replace shower curtains. Replace any threadbare welcome mats. Set heating to a low frost-protect setting if the property will sit empty before re-letting. Take fresh marketing photos in daylight — they'll typically generate 50% more viewing requests than the photos taken at the start of the previous tenancy.