5 October 2026 · InventoryNaija
Why every tenancy needs an inventory report
A property inventory report is the photographic record that ends deposit arguments before they start. Here is what it is and why it matters.
Ask a Lagos landlord what happens when a tenancy ends and you will hear the same story: the tenant expects the full caution fee back, the landlord points at a cracked mirror and a burnt cooker, and there is no way to prove when either happened. Both sides feel cheated. Sometimes both sides are right.
An inventory report removes the mystery. It is a professional record of the property's condition at a moment in time: every room photographed, walls, floors, fittings and fixtures documented with notes, plus the meter readings. Dated, location-stamped, and filed.
What it captures
- The condition of every room: walls, ceilings, floors, doors and windows
- Fittings and furniture: what exists, and what state it is in
- Meter readings for light, water and gas, so no one pays for the last tenant's units
- The exterior: compound, gates, drainage and any shared areas
What it changes
With that record in hand, the end of a tenancy becomes a comparison exercise instead of a negotiation. Our clerk walks the property a second time, compares against the move-in report, and documents every difference. Genuine damage shows up as genuine damage. Fair wear and tear shows up as exactly that, which is just as important, because tenants get charged for it far too often.
Who it protects
Everyone. The landlord gets evidence to deduct for real damage. The tenant gets protection against invented charges. The agent gets a professional process they can hand to both sides. The report is neutral on purpose. It works for the record, not for either party.
If you are starting a tenancy in Nigeria, this is the one document that will still matter on the day the keys change back.