Dunbar · Scotland
Inventory report (check-in and check-out) in Dunbar
What you need: A dated check-in report with photos at the start of the tenancy, and a check-out report at the end.
Also covering: West Barns.
How often: No certificate: there's no legal inventory requirement.
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Landlord rules that apply in Dunbar (Scotland)
- No certificate: there's no legal inventory requirement.
- Deposits: lodge deposits with an approved scheme within 30 working days; a check-in report helps if there's a dispute.
- Landlord registration: register with your council before letting (East Lothian). Start at mygov.scot landlord registration.
- Private residential tenancy (PRT): most new private lets in Scotland are under the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016. See mygov.scot private residential tenancy.
- Repairing Standard: rented homes must meet the Repairing Standard under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. mygov.scot landlord repairs.
Scotland-specific summary — not legal advice. Do not apply England-only Renters’ Rights wording here. Full Inventory & check-in reports rules by nation · Free landlord guides
Request an inventory report in Dunbar
No inventory clerk listed here yet. Tell us what you need and we'll find you a registered inventory clerk, free. Request an inventory report
There's no official register for inventory clerks. Ask for a sample report and how they date and photograph each room.
Local tips for Dunbar
Flats and shared houses
Plenty of Dunbar homes are flats or converted houses. For shared houses, ask the clerk to record communal areas separately from each room.
Where's this from?
Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS), Dunbar: 21.5% purpose-built flats, 2.5% converted/sharedOwn your home? This is for you too.
It's not just for landlords. Homeowners and buyers use these checks for peace of mind too.
Where's this from?
Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS), Dunbar: 70.3% owner-occupiedRenting in Dunbar: the local picture
8.2% of households in Dunbar rent privately (below the Scotland average of 12.9%), so inventory and check-out reports are everyday work for local landlords.
21.5% live in purpose-built flats and 2.5% in converted or shared houses, including bedsits — property types where a room-by-room inventory and photo record pay off at deposit return.
Homes in Dunbar: 36.3% detached, 25.1% semi-detached, 13.9% terraced and 21.5% purpose-built flats (Scotland: 23.9%, 23.3%, 18.2% and 32.4%).
Source: Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS) (town figures).
| Type | Share | Households |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | 8.4% | 378 |
| Mains gas | 81.5% | 3,664 |
| Oil / LPG | 1.0% | 43 |
| Two or more | 6.0% | 269 |
| No central heating | 1.4% | 62 |
| Other | 1.8% | 79 |
Source: Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS UV407) — Dunbar locality, East Lothian. OGL.
Getting to know Dunbar
Dunbar is in the East Lothian council area, Scotland.
Postcode-wise, Dunbar spans 2 districts: EH42 (Broxburn and East Lothian), about 4,506 households; TD13 (Cockburnspath), about 368 households (2011 Census households, via Doogal).
Living just outside? This page also covers the smaller places nearby: West Barns (~1 mile west).
Next-door postcode districts: EH40 (East Linton); EH39 (North Berwick); EH41 (Haddington); EH31 (Gullane); TD3 (Gordon); TD10 (Greenlaw).
Want more choice? The nearest bigger towns are Musselburgh (~21 miles west) and Bonnyrigg (~24 miles west), and professional inventory clerks based there may travel.
Coverage around Dunbar
● Town centre · ● Nearby villages · Chip = postcode district
Also covering: West Barns
Schematic coverage for landlords — not a street map. Place names from OS Open Names / NRS (OGL).
Your corner of Dunbar
The middle of Dunbar is in the EH42 postcode district. Source: ONS Postcode Directory, nearest postcode to the built-up area centre.
Nearby towns
Other checks in Dunbar
New to inventory report in Dunbar?
Inventory and check-in for your Dunbar let? There’s no statutory inventory certificate — here’s what a good report includes and why it matters for deposits.
A dated check-in inventory (with photos) is best practice — it’s the evidence deposit schemes lean on when someone disputes cleaning, damage or missing items. Think “receipt for the condition of the home”, not a government form.
What’s involved
- A room-by-room record of condition and contents at the start of the tenancy (check-in), ideally mirrored at check-out.
- Photos and/or video with timestamps; meter readings; key schedules; appliance serials where useful.
- Tenant (or contract-holder) invitation to comment and sign / acknowledge within a sensible window.
- Independent clerks are common; landlords or agents can compile their own if thorough and fair — schemes care about quality of evidence, not a magic letterhead.
- No official public register of inventory clerks — ask for a sample report and how they date and photograph each room.
How long a typical visit takes
- Often 45–90 minutes for a furnished 1–2 bed flat.
- Often 1.5–3 hours for a larger furnished house or HMO with many items.
- Unfurnished shells are quicker; high-spec furnished lets take longer.
- Allow extra time for meters, outbuildings, and poor light (photos suffer at dusk).
What the landlord must have ready
- Confirmed move-in date, address, and who will attend (tenant, clerk, agent).
- All keys, fobs, parking permits, alarm codes — listed and tested.
- Utilities: gas, electricity, water meter locations and in-date readings.
- Forwarding / email for sending the report copy to the tenant promptly.
- Any known pre-existing defects you want clearly marked (so they’re not blamed later).
- Deposit scheme details (which scheme, protection deadline) — the inventory supports disputes; it doesn’t replace protection.
Tips to prepare
- Clean to the standard you expect at check-out before the inventory — photos freeze whatever’s there.
- Open curtains; replace blown bulbs; empty cupboards so condition is visible.
- Photograph meters, boiler pressure, smoke/CO alarm locations, and every room from two angles.
- Note brand and condition of sofas, mattresses, white goods — “mark on left arm” beats “sofa OK”.
- Give tenants a clear deadline to raise amendments; keep the signed PDF with the tenancy file.
- At check-out, use the same structure as check-in so comparisons are fair.
- This is best practice, not law. Deposit protection rules are law — protect on time and serve prescribed information for your nation/scheme.
How often it’s required
Friendly summary only — not legal advice. Rules can change. Use the official sources linked below before relying on this.
Scotland
mygov.scot — landlord new tenancy documents · mygov.scot deposit guidance
- No statutory inventory certificate. Deposits must be lodged with an approved scheme within 30 working days; mygov.scot lists an inventory as helpful (not mandatory) move-in information.
Rules in other UK nations
England
No statutory “inventory certificate” validity period. Related deposit duties differ by nation — verify.
GOV.UK private renting / deposit guidance via landlord safety hub · your scheme’s rules (DPS, MyDeposits, TDS, etc.)
- No legal inventory requirement or renewal date. Protect deposits in an approved scheme (generally within 30 days) and give prescribed information; a dated check-in report is key evidence in disputes.
Wales
gov.wales Renting Homes / checklist · scheme rules
- No statutory inventory certificate. Occupation contracts under Renting Homes; protect deposits with an approved scheme and provide required information. A check-in report still helps if there’s a dispute.
Northern Ireland
DfC landlord checklist · nidirect tenancy deposit pages
- No statutory inventory certificate. Protect deposits in an approved scheme (DfC: within 28 days; prescribed information within 35 days — confirm live figures). DfC explicitly lists drawing up an inventory with photos as good practice.
Official sources
Official references (opened / checked 26 Oct 2026) — not a substitute for the full text on those sites.
Common questions
- Do landlords legally need an inventory?
- How long does a check-in inventory take?
- What should be included in a landlord inventory report?
- Is an inventory the same as a certificate?
- When should the inventory be done — before or after the tenant moves in?
- How do inventory reports help with deposit disputes?
- Can a landlord do their own inventory?
- How long should I keep inventory photos and reports?
Answers sit in the sections above and on the Inventory & check-in reports hub FAQ.
Inventories and deposits in Dunbar
Letting in Dunbar? There's no legal inventory certificate and no renewal date. What matters is evidence: a dated, signed check-in report with photos is what deposit schemes look at if a deduction is disputed.
Free inventory checklist · Tenancy agreements · Maintenance tracker
Scotland rules in brief
Deposits: lodge deposits with an approved scheme within 30 working days; a check-in report helps if there's a dispute. Also see landlord rules for Dunbar. Full Inventory & check-in reports rules by nation · Quick guide · mygov.scot.
Frequently asked questions
Nobody covers my part of Dunbar yet. Where else can I look?
The nearest other towns we list are East Linton (~5 miles), North Berwick (~9 miles), Haddington (~11 miles), measured straight-line between OS Open Names centres. An inventory clerk based there may travel, so ask.
More questions about inventory reports? See the Inventory & check-in reports FAQ.
Letting in Scotland? Free, sourced landlord guides and a certificate renewal tracker →
📊 The numbers behind this page
Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS) figures here are for Dunbar itself (output areas added up to the town's boundary).
Figures in the text above name their source.
- Households
- 4,495 1
- Usual residents (Census 2022)
- 10,777 2
- Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS), UV404
- Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS)
Data sources · updated 26 October 2026