How to Pass a Winkworth Checkout Inspection
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Founded 1835, Curzon Street, Mayfair — one of the oldest estate agency brands in the UK
Winkworth predates the Metropolitan Police detective branch and the Penny Post. Simon Agace introduced the franchise model in 1981 — the first time it had been applied to UK estate agency, after studying it in the US. The company listed on the AIM market in 2009. Today: 95+ UK offices, international presence in Spain and Asia Pacific, and a Winkworth Academy for in-house agent training.1835
FoundedSince 1981
Franchise model95+
UK officesVaries by office
Deposit schemePRS
OmbudsmanSafeagent founding firm
CMPHere's something most Winkworth tenants don't realise until it matters. The person managing your tenancy doesn't work for Winkworth. Not really. They work for a franchise. Every Winkworth office is independently owned and operated — run by a franchisee who bought the right to use the brand, the marketing, and the compliance infrastructure. The office in Islington is a different business from the one in Shepherd's Bush. The team in Blackheath is a separate company from the one in Fulham. Same green logo. Same website. Different owners, different staff, different processes.
That matters at checkout more than at any other point in the tenancy. Your deposit scheme, your dispute route, your checkout arrangements, your expected timeline — none of these are standardised across all Winkworth offices. They depend on your specific franchise. This guide covers what's consistent across the brand, what varies by office, and how to make sure you're prepared for both.
Step One: Which Deposit Scheme Holds Your Money?
Unlike corporate agents where the same scheme applies across all branches, every Winkworth franchisee chooses their own government-approved deposit scheme. Before anything else, you need to know which one holds your deposit — because it determines your dispute process, your evidence requirements, and whether you can escalate directly or need to go through the branch.
Find your deposit protection certificate and select your scheme below. If you can't find the certificate, call your branch and ask them to confirm the scheme name and your reference number — in writing, not by phone.
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Every Winkworth office is independently owned — which means the deposit scheme varies by branch. Find your deposit protection certificate (emailed when your deposit was registered) and select your scheme below to see your specific dispute route.
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TDS
Tenancy Deposit Scheme🟢
DPS
Deposit Protection Service🟠
mydeposits
mydepositsSelect your deposit scheme above to see your specific dispute process and evidence requirements
Know Your Office — Questions to Ask Before Checkout Day
At a corporate agency, these details are standardised — you can look them up. At a Winkworth franchise, they depend on the individual office. Ask these six questions of your specific branch before the checkout date. Mark each one as confirmed once you have a written answer.
"Know Your Office" — Pre-Checkout Question Kit
Because every Winkworth franchise operates differently, these are the questions to ask your specific branch before checkout day — not assumptions you can borrow from a friend who rented through a different Winkworth office.1
"Who will conduct the checkout — an independent clerk or someone from the branch?"
2
"Can I attend the checkout inspection?"
3
"Which deposit scheme holds my deposit, and what is my reference number?"
4
"Where and when do I return the keys, and to whom exactly?"
5
"What is the expected timeline for the deposit return after the checkout?"
6
"Are there any specific tenancy agreement requirements I should address before the checkout?"
How the Winkworth Checkout Works
The structure is the same as any London checkout — independent clerk, check-in comparison, deposit scheme dispute route if needed. But the franchise model introduces variables at each stage that corporate tenants don't face.
Confirm your checkout arrangements with the branch — before assuming anything
Unlike corporate agents with standardised processes, your Winkworth franchisee sets their own checkout procedure. Before the final day: confirm who's conducting the inspection (independent clerk or branch staff), whether you can attend, where you return the keys, and to whom. These aren't details you can look up on a central Winkworth website — they depend on your specific office.
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Ask in writing, not by phone. An email confirms what you were told and creates a record. If arrangements change, you have a paper trail.The clerk inspects — room by room against the check-in report
An inventory clerk — ideally APIP-accredited and independent from the office — compares the property condition against the check-in report. Every room, every surface, every appliance interior. You can attend, and you should. Bring a printed copy of your check-in report with pre-existing conditions bookmarked. Raise discrepancies with page references in the room where they appear, before the clerk moves on.
Checkout report issued — compare it immediately
Read the checkout report the day you receive it. Compare it line by line against the check-in. Every discrepancy you intend to challenge should be put in writing to the branch that same day. Communication delays are more common in a franchise model where the branch is the intermediary between you and the landlord — acting fast creates a contemporaneous record and stops delays from accumulating.
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If your landlord is overseas, deposit return timelines can be slower than at a corporate agency. Follow up in writing at every stage. Don't chase by phone alone.Agree, negotiate, or raise with your deposit scheme directly
The undisputed amount should be returned promptly. If you can't agree on the rest, you can raise a dispute directly with your deposit scheme — TDS, DPS, or mydeposits — without needing the branch's agreement to escalate. Use the scheme identifier above to know exactly how your scheme handles this.
Professional cleaning that meets the check-in standard — with a receipt
72-hour re-clean guarantee. We provide a written receipt to submit to your deposit scheme if deductions are proposed.
What Winkworth Tenants Get Caught On
These patterns come from Trustpilot, allAgents, Review Centre, and property forums — five issues that come up repeatedly across Winkworth's London portfolio, including three that are franchise-specific.
Tap any card to expand.
Cleaning
Very common
DIY cleaning didn't match the documented 'professionally cleaned' check-in standard
Tenant cleaned carefully — sometimes hiring a general cleaner — but deductions were still proposed because the checkout clerk assessed areas against the 'professionally cleaned throughout' description in the check-in report. The recurring shortfalls: oven interiors, extractor fan housings, bathroom grout, behind kitchen appliances, window tracks. In Winkworth's mid-to-upper market segment, properties are often better specified than average — and the clerk's standard scales with the property.
Read the check-in cleaning description before you start. 'Professionally cleaned throughout' is a benchmark, not a compliment — it means a professional clean is the required return standard. Keep your cleaning receipt. Our end-of-tenancy cleaning service is structured to meet the documented check-in standard, and we provide a written receipt you can hand to the inventory clerk or submit to your deposit scheme if deductions are proposed.
Avoidable — match the documented standard and keep the evidence
Deposit timeline
Reported across forums
Deposit return slower than expected — particularly with overseas landlords
Winkworth franchises manage a number of properties on behalf of overseas landlords. The franchisee acts as the intermediary between tenant and landlord — and when landlord approval is needed to agree deductions or authorise deposit return, communication across timezones can add days or weeks to the process. Some tenants on allAgents and Trustpilot describe chasing deposit returns beyond the 10-day expected window, with the branch citing landlord availability as the reason.
The 10-day expectation applies to the undisputed portion of your deposit. If it hasn't arrived within that window, follow up in writing — email, not a phone call. If the branch doesn't respond or the dispute stalls, you have the right to raise a claim directly with your deposit scheme without the agent's involvement. You do not need the branch's permission to escalate to TDS, DPS, or mydeposits. Knowing which scheme holds your money before this happens — not after — is the key preparation.
Know your scheme and escalate directly — you don't need the agent's agreement
Furniture position
Common in furnished lets
Furnished property items not in their original check-in positions
Winkworth's Corporate Services team handles a significant volume of furnished corporate relocations. The inventory for a furnished corporate let is detailed — every item is photographed in its documented position. Tenants who lived in a furnished property for one to two years and rearranged the furniture (obviously) found those repositioned items flagged at checkout. A sofa on a different wall, a lamp in the wrong room, dining chairs missing from the table — each one is a documented discrepancy.
Pull up the check-in inventory photographs 24 hours before the checkout and walk every room. Return every item of furniture to its documented position. For Corporate Services lets — where the inventories are particularly granular — treat this as a full hour of separate preparation. It has nothing to do with cleaning and everything to do with the photographs taken on day one.
Entirely preventable — 60-minute inventory walk before the clerk arrives
Mid-to-upper spec
Specific to higher-spec properties
Higher replacement costs for damage to premium finishes
Winkworth positions itself in the mid-to-upper market segment. A scratch on an engineered hardwood floor carries a different price tag from the same scratch on laminate. A water mark on a stone worktop requires a different repair approach from standard kitchen surfaces. Limescale on brushed steel or chrome bathroom fittings shows differently than on standard chrome. Some tenants found proposed repair costs significantly higher than expected because of the specification of the finishes in their property.
Check the check-in report's description of materials — if surfaces are described specifically (engineered hardwood, solid oak, stone worktop, brushed steel), treat them accordingly. Use appropriate cleaning products. Don't use abrasive pads on delicate surfaces. If there's been any damage to a premium finish, consult a specialist before checkout — misguided DIY repair on expensive materials often makes the outcome worse. If proposed repair costs at checkout seem disproportionate, get an independent specialist quote before accepting.
Check the materials, use appropriate products, and challenge inflated costs with quotes
Communication
Franchise-specific pattern
Post-checkout communication gaps between branch, landlord, and tenant
In some tenant reports, the frustration wasn't about the checkout itself — it was about what happened after. The franchisee acts as the intermediary between tenant and landlord. When that chain stalls — because the landlord is slow to respond, because the property manager is handling multiple checkouts, or because the dispute requires back-and-forth between the landlord's solicitor and the branch — the deposit sits in limbo. And unlike a corporate agency with a centralised chase team, the follow-up depends on the individual property manager at the local franchise.
From the moment the checkout report arrives, communicate in writing only — not by phone. Keep a log of every email sent and received, with dates. If the branch doesn't respond within their stated timeframe, escalate in writing to the branch manager. If that fails, your deposit scheme's dispute process is independent of the agency — you can engage it directly. All Winkworth offices are required to be members of the Property Redress Scheme (PRS), which provides a separate complaint route for agency conduct.
Paper trail from day one — you can bypass the agent via your deposit scheme
Your Winkworth Pre-Checkout Checklist
Starts with franchise admin — knowing your deposit scheme and confirming checkout arrangements with your specific branch. Everything else follows from that.
Winkworth Pre-Checkout Checklist
Starts with franchise admin — knowing your deposit scheme and confirming checkout arrangements with your specific branch.🏢
Before anything else — franchise admin
Do this first
Find your deposit protection certificate — confirm which scheme (TDS, DPS, or mydeposits) and save your reference number
CRITICAL
Contact your Winkworth branch in writing to confirm checkout arrangements: clerk identity, whether you can attend, time, key return protocol
CRITICAL
Request your check-in inventory from the branch if you don't have a copy — download from any tenant portal if your office uses one
CRITICAL
Re-read your tenancy agreement for specific end-of-tenancy obligations — these vary by individual agreement, not by Winkworth as a brand
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Read the check-in report — properly
Critical
Read the full inventory — every room, every item, every photograph. For furnished lets this can be substantial
CRITICAL
Note exactly how cleanliness was described — 'professionally cleaned throughout' is your required return standard
CRITICAL
Identify any pre-existing conditions that were documented — these are your evidence, not your liability
For furnished lets: photograph inventory item positions now — compare against check-in photos and identify what needs moving back
CRITICAL
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Kitchen — highest deduction risk
High risk
Oven: base, ceiling, back wall, door glass (inner and outer), racks, seals — every surface of every panel
CRITICAL
Extractor fan: filter removed, soaked and cleaned. Housing interior and the underside of the unit
CRITICAL
Behind the fridge, under the washing machine — pull out, clean the floor, wall, and appliance sides
CRITICAL
Inside all cupboards and drawers — every shelf, every hinge, every drawer base
Check worktop material — stone or engineered surfaces need appropriate products (no bleach, no abrasive pads)
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Bathroom — second highest risk
High risk
Grout: scrub every tile line with a grout brush — discolouration is one of the most consistently flagged findings
CRITICAL
Silicone sealant: treat mould. Replace if deeply stained or lifting — better before checkout than after
CRITICAL
Shower screen: limescale and soap scum on both faces of the glass
CRITICAL
Chrome or brushed steel fittings: appropriate metal cleaner — not abrasive. In mid-to-upper spec properties, the finish quality shows
Toilet: limescale under the rim, inside bowl, cistern exterior, floor seal at the base
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Furnished inventory and mid-spec surfaces
Winkworth-specific
Walk every room with check-in photographs open — return every item of furniture to its documented position
CRITICAL
Check hardwood or engineered wood flooring for scratches, water marks, or furniture indentations — specific to mid-to-upper properties
Period features if applicable — dust cornicing, clean fireplaces, check condition of original features that may have accumulated grime
Treat any upholstery staining before checkout and photograph after treatment
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Final steps
Before you close the door
Photograph everything — every room, surface, appliance, item of furniture. Date-stamped. These are your TDS/DPS/mydeposits evidence
CRITICAL
Clear every belonging from every space — every cupboard, loft, shed, behind the boiler. Items left may be treated as abandoned
CRITICAL
Attend the checkout. Bring printed check-in report with pre-existing conditions bookmarked by page number
Hand your professional cleaning receipt to the inventory clerk at the inspection if applicable
CRITICAL
Return all keys as confirmed with your branch — get written confirmation and note the time and person who received them
CRITICAL
If Deductions Are Proposed
Don't accept the first proposal automatically. Compare the checkout report against the check-in — item by item, page by page — before engaging with any proposed figure.
Compare checkout vs check-in — with page references
If the condition was already documented at check-in, it's pre-existing — not your liability. Reference the page, the description, and the photograph. This is how adjudicators assess claims, and it costs nothing to prepare if you've kept your check-in inventory.
Submit your post-cleaning photographs
Your dated photographs are the adjudicator's view of the property — TDS, DPS, and mydeposits all decide on documentary evidence alone. No site visit, no instinct. Just what's in front of them. Upload photographs clearly labelled with what they show.
Challenge inflated costs with independent quotes
Deductions must reflect actual market-rate loss. If proposed cleaning or repair costs seem disproportionate for a mid-to-upper Winkworth property, get an independent quote from a contractor who hasn't seen the claim amount first. See our London end-of-tenancy pricing
Escalate to your deposit scheme directly — you don't need the agent
You can raise a dispute with TDS, DPS, or mydeposits without needing your Winkworth branch's agreement. If you're unclear on the process for your scheme, use the scheme identifier at the top of this page. Our guide on recovering your deposit walks through what evidence TDS adjudicators actually find persuasive — and what commonly fails. What makes a successful deposit recovery →
Property Redress Scheme (PRS)
All Winkworth offices are required PRS members. If the franchise's conduct during checkout was unprofessional — not the deposit amount, but how the process was handled — PRS is your complaint route. This is separate from your deposit dispute. See also: what landlords can legally deduct.
Client Money Protection (CMP)
Winkworth was a founding firm of the Safeagent initiative. All offices must hold CMP cover — your deposit is protected even if the franchisee's business runs into financial difficulty. Request your office's CMP certificate from their microsite if you want to verify this. See: Tenant Fees Act 2019 and cleaning rights.
Winkworth Areas — What to Know for Your Borough
Winkworth covers a wide spread of South East, East, and West London — concentrating in mid-to-upper market areas where the franchise model has established deep local roots.
Related Pages
Renting through Winkworth across London?
We cover Winkworth's full London patch — Islington, Hackney, Greenwich, Fulham, and everywhere between. Professional end-of-tenancy cleaning in London with a written receipt — ready for your inventory clerk or deposit scheme submission.
Deni is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in content marketing and vast knowledge in the cleaning business. He specializes in creating engaging content that drives growth and builds brand identity. Passionate about innovation, Deni believes in delivering value through impactful messaging and providing value to readers in a concise and comprehensive manner.
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