Seems a bit arbitrary to be frank. When I used to rent my house out I did my own inventory as it was by far more accurate and detailed than the twaddle the letting agent could come up with. Will never forget the letter to me from the agent stating 'the cooker was dirty when the tenants vacated. They claim that the cooker was dirty when they moved in. The inventory states Marked Consistent with Age [I still have that cooker now I've moved into the house myself - not sure where it is marked] so we cannot prove otherwise.' Then, verbally, the agent told me to charge the tenants for cleaning as it was their responsibility to clean regardless of the state of cleanliness when they moved in.
Knowing full well that the kitchen was not dirty when the tenants had moved in, I told the agent I was unimpressed with the standard of the inventory and wondered what I had paid them for, then let the tenants go without charging them as I lacked the evidence. And never used that agent again.
Very hard to be a good landlord when most letting agents work to the above standard in my experience.
