What to Record for Each Document

Complete one row per document per tenancy. Update the record whenever a document is re-served (e.g. annual Gas Safety Certificate renewal).

• Document name: [e.g. Required written tenancy information, Gas Safety Certificate]
• Version / date of document: [e.g. October 2025 edition, certificate dated 15/03/2026]
• Date served: [DD/MM/YYYY]
• Method of service: [Hand delivered / Post / Email / In person at signing]
• Served to: [Full name(s) of tenant(s)]
• Evidence retained: [Signed receipt / Email confirmation / Proof of posting / Witnessed delivery]
• Notes: [e.g. tenant refused to sign — witnessed by X; sent by email to [email protected]]

Documents to Record at Tenancy Start

• Tenancy agreement — signed copy retained by both parties
• Required written tenancy information — for tenancies from 1 May 2026, prescribed information about key terms must be provided before the tenancy is signed or otherwise agreed; may be included in the tenancy agreement or provided separately
• Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet — required for existing tenancies created before 1 May 2026 (transitional requirement)
• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — must be served before occupation
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — must be served before occupation
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — must be available before marketing
• Deposit prescribed information — must be served within 30 days of receipt
• Tenant welcome pack
• Emergency contacts sheet

Documents to Record During the Tenancy

• Annual Gas Safety Certificate renewals — serve each new certificate to the tenant
• EICR renewal — serve when renewed (every 5 years)
• Section 13 rent increase notices — record date served and method
• Inspection notices — 24 hours' written notice required before each inspection
• Breach notices — record date, method and evidence of service
• Any formal correspondence — letters, notices, legal documents

Best Practice for Evidence of Service

• In person: Ask the tenant to sign a receipt. If they refuse, note the refusal and have a witness sign instead.
• By email: Send to the tenant's confirmed email address and retain the sent email. Request a read receipt where possible.
• By post: Send by first class post and retain proof of posting (free from the Post Office). For critical documents, use recorded delivery.
• For possession notices and formal legal documents: Serve using a permitted method and retain clear evidence of service — for example, proof of posting, a process server's certificate of service, or email confirmation. Recorded delivery is one option but is not universally required; what matters is that you can prove service.

Required Written Tenancy Information (New Tenancies from 1 May 2026)

For tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026, specified information about the key terms of the tenancy must be provided to the tenant before the tenancy is signed or otherwise agreed. It may be included in the tenancy agreement itself or provided as a separate document. The Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet is a separate transitional document that was principally required for existing tenancies created before 1 May 2026 — it is not the standard document for new tenancies. Always check GOV.UK for the current prescribed information requirements before each new tenancy.

Related Resources

• Move-In Checklist — confirm all documents have been served at move-in
• Landlord Document Checklist — audit all records you hold
• Compliance Tracker — track certificate renewal dates
• New Tenancy Timeline — full process from referencing to move-in