What to keep in a digital landlord vault

A landlord’s compliance obligations in England span multiple pieces of legislation, multiple document types, and multiple deadlines. A digital vault — structured, timestamped, and organised by tenancy — is the only reliable way to manage this volume of evidence over time. This guide sets out every category of document and evidence that should be stored, and why digital storage with version control matters. Reviewed March 2026.

What the rule is

English law requires landlords to hold and serve various documents, and to be able to prove service if challenged. There is no central register — the burden of maintaining records falls entirely on the landlord. Courts, tribunals, and deposit scheme adjudicators apply a balance of probabilities test, and a well-organised digital vault that timestamps every upload and service event provides the kind of systematic, contemporaneous evidence that carries weight.

When it applies

Records should be created and stored throughout the tenancy lifecycle: at tenancy start, whenever certificates are renewed or notices are served during the tenancy, and at tenancy end. They must be retained for at least one year after the tenancy ends, and up to six years for financial records.

What landlords must do

Organise records by property and tenancy. For every document: store the document itself, any service evidence, and a note of what was served, to whom, and when. Use consistent file naming. Keep superseded versions (e.g. old gas safety records) as well as current ones.

Complete list of what to store

Compliance certificates (renewed as required)

• Gas Safety Record (CP12) — annually. Store each version with its issue date. Keep expired records; don’t delete them.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — every 5 years. Store the full report, not just the summary page.
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — valid for 10 years but must meet minimum E rating. Store with issue date and rating.
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) records — if you provide electrical appliances, store the PAT test certificate.
• Legionella risk assessment — required where relevant (most domestic lettings need at least a simple assessment). Store the report with date.
• Fire alarm test records — for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and where required by licence: store regular test logs.
• HMO licence — if applicable. Store with expiry date and any conditions attached.

Service evidence for each compliance document

For each certificate above, store alongside it:

• The email you sent to the tenant(s) attaching the document, including the sent date
• Any reply from the tenant confirming receipt
• Or: a signed acknowledgement receipt if served in person
• Or: recorded post certificate and tracking confirmation

Tenancy documents

• Tenancy agreement (signed by all parties) — including any addenda or variations
• Guarantor agreement (if applicable)
• Inventory / Schedule of Condition (check-in) — with dated photographs, signed by the tenant at move-in
• Right to Rent check records — copies of identity documents checked, date of check, share code (if BRP/digital status used), expiry dates for time-limited leave
• Move-in compliance checklist — signed by the tenant, listing all documents provided at tenancy start

Deposit records

• Deposit protection certificate — from DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS. Note the scheme, reference number, and date protected.
• Prescribed Information — served to each tenant (and guarantor if applicable) within 30 days of receiving the deposit
• Service evidence for Prescribed Information — email records or signed receipt
• Deposit amount and payment confirmation — bank transfer record showing receipt of deposit

Correspondence and notices

• All written correspondence with the tenant (emails, letters) — organised chronologically
• Any formal notices served (rent increase, access notice, Section 21, Section 8) with service evidence for each
• Maintenance requests from the tenant and your responses
• Any written complaints and your responses

Maintenance and repair records

• Contractor invoices and quotes — dated, with property address, description of work
• Repair completion records — confirmation that work was done and when
• Inspection reports — periodic property inspection notes with dated photographs
• Communications about repairs — tenant requests and your responses, showing you acted promptly

Financial records

• Rent payment records — bank statements or letting agent statements showing rent received
• Service charge or ground rent records (leasehold properties)
• Any rent arrears correspondence and notices
• Letting agent invoices and fee records

Council and regulatory correspondence

• Any communications from the local authority (improvement notices, prohibition orders, licensing requirements)
• Planning permission or consent documents where relevant
• Building regulations sign-off for major works

At tenancy end

• Checkout inventory / Schedule of Dilapidations — with dated photographs compared to check-in
• Meter readings at checkout (with photographic evidence)
• Key return receipt — signed by tenant or witnessed
• Any deposit deduction correspondence
• Cleaning and repair invoices used as the basis for any deductions

Why version control and timestamps matter

When a tenant challenges whether they received the current gas safety record, or whether you served the correct edition of the How to Rent Guide, timestamps resolve the dispute. A digital vault that records when each document was uploaded, and which version was stored at any given time, provides evidence you cannot easily replicate after the fact. Manually named files (e.g. “gas_cert_final_v3.pdf”) do not carry the same weight as platform-generated upload timestamps.

Version control also matters when you renew certificates: courts may ask to see the certificate that was current at tenancy start, not just the most recent one. Keep all versions.

Common mistakes

• Storing certificates but not service evidence — the certificate alone proves you have it, not that the tenant received it
• Deleting old versions when renewing — keep superseded certificates; you may need to demonstrate what was in place at an earlier date
• Lumping all tenancies into one folder — organise strictly by property and tenancy period so you can extract a complete file quickly under pressure
• Storing evidence only in your email inbox — email inboxes are lost, migrated, or searched with difficulty; transfer key emails to your vault as PDFs
• Not photographing meter readings — a photograph of the meter at check-in and check-out is far stronger evidence than a handwritten note

FAQ

How much storage space do I need? A full tenancy file including certificates, photos, and correspondence typically runs to 50–200MB depending on photo quality. Cloud-based storage (TenancyVault, or a well-organised cloud drive) makes storage limits largely irrelevant.

Should I keep paper originals as well as digital copies? Digital copies are sufficient for most purposes. Where you have original wet-ink signed documents, scan them at high resolution. Courts accept digital copies, and digital is far easier to produce and organise than paper.

How do I handle documents from a letting agent? Request copies of everything your letting agent holds on your behalf. You remain the landlord and the compliance obligations are yours. Don’t assume your agent has records you will be able to access years later if they change systems or go out of business.

What if a document is lost? Request a replacement from the relevant party (engineer, scheme, solicitor) as soon as possible. Note in your records the date the original was issued, even if the replacement is obtained later. Gaps in records should be documented rather than ignored.