Creating and Starting a Tenancy

Creating and Starting a Tenancy

Use this workflow after the landlord has accepted a tenant/application and the tenancy is moving from marketing to occupation.

Before you start

Confirm:

• accepted tenant(s);
• agreed rent;
• deposit/bond;
• tenancy start date and expected term;
• payment frequency/due date;
• landlord approval;
• guarantor where required;
• required identity/Right to Rent information;
• required compliance documents/checks;
• any conditions agreed as part of the offer.

Create the agreement

From the rental property, create the tenancy agreement using the accepted tenant information.

Check names, dates and financial amounts carefully. These values feed later financial and tenancy management screens.

Add occupants/guarantors

Where other occupiers or guarantors are relevant, link them correctly rather than recording them only in notes.

Complete pre-move-in checks

Before the tenancy starts, use Rental Compliance and Inspections to confirm the property/customer checks required by your agency and current process.

This can include:

• Right to Rent;
• gas safety;
• EICR;
• EPC;
• deposit protection/required information;
• inventory/check-in documentation;
• licence information where relevant.

Set up financials

Confirm recurring rent/payment information and any opening transactions required by your agency workflow.

Activate/commence the tenancy

Once the tenancy is ready to start, ensure the agreement/property status reflects that the tenant is now in occupation.

Customer Portal

A current tenant can use Customer Portal to see tenancy information and report repairs. Landlords can see relevant tenancy/compliance information.

After move-in

The ongoing management cycle becomes:

• rent/payment monitoring;
• inspections;
• compliance renewals;
• repairs;
• tenant/landlord communication;
• renewal/end of tenancy.

See Rental Property Overview.

Common mistakes

• Incorrect agreement dates/rent amounts.
• Missing joint tenants/occupants.
• Starting the tenancy while required compliance information is incomplete.
• Failing to set up recurring payments/financial expectations.
• Leaving the property in a marketing status after occupation begins.