renters in england

I was excited about a rental property, read the tenancy agreement as best I could and still missed something important. My agreement said I had to give two months’ notice. I hadn’t noticed that clause, and it came back to bite me.

When I shared my renting experiences in 2021, I’d recently moved into a flat I thought was wonderful. I was also in the middle of a dispute involving another landlord and letting agency. It might have gone to court, so I wasn’t ready to share all the details. What I could talk about was the way I wanted to organise my records after learning some things the hard way.

I wanted more than somebody else’s photos

I’d experienced very different sorts of check-in. One involved being given the keys after the agency had taken its photographs, then being left to enjoy the place. Another was much more formal, with photo ID, a walk around the property, an in-depth checklist and photographs. There was a chance to discuss problems and add them to the list.

Whatever the check-in was like, I wanted my own photographs, too. I thought it was worth noting damage, mould, broken things or any other issues while moving in, even when the agency had already made its own record. Asking for copies of those photographs was useful, but I still wanted a record of my own.

That might have sounded a little paranoid. To me, after the awful situation I was dealing with, it wasn’t over the top. I wanted the information there if something went wrong, rather than having to rely entirely on someone else’s account.

The chart put everything in one place

I love spreadsheets. My partner and I used Notion for our property records, and I also used it to organise YouTube, my calendar and appointments. For the rental chart, the point was to keep information together, including dates, times, what had happened and who knew about it.

I used an exploding toilet as my example. The chart could record when it happened, when I called the letting agency, who I spoke to and what I told them. There could be details about how long the repair took, or whether I’d had to follow up because a plumber hadn’t arrived. Those were the things I wanted written down.

Pictures and screenshots of emails could sit alongside the details. If there was a disagreement later, I could go back to the record and find when I’d contacted someone, what we’d discussed, and the photographs and messages connected with it. I liked having all that in one place instead of scattered around.

Phone calls still needed a written follow-up

I was very enthusiastic about email because the dates and times were there, and I could save or take screenshots of the messages. That gave me a record of issues I’d raised and attempts to get things fixed. But I knew some situations would need a phone call.

For an urgent problem, my example was calling first and following up in writing. The email could say who I’d spoken to, what had happened, what we’d agreed and whether the repair had been done. I described both possibilities, a plumber not arriving when expected or the problem being fixed and everything being fine. Either way, I wanted a copy of the correspondence.

Inspection reports were another thing I’d learned to ask for. In my experience, the letting agency hadn’t supplied them unless we repeatedly requested them. I wanted those reports for my files, together with the other information in the chart.

A record I hoped I wouldn’t need

I didn’t think every landlord and letting agency was out to get me. I’d had wonderful landlords and agents as well, and I hoped for a good experience in the new flat. My best-case scenario was spending time organising all this information and never needing it. If something did go wrong, at least I would have the record.

I also knew how intimidating it was to face someone who seemed to know much more than I did. I found Citizens Advice and Shelter England helpful for information, and I didn’t want my dislike of confrontation to leave me simply agreeing to whatever somebody wanted. The details of my dispute were still something I couldn’t share, but the records were something I intended to keep.

Watch my original video about keeping records for my rented flat.