Prove your tenants received their documents
Emailing a document doesn't show your tenant ever opened it. HouseFile records when they open and confirm each one, so you have proof if you ever need it.
14 days free · no card needed
Antoine Helsen, founder
Landlord in Reading
14 Maple Street
Sarah Johnson · tenancy started 14 Aug
See HouseFile in action
Here's what it looks like once your properties are set up.
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All properties compliant
Every required document is in place, valid, and shared. Nothing needs your attention.
Needs attention
View calendarDashboard
See every property on one screen
You can see straight away if anything needs sorting, whether that’s a certificate running out, a document that’s missing, or a tenant who hasn’t opened theirs yet. No spreadsheet to keep updated.
Documents
A folder for each property
Your documents are kept together and you get a reminder before anything expires. When the new certificate arrives, upload it and HouseFile picks up the new expiry date for you.
Compliance Report
Document Delivery & Acknowledgement Record
Every document, provably delivered.
Sunnyside House
42 Meadow Lane, Bristol
| Document | Status |
|---|---|
| Deposit Protection Certificate | Valid |
| Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) | Valid |
| Electrical Report (EICR) | Valid |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Valid |
| Carbon Monoxide Alarm Statement | Valid |
| Smoke Alarm Statement | Valid |
Proof of delivery
Download the proof when you need it
It shows which documents each tenant was sent and when they opened them. Now that Section 21 has gone, possession claims depend much more on showing you did things properly, and this is the record that helps you do that.
Your tenant gets one link to their documents, and HouseFile records when they open each one.
The problem
If a tenant says they never got it, can you prove they did?
Every tenant should get certain documents from you. That means the EPC, the gas safety certificate, the electrical safety report, the Information Sheet or written statement, and the deposit protection details. You also need to have checked their right to rent. Get this wrong and the fines add up quickly. Breaking the electrical safety rules alone can cost up to £40,000, and a missed Right to Rent check can cost up to £10,000 for each adult living there. If there's ever a dispute, it's up to you to show what you gave them.
An email attachment doesn’t show the tenant opened it, and a shared Drive folder only shows someone clicked a link. HouseFile records when each document is opened and confirmed, and you can download that record as a PDF if you ever need it as evidence.
Adding documents
Take a photo and HouseFile does the filing
Take a photo of a certificate, even the crumpled paper one the gas engineer left behind. HouseFile reads it, names it, puts it in the right place on your checklist and sets a reminder for when it's due again.
It works with photos, scans and PDFs, so you don't have to type anything in or look up expiry dates yourself.
IMG_4231.jpg
A photo of the paper certificate
Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)
Filed under Legal Requirements
Renewal reminder: 2 Jul 2027Why I built HouseFile
Being a landlord has got a lot harder over the last few years. There are more rules, they change more often, and when something goes wrong it's on us to show we did everything right.
When I talked to other landlords, nearly all of them could show me their documents. Very few could prove their tenant had actually received them. And if a deposit dispute or a Section 8 claim goes badly, that's usually what it comes down to.
Emailing the documents, sending them on WhatsApp, handing over a paper pack at check-in. None of that gives you much to show if it's ever questioned. So I built HouseFile. You keep every required document for each property in one place, your tenant opens them through a link, and you get a record of when they did. If it ever ends up at a tribunal, you download that record and send it in.
I've kept it simple on purpose. Its whole job is to make sure you have the paperwork, and that you can prove your tenants got it too.
Antoine
Founder, HouseFile
Any questions, email support@housefile.app. It comes straight to me and I read every one.
Your tenant opens the document and the date and time are saved.
Pricing
What it costs
Every plan comes with everything. The only difference is how many properties it covers.
Try it free for 14 days on up to 5 properties · no card needed
Every plan includes
- Compliance tracking with expiry reminders
- Tenant links with timestamped proof of delivery
- Separate tracking for every HMO room
- Certificates read for you from photos and scans
- Right to Rent and tenancy document tracking
- PRS Database readiness and registration pack
- Your own branding on tenant pages
- Free access for your letting agent
Got an HMO? It counts as one property, so a six-bed HMO costs the same as a studio flat.
Letting agent? HouseFile is free for you. You get access through your landlords' plans, whichever plan they're on. How it works for agents
More than 50 properties? We'll set you up on a plan that fits. Get in touch.
The laws behind this
Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012
Tenants must be given a copy of the EPC. Not doing so can mean a £200 penalty, and letting a property rated below E can cost up to £5,000.
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
Tenants need a copy of the gas safety record within 28 days of each yearly check.
Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020
New tenants need a copy of the EICR before they move in, and existing tenants within 28 days of each new inspection.
Housing Act 2004
Deposits have to be protected in an approved scheme, and the tenant given the prescribed information, within 30 days.
Immigration Act 2014 (Right to Rent)
You have to check every adult has the right to rent before the tenancy starts. A first breach can cost up to £10,000 per occupier, or up to £20,000 if it happens again.
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Unfair terms in a tenancy agreement aren't binding on the tenant, so the terms need to be fair and clearly written.
Renters' Rights Act 2025: Since 1 May 2026 everything above still applies, and there's more on top. New tenants get a written statement of terms, tenants from before May get the Information Sheet, and councils can fine landlords up to £7,000 for a first breach.
This is general information, not legal advice. If you're not sure about your own situation, check the current rules or speak to a solicitor.