QR codes for rental properties: how landlords use them

A QR code inside a kitchen cupboard gives your tenant the property's documents and contacts whenever they need them, without digging through old emails. You get fewer “can you resend the gas certificate?” messages and, if the code opens a tracked link, a record of when each document was opened.

What is a property QR code?

A property QR code is a scannable code that links to a digital folder containing all the documents, information, and contacts a tenant needs for their rental property. When a tenant scans the code with their phone camera, they're taken to a page with everything in one place.

QR codes have been around for decades and are now built into every smartphone camera. What's relatively new is applying them to rental property management, where the combination of legal document requirements and tenant convenience makes them particularly useful.

The code itself is just a printed square that links to a URL. The value is in what sits behind that URL: a structured, up-to-date collection of property information that the tenant can access at any time.

Why landlords are using them

The traditional way landlords share documents with tenants involves a combination of emails, WhatsApp messages, printed packs handed over at check-in, and follow-up messages when certificates are renewed. It works, up to a point. But it has real problems.

Emails get buried. A gas safety certificate sent by email in March is buried under hundreds of messages by September. When the tenant needs it, perhaps because a new housemate asks to see it or there's a gas smell and they want to check the engineer's details, they have to search through their inbox. Many won't bother.

WhatsApp messages disappear. Documents shared on WhatsApp get lost in chat history, are deleted when tenants change phones, or become inaccessible if the chat is cleared. WhatsApp is a messaging app, and it was never designed to store documents.

Paper gets lost. The document pack handed over at check-in goes into a drawer and is never seen again. When the tenancy ends and you need to prove the tenant had the documents, a piece of paper in a drawer (if it's even still there) proves nothing.

Renewals create gaps. When you renew your gas safety certificate or EICR, you need to send the updated version to your tenant. With email or WhatsApp, this means another message they may or may not open. With a QR code linked to a managed folder, you update the document and the tenant automatically has access to the latest version next time they scan.

A QR code solves these problems by providing a single, permanent access point. The tenant doesn't need to remember which email the EPC was attached to. They scan the code on the fridge and everything is there.

What to include behind the QR code

The most useful property QR codes link to a folder or page that includes:

Safety certificates

• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12), current and previous
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• Any other safety documents relevant to the property (fire risk assessment for flats, legionella risk assessment, etc.)

Legal documents

• Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet (for tenancies that began before 1 May 2026) or the written statement of terms (for newer tenancies)
• Deposit protection certificate and prescribed information
• Tenancy agreement
• Inventory and check-in report

Practical information

• Boiler manual and operating instructions
• Appliance manuals (washing machine, dishwasher, oven, etc.)
• How to operate the heating system and thermostat
• Meter locations and how to read them
• Stopcock location and how to turn off the water
• Fuse box location and how to reset a tripped circuit
• Bin collection days and recycling information

Emergency contacts

• Landlord or managing agent contact details
• Emergency out-of-hours number
• Gas emergency line (0800 111 999)
• Preferred plumber, electrician, and locksmith
• Local council contact for environmental health

The beauty of a digital folder is that you can include far more than you ever would in a paper pack. A PDF of the boiler manual, a short video showing how to bleed the radiators and a photo of where the stopcock is located are all useful to tenants, and they reduce the number of calls and messages you receive about basic property questions.

Where to put the QR code

The QR code needs to be somewhere the tenant will see it regularly and can scan it easily. Common locations include:

• Inside a kitchen cupboard door: Tenants see it when they open the cupboard, and it stays out of sight when visitors come round. This is the most popular location.
• On the fridge: A laminated card with a magnet. Highly visible and easy to scan.
• Inside the consumer unit (fuse box) cover: Useful because tenants often need information when something electrical goes wrong.
• Near the boiler: Tenants can scan for the boiler manual and heating instructions right when they need them.
• By the front door: A small framed or laminated card at the entrance, alongside any other property information.

Some landlords place the QR code in multiple locations throughout the property. A code near the boiler, one in the kitchen, and one by the fuse box means tenants always have quick access wherever they are in the property.

Use a laminated card or a durable sticker. A printed piece of paper taped to the wall will deteriorate. A laminated card with a self-adhesive backing or a magnet will last the full tenancy and beyond.

How QR codes help with compliance

Beyond tenant convenience, QR codes address a real compliance challenge: proving that your tenants have access to their documents.

Under current regulations, landlords must provide various documents to tenants, and it pays to be able to prove that tenants received them. When documents sit behind a QR code linked to a platform that tracks access, you get a timestamped record every time the tenant scans the code and views a document.

This creates an audit trail that is far stronger than “I emailed it to them” or “I left a paper copy on the kitchen table”. If a dispute arises, you can show that the tenant accessed their gas safety certificate on a specific date and time. This is the kind of evidence that helps in a dispute.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 has made good records more useful. With Section 21 abolished, landlords seeking possession under Section 8 must prove their grounds with evidence. Most missing documents don't block possession, but an unprotected deposit or unserved prescribed information stops a court making an order on most grounds. A clear record of what you gave tenants, and when, helps you show you did things properly.

QR codes vs other document sharing methods

QR code vs email: Email requires the tenant to search for and find the right message. The QR code gives instant access. Email provides a sent timestamp but no proof the tenant opened the attachment. A QR-linked platform can track when documents are viewed.

QR code vs WhatsApp: WhatsApp is informal and messages get lost easily. Documents sent via WhatsApp are not easily searchable and are lost when phones change. A QR code provides a permanent, device-independent access point.

QR code vs paper folder: A physical folder handed over at check-in can be lost, damaged, or thrown away. It cannot be updated when certificates are renewed. A QR code links to a folder that is always current and always accessible.

QR code vs tenant portal login: Some platforms require tenants to create an account and log in. This adds friction: tenants have to remember credentials, and some simply won't bother. A QR code that works without login (or with a simple verification step) has much higher adoption because there is almost no barrier to use.

For a broader look at what records you should be keeping, see our guide on landlord record-keeping requirements.

What happens when documents are updated

One of the most practical benefits of a QR code system is how it handles document renewals. When your gas safety certificate is renewed annually, or your EICR is updated every five years, the process with a QR code is straightforward:

• Upload the new certificate to the digital folder
• The QR code stays the same, because it links to the whole folder
• Next time the tenant scans, they see the updated certificate
• The platform records that the tenant accessed the new document

Compare this to the email approach: you send a new email with the updated certificate, hope the tenant opens it, and have no reliable proof they did. With the QR code approach, the latest documents are always available and access is tracked automatically.

Putting a document behind a QR code doesn't by itself count as giving it to the tenant. You still need to give existing tenants a copy of the renewed gas safety record within 28 days of the check. You can send it electronically if the tenant is happy to receive it that way, and you must give a paper copy if they ask. A brief message with the certificate attached, adding “it's also available via the property QR code”, is a simple way to do both.

Examples of what landlords might include

These are illustrations of how a QR code could work in different set-ups. They are not real case studies.

Here's how it might work for a landlord with a single flat in London. A laminated QR card goes on the fridge. Behind it: the current gas safety certificate, EICR, EPC, deposit protection details, the written statement of terms, boiler manual, and emergency contacts including a 24-hour plumber. The tenant is most likely to scan it for the boiler instructions and the emergency plumber number.

For a landlord with a three-bedroom HMO, a QR code could go in each bedroom and in the shared kitchen. If each tenant's scan is tracked individually, that creates a per-tenant record of document access. This is particularly valuable for HMOs where you need to prove each individual tenant received the required documents.

For a landlord with six properties across two cities, QR codes at every property could link to the same management platform. All certificates, expiry dates, and tenant access logs would be visible in one dashboard. When a gas safety certificate is renewed at one property, the landlord uploads it once, the tenant at that property can see the latest version, and the landlord still sends the tenant their copy.

Getting started

If you're new to using QR codes for your rental properties, here is a practical approach:

• Step 1: Gather your current documents: safety certificates, legal documents, appliance manuals, and emergency contacts
• Step 2: Upload them to a platform that generates a property QR code and tracks tenant access
• Step 3: Print the QR code on a laminated card or durable sticker
• Step 4: Place it in the property (kitchen cupboard, fridge, or near the boiler)
• Step 5: Let your tenant know what the QR code is for and encourage them to scan it

The whole process takes less than an hour for a single property. The ongoing maintenance is minimal: upload renewed certificates when they arrive, and the system handles the rest.

If you're a first-time landlord setting up your first property, our first-time landlord compliance guide covers all the documents you need to have in place before your tenant moves in, and all of them can sit behind a single QR code.

Common questions

What if the tenant doesn't have a smartphone? This is increasingly rare, but it does happen. In these cases, provide documents by email or post as a fallback. The QR code is an extra way to reach documents, and you still have a legal obligation to provide them directly.

Can tenants share the QR code with others? The code links to property documents, so anyone who scans it can see the documents. For safety certificates and general property information, this is not a concern. If you include sensitive documents like the tenancy agreement, some platforms allow these to be gated behind a simple verification (e.g. confirming the tenant's name or email).

What if I sell the property? The QR code links to your account. If you sell, you can transfer the property folder to the new owner or simply deactivate the code. The new owner would set up their own QR code with their documents.

Does the QR code change when I update documents? No. The code itself stays the same, because it points to the property folder. When you add or update documents in the folder, the tenant sees the latest versions next time they scan. You never need to replace the physical QR code sticker.

Why a QR code is worth setting up

A QR code makes it easy for tenants to find their property documents, and it helps landlords show when tenants viewed them. Now that compliance documentation carries so much weight, having a permanent, trackable access point at each property is a sensible step.

Setting one up is quick, and there is little to maintain afterwards. For a landlord with one property or twenty, a QR code on the fridge is a small addition that helps with compliance and with keeping tenants informed.