Frequently asked questions

Yes, and it's up to you to show they did.

In a dispute, a tenant or their solicitor may say they never got the gas safety record, the EPC, the written statement of terms or the deposit prescribed information.

Saying “I gave it to them” or “I emailed it” isn't enough. You need to be able to show:

• That you gave the document, not only that you sent something
• That the tenant got it
• When they got it

The strongest evidence is made at the time: a timestamped record of the tenant opening each document, or a signed receipt at handover.

A record made when you gave it, naming the document.

• Timestamped records of when the tenant opened each document
• A signed receipt, on paper or online, that names each document
• Emails, which show you sent something but not that it was opened
• A clause in the tenancy agreement saying the tenant received the documents. Useful, but not enough on its own

Statements written after a dispute starts, and unsigned checklists, carry little weight.

Not on its own.

An email shows you sent something. It doesn't show that the tenant:

• Received it, as it may have gone to spam
• Opened the attachment
• Read the document

Read receipts don't help much, because the tenant can choose not to send one. Email is better than nothing, but back it up with a signed receipt or a record of the tenant opening the document.

A court or council may decide you didn't give them, and several carry penalties.

• Deposit prescribed information: the court won't grant possession on most grounds until it's given, and the tenant can claim one to three times the deposit
• Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet: a civil penalty of up to £7,000, and up to £40,000 if the failure continues or is repeated
• Electrical safety report (EICR): a penalty of up to £40,000
• Gas safety record: not giving it is a criminal offence
• EPC: a £200 penalty

In England, these five, each by its own deadline.

• Written statement of terms, before the tenancy is entered into
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), before the tenancy starts
• Gas safety record, if there's a gas appliance: to new tenants before they move in, and to existing tenants within 28 days of each yearly check
• Electrical safety report (EICR): to new tenants before they move in, and to existing tenants within 28 days of each inspection
• Deposit prescribed information, within 30 days of receiving the deposit, if you took one

The How to Rent guide is no longer needed. Written tenancies that began before 1 May 2026 needed the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. It has to be the document itself, as a PDF attachment or on paper: a link doesn't count.

There's no single legal rule, but keep it for at least six years after the tenancy ends.

Six years covers the main claims:

• A deposit claim, which a tenant can bring up to six years after the breach
• Claims under the tenancy agreement, which usually have a six-year time limit

Some records have their own rules: gas safety records for 2 years, copies of Right to Rent checks for the tenancy and 1 year after, and tax records for 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline.

Gas every year, electrics at least every five years, and a valid EPC when you let to a new tenant.

• Gas safety check: every 12 months
• EICR: at least every 5 years, or sooner if the last report says so
• EPC: valid for 10 years. You need a valid one when you let to a new tenant
• Property licence (HMO or selective): up to 5 years, set by the council
• PAT testing: not a legal requirement, but worth doing for appliances you provide

Book it straight away: missing the yearly check is a criminal offence.

It can mean an unlimited fine and up to 2 years in prison in the Crown Court, or up to 12 months in the magistrates' court. More importantly, it puts your tenants at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Book the engineer a month or two before the date, and give your tenants a copy of the new record within 28 days of the check.

Yes. Every tenant needs the documents, even in a shared house.

• Documents for the whole house, such as the gas safety record and EICR, go to every tenant. A house let room by room doesn't currently need an EPC, though the government plans to change that
• Documents for their own tenancy, such as their written statement of terms and deposit prescribed information, go to each tenant

Check your licence conditions too, in case they ask for more. When tenants move in on different dates, you need to show what each one got and when.

Treat each tenant separately.

• Give each tenant their own link or folder
• Include the documents for the whole house and the ones for their tenancy
• Keep track of what each tenant has opened and agreed to
• When a certificate is renewed, give the new one to every current tenant. Upload it to the same slot and HouseFile asks each of them to open the new copy

It records when your tenant opens each document.

• You send your tenant a secure link to the property's documents
• When they open a document, HouseFile records the date and time
• For important documents, they can agree to it or reject it
• You're told when they respond
• Upload a renewal and it goes back on their list as a new copy, so each year has its own record
• Download a compliance report for the property whenever you need the record

No. They open a secure link on their phone or computer and enter their name.

Nothing to install and no password. Their name goes on the record of what they opened and agreed to.

Yes, 30 days before the expiry date, again at 7 days and on the day.

When you upload a certificate with an expiry date, HouseFile puts it on your calendar and shows expired and soon-to-expire documents on your dashboard. It emails you 30 days before the certificate runs out, again at 7 days and on the day. It can read the date for you from a photo or scan of the certificate.

From £2.99 a month, after a 14-day free trial with no card needed.

Every feature is on every plan. Plans differ only in how many properties they cover, and an HMO counts as one property however many rooms it has.

• Solo: 1 property for £2.99 a month
• Landlord: up to 5 properties for £4.99 a month
• Portfolio: up to 20 properties for £9.99 a month
• Portfolio Plus: up to 50 properties for £14.99 a month

Paying yearly saves at least 16%. The trial covers up to 5 properties. See pricing.

Yes, free. You invite them and choose what they can do.

Invite them from Settings, under Team access, for all your properties or only the ones you pick. A Viewer can see properties and documents, an Editor can add and update documents, and a Manager can do everything except delete a property.

Anything they change is recorded under their name, and letting agents never pay: they work under your plan. See the agent guide.

Nothing is deleted. Your account becomes read-only until you choose a plan.

You and your tenants can still see everything, but you can't add documents or share new links. You can download a spreadsheet of your properties, documents and tenant acknowledgements at any time from Settings, under Your data.