Tenancy Checklist
Overview
PaTMa's tenancy checklist will walk you through the process of starting a new assured shorthold tenancy, step by step. Following the checklist will ensure your tenancy meets all necessary regulations, as well as providing an easy way to maintain your own records.
It's extremely important to start a new tenancy correctly, as an improperly executed tenancy can leave you liable to fines or unable to issue no-fault evictions.
After starting the tenancy, PaTMa can be used to keep financial records, notes on tasks, tenant contacts, and other useful information.
Getting Started
You'll need a tenant setup in PaTMa before you can use the tenancy checklist. You can add a tenant now, or in the first step below.
Now that you have your tenant in place, open their Tenancy Overview and click Setup.
Note: Once each checklist item is completed, click the left hand circle to mark that task as complete.
Step 1: Enter Tenant Details
Click Add tenant and choose the tenant from your PaTMa tenant list. If the tenant doesn't yet exist in your PaTMa account, you can also create them now.
Including a phone number and email for the tenant will allow you to automate later tasks.
Click Save to complete this step. The tenant will now be shown at the top of the checklist.
Remember to check off the task as completed!
Step 2: Credit / Reference Check Your Tenants
It's a good idea to carry out a credit check on your new tenant, unless you are specifically marketing rentals to people with low credit.
Some lettings agents or even landlords have an in-house process for this - if this is you, you can upload the forms to your Documents and check off the task.
Otherwise, there are numerous agencies that will complete tenant credit checks including our current suggestion OpenRent.
Once the credit check has been completed, you can upload the report and check off this checklist item.
Note: To upload the report, click the navigation tab Tenants and click Add Document for the desired tenant.
Step 3: Right To Rent Checks
Landlords must complete a Right to Rent check on new tenants, and the supporting documentation needs to be stored by the landlord.
Click Add Document to upload the tenant's verification document for secure storage in the cloud. You'll need to add some additional info with it:
- Type - the type of document being stored, in this case right to rent.
- Document - add the document itself.
- Label - your label for the document.
- Notes - any other notes you might need to refer to.
- Permanant right to rent - check this if the tenant has a permanent right to rent.
- Right to rent expiry / re-check date - the date that the tenant must supply new right to rent documents. Leave blank if their right to rent is permanent.
Click Save to store the verification in your PaTMa account.
Step 4: Send Required Documents to Tenants
There are a number of documents that must be provided to tenants before they sign a tenancy agreement.
Failing to provide these essential documents can prevent the use of a Section 21 notice to end a tenancy, and may also result in fines for the landlord (you!).
PaTMa automatically includes two of these documents for you:
- How To Rent Guide - issued by the government, with information for tenants about their rights and options.
- Deposit Protection Terms and Conditions - issued by the deposit account provider.PaTMa is aware of all currently recognised deposit protection schemes and maintains the current terms for each one.
YOu may already have uploaded the other necessary documents when setting up the property, in which case they will be available here. If not, you'll be prompted to upload them.
- EPC - the Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
- Gas safety certificate a current gas safety certification (for properties with a gas supply)
- Electrical safety certificate a current electrical safety certification.
You can add safety certificates to a property at any time but remember these need to be provided to your tenant before they move in - this is the last point in the process you can add them!
When all required documents are ready, PaTMa will update to highlight them in green and you can choose to email them to your tenant or create a digital signing request.
Step 5: Create, Send and Upload Contract
You must have a contract for a tenancy to be valid.
PaTMa can generate the contract, issue it to your tenants and request online signatures. If any information is missing you'll be prompted to fill it out before the contract can be generated.
Term length, payment method, and custom clauses are in the Add contract options form:
- Template - choose the basic template depending on whether you are letting a single-let / family property, an HMO to a group, or one unit within an HMO.
- Additional occupiers - permitted occupants who are not named tenancy holders, such as family members. Not pets.
- Initial term - number of months the initial term is for.
- Payment method - the way the tenant will pay you, along with your payment details (ie where the tenant will send the money).
- Shared facilities - if the tenancy includes access to shared facilites outside of the property or unit itself, list them here.
- ✔️ Storage closet in downstairs entrance hall for an upstairs flat.
- ✔️ Laundry facilities in an HMO.
- ✔️ Rooftop terrace in an apoartment block.
- ✔️ Communal bins or dumpsters.
- ✔️ Elevators or private access routes.
- ❌ Private garden attached to family home.
- ❌ Kitchen in single-let.
- ❌ Neighbour's balcony in apartment block.
- ❌ Common ground such as the footpath outside the property.
- Garden use - briefly describe any garden space with the property.
- Reserved parking - briefly describe any private parking acccess provided with the property.
- Additional clauses - add custom or additional clauses here if relevant. Formatting instructions are provided and a preview will be shown to the right.
Double check the information is correct, and then click Save to ready the contract. Remember that you cannot modify the contract after it is signed, so make sure everything is accurate!
Before digital signing can be requested you'll need to make sure a few other items are complete:
- Tenants - you'll need at least the tenant's name, or each named tenant if the tenancy is to be shared.
- Landlord details - this is probably you, although PaTMa does support multiple landlords. You'll need to have added your name and contact info.
- Deposit scheme - the deposit must be in a named deposit scheme.
- Utilities - the utilities must have been set up for the property, including the payee (usually the tenant unless it is a HMO).
- Contract options - term and custom fields for the contract, discussed above.
Once all sections are showing as green and Ready, click Download AST. You can read through the contract before sending it to your tenants to make certain everything is ready.
When you are happy with the generated contract, click Send AST for Digital Signing.
- Once the tenants have signed the contract, click Add Document underneath Upload Signed Contract. You can store the contract securely in your PATMa account.
Step 6: Send Property Manuals and Guides to Tenants
There is no legal requirement for this step, but your tenants will certainly appreciate it!
Most properties have a few things that might need a little explanation - from heating controls, to cookers, to where the stopcock is.
Click Add Manual to upload manuals or other info packs to your account. These will be associated with the property, so you'll have them available for later tenants as well.
When ready, click Send Manuals to email everything to your tenants.
Step 7: Prepare, Send and Upload Inventory
It's best to set up an inventory before you reach this step in the process, as it can be timeconsuming if you have a lot of items to add. But if you didn't, the second best time to start is now!
The inventory can be sent to tenants for digital signing, or generated as a printable document if you prefer.
Click Generate Inventory and Send for Digital Signing when the inventory is complete.
Alternatively, you can upload an existing inventory document for the property if one was prepared elsewhere. In this case, check off the Send inventory step and move to Upload signed inventory instead. The signed document can be stored within your PaTMa account.
💡 PaTMa can fully import an external inventory into your account for an additional one-time fee. Contact us for more information.
Step 8: Protect Deposit
If you take a deposit from your tenants then it must be protected with an officially recognised deposit protection scheme.
When available, PaTMa will also show a link to instantly generate and send the required information straight to your tenants.
Click Download Prescribed Information to check the documentation, then Prescribed Information - Send for Digital Signing to present it to the tenant.
Step 9: Complete Check-in
This step shows some useful final tasks that may need to be completed for a new tenancy. These are all optional, but your tenants may appreciate them!
You can store related documents here if necessary.
Step 10: Email Utilities
As part of the tenant handover, utility records will be reset so that the tenant only pays for their own usage.
PaTMa can send utility meter readings to the appropriate utility supplier.
Each utility requires an up-to-date meter reading and a supplier with an email address in your PaTMa account.
Once all sections are showing as green and Ready, click Preview Email to Utility Suppliers. If the email looks good, click Send to send it.
