Keeping repair records: protect yourself

This is about England

This page is written for private landlords in England. The rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different. It is general information, not a substitute for a solicitor, an accountant or official guidance.

Why records matter

You already have legal duties to keep a rented home safe and in repair, to carry out safety checks, and to protect a tenancy deposit in an approved scheme. Good records help you show that you met those duties.

They also help on ordinary days. A dated photo of a room at check-in, a saved email about a drip, and the invoice from the plumber will settle more arguments than memory will. If a tenant later disputes a deposit deduction, or a council asks what you did about a hazard, you will want more than a recollection of a phone call.

The rules for private renting in England are also changing under the Renters’ Rights Act. The official GOV.UK guide explains the measures, including a landlord ombudsman, a private rented sector database, applying the Decent Homes Standard to privately rented homes, and applying Awaab’s Law to the sector so there are clear legal expectations about timeframes for making a home safe where it contains serious hazards. Parts of this are being brought in over time, and some of the detail — including Awaab’s Law in the private rented sector — has been the subject of consultation. Check the official pages for what is in force now, rather than assuming a date you have heard in the press.

The government’s policy statement on a new Decent Homes Standard sets a longer implementation path, with the standard due to apply from 2035 to social and privately rented homes. Official guidance is that landlords should not wait until the end of that period to put problems right. A tidy record of inspections, repairs and certificates will make that easier.

What to keep

You do not need special software. You do need a habit. For each property, keep:

• Check-in and check-out records — a dated inventory, signed where possible, and photos or video of every room, including meters, appliances, lingering marks, and the outside
• Every repair report — the date it arrived, how it arrived (email, text, phone call you then confirmed in writing), what was described, and any photos the tenant sent
• Your replies and access arrangements — when you answered, what you offered, the notice you gave (at least 24 hours, except in an emergency), and whether access was granted
• Works orders, quotes and invoices — who did the work, what they found, what they fitted, and what it cost
• After photos — the same angle as the “before” photo, with the date
• Safety certificates and manuals — annual gas safety records, electrical installation condition reports, Energy Performance Certificates, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm checks, and any appliance instructions you issued
• Inspection notes — mid-tenancy visits, damp or mould you spotted, and what you did next
• Deposit protection paperwork — the scheme used, the date the deposit was protected, and the prescribed information you gave the tenant

If you took a call, follow it up with a short email: “Thanks for ringing today. As discussed, the bathroom extract fan has failed and I have asked an electrician to visit on…”. That turns a conversation into a record.

How to keep them, and for how long

A simple folder per property — digital is fine, so long as you can find it — is enough. Use the property address in the file name, then the date, then a short label: 12-high-street-2026-11-14-boiler-report.jpg. Turn on date stamps on your phone camera, or photograph a piece of paper with the date in the first frame.

Keep records for the whole tenancy and a sensible period afterwards. Deposit disputes, insurance claims and complaints can surface after someone has moved out. Safety certificates also have their own lifespans — for example, a gas safety check is an annual requirement — so store the current certificate and the previous ones, not just the latest PDF.

Be careful with personal information. Tenant names, phone numbers and photos of their belongings are personal data. Keep them securely, share them only with people who need them to do the work, and do not publish them. If you are unsure about data protection, check official ICO guidance rather than inventing a process.

Records will not replace the repair

A well-kept file is not a defence if the work was never done. Official GOV.UK guidance for landlords is that you must keep the property in good condition, give at least 24 hours’ notice before entering for an inspection or repair (except in an emergency), and deal with hazards. If repairs are not done, a tenant may contact the council, and in some cases take further action. The point of the record is to help you act quickly, and to show that you did.

Damp and mould is a good example. Official guidance for rented housing is that damp and mould can harm health, and that landlords should investigate and put the cause right, not only wipe the surface. Keep the first report, any survey, the works, and a follow-up photo. Do not rely on a note that says “tenant told to open a window” if the gutter is leaking.