Landlord Record Keeping Requirements in England: What the Ombudsman Will Check

Records Win or Lose Ombudsman Complaints

When a tenant complaint reaches the PRS Landlord Ombudsman, the investigation will use documentary evidence. The approved scheme's rules will set the process for asking each party for information; keeping a dated record helps show what happened.

Existing redress scheme data shows that over 80% of tenant disputes stem from poor communication or unacknowledged repair requests. In most of these cases, the landlord did respond or did arrange a repair — they just couldn't prove it. No record means no defence.

The Six Categories of Essential Records

These six categories are practical ways to organise evidence. SI 2026/1033 requires the scheme to set its complaint-handling procedures, but does not prescribe a landlord record-keeping format.

1. Tenant Communications

Every email, letter, text message, and portal message between you and your tenant. This includes:

• Initial repair requests and your written acknowledgements
• Updates on contractor bookings and timelines
• Formal complaint correspondence (acknowledgement, Stage 1 response, deadlock letters)
• Rent increase notices (Form 4A)
• Any informal messages about property issues

The standard is simple: if it happened, it should be in writing. If it's in writing, you should have a dated copy.

2. Repair and Maintenance Logs

A chronological record of every maintenance issue:

• Date the tenant reported the problem
• Date you acknowledged it
• Date you instructed a contractor (with the contractor's name and scope of work)
• Date the work was completed
• Any follow-up inspection or sign-off

For recurring issues (boiler faults, persistent damp), the log should show the full history, not just the most recent repair. Adjudicators look at patterns — a landlord who fixed the same leak three times but never addressed the root cause is in a weaker position than one who invested in a permanent solution the first time.

3. Contractor Records

Invoices, receipts, and written instructions to tradespeople. Keep:

• Written instructions to the contractor (email or text confirming the scope)
• Dated invoices showing work completed
• Before-and-after photographs with timestamp metadata
• Any specialist reports (damp surveys, structural assessments, electrical inspections)

4. Safety Certifications

Current copies of every statutory certificate:

• Gas Safety Record — annual, under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — every 5 years
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — meeting current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
• Deposit protection confirmation — showing the deposit is held in a government-approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or Tenancy Deposit Scheme)

Under SI 2026/1033 Schedule paragraph 9, the scheme must allow relevant information to be disclosed to the PRS Database operator to help make or update database entries and check their accuracy. The government has said it is exploring database-to-scheme information sharing; the arrangements have not been announced. A lapsed certificate may be relevant if a complaint concerns the safety matter it covers.

5. Property Inspection Records

If you carry out periodic inspections (and you should), keep:

• Dated inspection notes or a structured checklist
• Photographs documenting property condition at the time
• Any issues identified and the action taken in response
• Confirmation that you gave the tenant proper notice before inspecting

6. Formal Complaint Documentation

If a tenant raises a formal complaint:

• The original complaint (in their words)
• Your written acknowledgement (use the response target set by the approved scheme)
• Your substantive complaint response (use the response period set by the approved scheme)
• Any secondary review correspondence
• Any resolution, escalation, or closure letter required by the approved scheme

This paper trail may be relevant in an ombudsman investigation. The approved scheme's rules will set the required steps and time periods; SI 2026/1033 does not prescribe a Stage 1 response or deadlock letter.

How Long to Keep Records

There is no statutory retention period specific to the ombudsman scheme. Keeping records for the tenancy plus at least six years is a practical choice, not a universal legal rule. The Act includes former tenants in its definition of tenant, and many simple contract claims have a six-year limitation period, although limitation periods vary by claim.

For safety certifications, keep historical copies even after renewal. A complaint about a gas issue from two years ago requires proof of your gas safety compliance at that time, not just your current certificate.

Organising Your Records

The format doesn't matter — digital folder, physical file box, property management app — but consistency does. The worst outcome is scattered records across email threads, phone notes, and a shoebox of invoices.

A workable system for a small landlord:

• One folder per property containing sub-folders for communications, repairs, certifications, and inspections
• A running complaint/repair log (spreadsheet or template) with one row per issue and columns for each milestone date
• Automatic email archiving for all tenant correspondence — never delete tenant messages

The PRS Landlord Ombudsman guide includes printable complaint logs, repair tracking sheets, and a record-keeping checklist to help organise your records.

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