Move-in on Friday, gas certificate still missing
The landlord chose your let-only service to save money and said they would sort the paperwork. The tenant is referenced and ready. On Wednesday the property manager asks again for the gas safety certificate and the electrical report. The landlord sends a photo of a certificate that turns out to be for a previous year. The EPC is fine. The deposit is going to be held by the landlord, and nobody has seen proof it will be protected.
The move-in either goes ahead with gaps or gets delayed, and neither is a good outcome.
Why document chasing is hard with let-only landlords
With fully managed properties, your team arranges the checks and receives the certificates. With let-only and rent-collect landlords, the landlord arranges them, and your team depends on the landlord sending the right document, in date, in time. Landlords who chose a lighter service often underestimate what is involved.
Which documents your agency must see or provide before a tenancy starts, and what you do if they are missing, is set by your compliance lead and adviser. The practical problem is getting the documents, checking their dates, and keeping track after move-in, when the landlord will have to renew them without you arranging it.
| Document | Common problem with let-only landlords |
|---|---|
| Gas safety record | Out of date, or for the wrong property |
| Electrical report | Missing, or landlord unaware it is needed |
| EPC | Expired or below the rating your adviser flags |
| Deposit protection evidence | Not provided when landlord holds deposit |
| Other documents your process requires | Sent late or not at all |
The cost of starting without documents
Starting a tenancy without the documents your process requires creates risk that your adviser would want you to avoid, for the landlord and potentially for the agency. Delaying a move-in costs the landlord rent and upsets the tenant. Property managers spend a disproportionate amount of time chasing let-only landlords compared with the fee those services bring in.
The chasing is also inconsistent. A property manager with time to spare checks every date carefully; one under pressure accepts whatever arrives. Certificates for the wrong address or the wrong year slip through when nobody reads them properly, and the gap only shows when someone looks closely much later.
The document flow we build
- Requirements list: when a let-only or rent-collect instruction is taken, the landlord receives a clear list of the documents your process needs, with a plain-English note on each and a deadline tied to the planned move-in.
- Upload link: the landlord uploads each document against its item from their phone.
- Date and address check: uploaded certificates are read for the property address, issue date and expiry, and anything that does not match or is expiring soon is flagged. A person confirms each document.
- Chasing: missing items trigger reminders to the landlord and a flag to the property manager as the deadline approaches.
- Move-in gate: the tenancy checklist shows move-in as blocked until required documents are confirmed, unless a manager overrides with a recorded reason.
- After move-in: for rent-collect landlords, expiry dates are tracked and the landlord is reminded to renew and upload. For let-only, your process decides whether and how to remind them.
Documents checked as they arrive
Let-only landlords know what is needed from day one. Certificates are checked for dates and address as they arrive, not the night before move-in. Property managers see a clear list of what is missing, and landlords are chased automatically. Tenancies start with documents on file.
Do let-only landlords send paperwork late?
- Let-only landlords send certificates at the last minute.
- Out-of-date or wrong certificates have been sent.
- Move-ins have been delayed by missing documents.
- Rent-collect landlords' renewals are not tracked.