19 Free Landlord Templates: Paperwork for the Whole Tenancy

Since the Renters' Rights Act came into force, paperwork decides outcomes. A missing gas safety record can sink a possession claim. A late deposit registration can cost you a dispute. A pet request left unanswered for 29 days becomes automatic consent. So we have rebuilt our templates library around one idea: a document for every point in the tenancy where getting it in writing matters.

The library at realyield.co.uk/templates now holds 19 free documents. Fourteen are new this week. Here is what is in there and why.

Why we built these

Three things kept coming up in conversations with landlords this year.

First, the Act changed the documents themselves. Rent review clauses are void, so rent increases now go through Section 13 and Form 4A, once a year, on two months' notice. Pet requests carry a 28-day response deadline with deemed consent if you miss it. New tenancies need a written statement of terms before anything is signed. Old template letters from 2023 do not just look dated. Some of them are now wrong.

Second, the templates floating around online are scattered and unreliable. One site's arrears letter still threatens Section 21. Another's holding deposit form ignores the one-week cap.

Third, the good stuff mostly sits behind membership paywalls. Fair enough, membership bodies do valuable work. But a self-managing landlord with one or two properties should not need a subscription to send a proper rent arrears letter.

What is in the library

The documents follow the life of a tenancy.

Before the tenancy

Five documents cover the stage where most compliance mistakes happen. A tenancy application form collects what you need for referencing without breaching the Tenant Fees Act. A holding deposit form builds in the one-week cap and the 15-day rule, and records how the deposit was dealt with. A right to rent check record keeps the evidence trail the Home Office expects. The new tenancy compliance checklist runs every legal requirement in timeline order, from licensing checks through to deposit protection. And a key documents receipt gets the tenant's signature confirming they received the written statement of terms, safety certificates, and keys.

During the tenancy

Seven documents handle the day-to-day. A tenant welcome letter with a property information sheet. A property access notice letter built around the 24-hour rule. A three-stage rent arrears letter pack that stays factual, signposts free debt advice, and creates the paper trail courts expect before possession. A rent increase planner that walks you through timing, comparable evidence, and serving Form 4A properly. Pet request response letters with the 28-day deadline built in. An anti-social behaviour warning letter paired with an incident log. A mid-tenancy inspection checklist for routine visits. Plus a property maintenance log in Excel that tracks repairs and counts down to certificate renewals.

End of tenancy

Two documents close things out. An end of tenancy checklist takes you from the tenant's notice through check-out day to re-letting. Deposit return letters cover both the easy case and the harder one, with a deductions schedule built around fair wear and tear and the no-betterment rule.

The original four analysis documents are still there too: the BTL cashflow tracker, yield comparison sheet, viewing checklist, and due diligence pack.

What we deliberately left out

Two things are missing, on purpose.

There is no tenancy agreement. A tenancy contract is the one document where cheap shortcuts genuinely bite, and it should be drafted or reviewed by a solicitor. Plenty of good options exist, including those from landlord membership bodies.

There are no prescribed government forms. Form 4A for rent increases, possession notices, and the Renters' Rights Act information sheet must be the official versions from GOV.UK. Our documents prepare you to complete them and tell you exactly where to find them, but reproducing them would do you no favours in front of a judge.

How they work

Every PDF opens with a short set of instructions: when to use the document, what the current rules are, and what to keep for your records. Letters use bracketed placeholders you replace before sending. Nothing needs special software.

When the law changes, we regenerate the affected documents rather than leaving them to rot. The next wave is already on the radar: the PRS database and the landlord ombudsman will bring new obligations when they launch, and the library will be updated when they do.

Everything is free with a RealYield account, the same one that unlocks scenario saving and the AI advisors.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Tax rules and legislation change frequently. Always verify current rates with HMRC or GOV.UK and seek independent professional advice before making investment decisions.