Adding tenants and managing tenancies

Tenant Compliance lets you record your tenants and connect each one to a property through a tenancy. This guide covers creating a tenant, optionally linking an initial tenancy, and managing the tenancy lifecycle (add, edit, and end).

What this covers

Tenant Compliance keeps a record of your tenants, links each one to a property through a tenancy, and tracks your landlord duties. This guide covers the first two parts: creating a tenant and managing the tenancy that connects them to a property. It is a compliance and deadline tracker, not a rent ledger: see Tenant Compliance overview for the bigger picture. For deposit protection dates, Right to Rent, and safety certificates, see Right to Rent, deposits, and certificates.

Who can use it

Tenant Compliance needs the MTD Lite plan and an account with property income (it is for property landlords, so a self-employment-only account never sees it). See Plans and pricing to upgrade. When both apply, open Tenant Compliance in the sidebar (it opens the Tenants page).

Note: To attach a tenancy you need at least one property you actively own. You can still create a tenant on its own without a property. To add a property first, see Add your first property.

Add a tenant

1. Open Tenant Compliance from the sidebar, then click Add Tenant (top right).
2. Under Tenant Details, enter the tenant's Full Name. This is the only required field.
3. Optionally add Email, Phone, and Notes.
4. Click Create Tenant.

That is all you need for a contact record. You can link a tenancy now or later.

Link an initial tenancy at the same time (optional)

On the Add Tenant form you can expand Link to Property to create a tenancy in one step:

1. Expand Link to Property. This section only appears when you own at least one property.
2. Choose the Property.
3. Set the Start Date and the Rent Amount. Both are required whenever you create a tenancy.
4. Optionally set the Status (defaults to Active), the Payment Frequency (defaults to monthly), and an End Date.
5. Optionally fill in Deposit Details: Deposit Amount, Deposit Scheme (DPS, TDS, MyDeposits, or No scheme), and Deposit Reference.
6. Click Create Tenant.

Note: The lead tenant is added automatically as the first adult occupier on the tenancy, ready for Right to Rent. You can add the other adults who live there later. See Right to Rent, deposits, and certificates.

Manage the tenancy lifecycle

Open a tenant from the Tenants list to reach their detail page. The tenancy timeline there lets you add, edit, and end tenancies.

Add another tenancy

1. On the tenant's detail page, choose Add Tenancy on the tenancy timeline.
2. Choose the Property, then set the Start Date and Rent Amount (required), plus Status, Payment Frequency, an optional End Date, optional Deposit Details, and optional notes.
3. Save.

A property can have more than one active tenancy at once, so HMOs and shared houses are supported. Add a separate tenant and tenancy for each occupier or unit.

Edit a tenancy

Open the tenancy from the timeline, change the details, and click Save Changes.

End a tenancy

Use the End Tenancy action on the tenancy, choose a Reason (Ended naturally or Terminated early), set an End Date, then confirm. An end date is required, because it stops the app from projecting future rent periods. You can also open the tenancy, set its Status to Ended or Terminated, and click Save Changes; that route needs an end date too.

The Renters' Rights Act payment-frequency rule

For a property in England, a tenancy that starts on or after 1 May 2026 cannot use a quarterly or annually payment frequency, so those options are not offered. Choose weekly, fortnightly, or monthly instead. Quarterly and annually remain available for the other UK nations and for pre-existing records.

This is how the app behaves to reflect the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It is not legal advice, so please confirm the legislation and your own duties with official guidance or your accountant.

Deleting a tenant

You can delete a tenant from their detail page, but only once they have no live tenancy. If you try to delete a tenant who still has an active or upcoming tenancy, the app shows: "This tenant has a live tenancy. Please end the tenancy before deleting the tenant." End the tenancy first, then delete.

Important: Deleting a tenant removes their record and tenancy history. End the tenancy if you only want to mark someone as moved out and keep the history.

If something goes wrong

• Tenant Compliance is missing from the sidebar, or the Tenants page sends you back to the dashboard. Your account does not include property income. It is for property landlords, so a self-employment-only account will not see it. (On the Free plan with property income you do still see it, but opening it shows the upgrade prompt below.)
• An upgrade prompt appears instead of the Tenants page. Your plan is Free. Tenant Compliance needs MTD Lite. See Plans and pricing.
• The "Link to Property" section is not on the Add Tenant form. It only appears when you actively own at least one property. Add a property first, then create the tenancy from the tenant's detail page.
• You cannot mark a tenancy as Ended or Terminated. Both statuses require an End Date. Set one, then save.
• Quarterly or Annually is missing from Payment Frequency. For an England tenancy starting on or after 1 May 2026, rent periods longer than a month are not offered. Choose weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.
• You cannot delete a tenant. They still have a live tenancy. End it (Ended or Terminated with an end date) first, then delete.

Frequently asked questions

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