The handover checklist: 31 things your old letting agent should give you

Over the years, your letting agent has built up a file on your property: certificates, notices, photos and statements. Since the Renters' Rights Act came in, gaps in that paper trail can cost you, so when you switch agents, all of it needs to come with you.

Send this list as one written request on the day you give notice, with a 14-day deadline. While the notice period runs, the agent is still under contract, which makes it easier to chase anything missing. It's the first step in our 12-week switching plan.

Contract and money

• Signed terms of business and any later changes
• A final client account statement up to the handover date
• Payment of your balance, plus any float or repair funds held
• The rent ledger since the tenancy began, showing any arrears at handover
• Unpaid contractor invoices, and who will settle each one
• Statements for the current tax year and the previous six

Deposit

• Scheme name, protection type (custodial or insured) and deposit ID
• The deposit certificate and prescribed information, with proof they were given to the tenant
• The transfer of responsibility (custodial) or the money against a written undertaking (insured): here's how each works

Tenancy file

• The tenancy agreement or written statement of terms, every version
• The government's Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet, with proof it was given to existing tenants by 31 May 2026
• Right to Rent check records, with any follow-up check dates
• Referencing reports and guarantor agreements
• Every notice served or received, with proof of service
• Tenant contact details and correspondence history

Safety and compliance

• Gas safety record, electrical safety report (EICR) and EPC, with expiry dates and proof the tenant was given copies
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm records, and the legionella risk assessment
• Any outstanding work flagged by an inspection or certificate
• Any HMO, additional or selective licence, and the name of the licence holder
• Your rental property register numbers, once your region is live

Running the property

• Open repair jobs and contractor contacts
• Repair history, especially anything to do with damp and mould
• Appliance warranties, manuals and the boiler service history
• Inspection reports with photos
• The signed check-in inventory and schedule of condition
• Keys, fobs and alarm codes, against a signed key log
• Meter readings on the handover date
• Freeholder or block manager contacts, and service charge letters
• Buildings insurance and rent guarantee insurance details

Tax

• Year-to-date income and expenses, split by quarter if you're in Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
• Non-resident landlord tax deductions and a part-year certificate, if you live abroad

The ones you can't afford to lose

• Proof of service. Many documents only help you if you can show the tenant received them. Without that proof, it's hard to show you followed the rules if a council asks, a dispute comes up or you need the property back. Not giving existing tenants the Information Sheet can lead to a civil penalty of up to £7,000.
• Certificate expiry dates. You need these on day one, so nothing lapses while each agent assumes the other is handling it.
• Right to Rent records. A record of each check is what protects you from a civil penalty if a tenant's right to rent is ever questioned.
• Inventory and inspection photos. These are your evidence if there's a dispute over the deposit at the end of the tenancy.

If your agent won't hand things over

This paperwork exists so you can meet your legal duties, and you'll need it long after the agent has gone. If the agent is slow:

1. Chase in writing, referring back to your original request and its deadline.
2. Use the agent's complaints procedure. After a final response, or once eight weeks have passed, you can escalate to its redress scheme, The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme.
3. Rebuild what you can elsewhere. Your EPC is on the public EPC register, the engineers who did the gas and electrical checks can often supply copies, and your tenant may have copies of documents they were given.

Keep a copy that's yours

Store everything somewhere you control, not only in your new agent's system. Next time you switch agents or sell, or a council asks a question, you'll have it in minutes rather than weeks.

This guide covers England and is general information, not legal advice.