Glossary

Tenant ledger

The running record of charges, payments and balance for a specific resident.

Definition

The tenant ledger is the same record as the rent ledger, framed from the resident's side: every charge raised against them, every payment received, and the resulting balance over the life of the tenancy.

Example

The tenant ledger shows rent, a late fee, a partial payment, and the running balance, in the order each event happened.

Why it matters

Residents dispute balances, not systems. A ledger a resident can read in their portal answers most questions before they become a phone call, and it is the same document you would produce if the balance were ever formally contested.

How it works in practice

Give residents live access to their own ledger. Label charges in plain language — 'August rent', not a code — and show the payment method and date received on each credit. Keep the tenancy's full history rather than only the current lease term.

Common mistakes

Hiding the ledger from the resident, using internal codes nobody outside the office understands, and starting a fresh ledger at renewal so prior balances disappear.

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