A document checklist is useful when records are spread across email, paper files, payment history and messages. It does not need to be formal; its job is to show what you have found and what remains uncertain.
Build the checklist in four groups
- Tenancy agreement and key tenancy dates
- Deposit payment or bank record
- Protection certificate, scheme reference or related information
- Landlord or letting-agent correspondence
Add a short note beside each item
Record whether each item is complete, partial, undated or still missing. A note such as ‘email found, attachment missing’ is more useful than assuming what the missing attachment contained.
- Supporting information
- Records that may help explain a tenancy or deposit-protection question. Their relevance depends on the individual circumstances and review.