Rental management and accounting: what to track
What accounting records to keep as a landlord? Income, expenses, tax return.
Sommaire · 4 sections Reduire ▴
- 01 What to track
- 02 Tracking tools
- 03 Tax preparation
- 04 Best practices
What to track in rental accounting
Income
| Income | Frequency | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | Monthly | Bank statement |
| Recoverable charges | Monthly/quarterly | Invoices + statement |
| Charge adjustment | Annual | Annual statement |
Expenses
| Expense | Frequency | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Property tax | Annual | Tax assessment notice |
| Insurance | Annual | Policy and receipt |
| Co-ownership charges | Monthly/quarterly | Management agent statement |
| Works and repairs | Ad hoc | Invoices |
| Bank charges (mortgage) | Monthly | Bank statement |
For detailed tax information, see our guide on rental taxation.
Tracking tools
Spreadsheet (Excel/Google Sheets)
A simple spreadsheet is sufficient for 1-3 properties:
- One tab per property
- Columns: date, description, amount, category
- Automatic monthly and annual totals
- Tracking charts
Rental management software
For 3+ properties, dedicated software offers:
- Automated rent tracking
- Receipt generation
- Unpaid rent alerts
- Tax reports
For a comparison of tools, see our guide on rent tracking spreadsheet.
Dedicated bank account
| Advantage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clarity | All rental cash flows on a single account |
| Proof | Facilitates demonstrating payments |
| Tax | Simplified tax return preparation |
| Management | Immediate overview |
Tax return preparation
Documents to gather
| Document | Tax use |
|---|---|
| Cadastral income | Tax base (private rental) |
| Total rent received | Tax base (company rental) |
| Property tax paid | Deduction |
| Mortgage interest | Deduction |
| Certificate of each lease | Justification |
Tax calendar
| Deadline | Action |
|---|---|
| February-March | Gather documents |
| April-June | Complete the personal income tax return |
| September | Pay the property tax |
| October | Adjustment if supplement due |
For tax details, see our guide on rental taxation.
Best practices
Organisation
- Record each transaction on the same day
- Scan and file each invoice immediately
- Do a monthly accounting review (15 minutes)
- Prepare an annual balance sheet per property
Key indicators
| Indicator | Formula | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Gross yield | Annual rent / Purchase price | > 4% |
| Net yield | (Rent - Charges) / Purchase price | > 2.5% |
| Vacancy rate | Empty months / 12 | < 5% |
| Unpaid rate | Unpaid / Rent due | < 2% |
For further reading, see our guides on rental management and property investment. Use our lease generator for compliant contracts.