Landlords: Ditch the Tenant Ring Binder, it’s Time to QR Code it

Gathering the raft of documentation together and ticking all the legal boxes as a private landlord ahead of a new tenancy is enough of a challenge. But having to print, collate and update it every time something changes… well, suffice to say, you’ve got enough on your plate. Cutting back on paper is a cool thing to do too, plus it keeps that bottom line healthier. So what’s the answer? Well, it’s those little black and white squares… aka QR codes.

QR codes are everywhere these days. In the UK and Europe, almost 87% of smartphone users have scanned a QR code at least once, and 36% scan at least one a week. In the US, over 50% of restaurants offer QR code menus. And in a survey, 59% of respondents believed QR codes would become a permanent fixture on their mobiles in the future.

The pandemic and the way it’s made us all focus more on hygiene has a lot to do with the fact that much of the world is embracing contactless tech. But there’s also that eco-factor. Because QR codes are replacing paper, in a big way. And private landlords are just one of the lucky groups of people who are going to benefit from the new wave of paperless documentation. Here’s why you could be joining them.

Because you need to provide certain documents by law

The obligatory government How to Rent Guide. Deposit protection prescribed information. Energy Performance Certificate. Electrical Installation Condition Report. Gas Safety Record. Property inventory and periodic inspection reports.

And of course there’s your renter’s copy of the tenancy agreement.

In other words, mountains of paperwork. So why print when you can scan?

There’s not one thing listed above that can’t be stored digitally and accessed with a simple scan of a QR code. Imagine replacing all that paper with either a single QR code printout, or a digital code emailed to your tenant.

No-brainer? Paperless rental documents are the future.

Because you want to be a helpful landlord

There’s a lot of stuff in a rental property that your tenants may not necessarily know how to use. Especially if they’re first-timers.

You could make them a welcome file packed with all the instructions they need to operate the washing machine, use the cooker, set the boiler timer or intruder alarm, turn the stopcock off and test the smoke alarm. And everything else. Useful energy saving tips and vital emergency procedures included.

But wouldn’t it be better to digitalise this information and, instead of putting it in a file the tenants have to hunt down every time they need to know something, stick a QR code on or near the actual appliance so all they have to do is scan to see exactly what they need to know?

Better for them for sure. And better for you, because again, you get to circumvent that whole printing exercise.

Because not all tenants speak English

Britain is an ethnically diverse country. More than 10% of residents in some neighbourhoods of England and Wales don’t have any English speaking ability whatsoever. Some 161,000 (0.3% of the population) can’t speak English at all, whilst 880,000 can’t speak it well.

So, chances are as a landlord, at some point you’re going to come across a tenant whose first language isn’t English, and who may struggle to understand any of the documentation or guidance you’ve given them.

So that ring binder full of legal forms and how-to instructions may well be worthless to them. And it’s not good to be out of the picture when it comes to those vital emergency procedures. Nor is it helpful if you can’t understand important legal documents.

The great thing about making all this stuff available via QR codes instead is that it can deliver everything the tenant needs to know in their preferred language.

Because your tenants appreciate you being kind to the planet

In a survey, 98% of respondents said they’d be happy to pay more for an eco-friendly rental property.

If this is the general attitude, it must translate that renters will appreciate any effort their landlord makes on the green front. Including providing paperless rental documents via a digital, QR code-accessed alternative.

Looking for an affordable QR code generator?

Ban.gl has it. Deliver the information and docs your tenants need, in the language they understand, at a fraction of the cost of stacks of printing. Show them you’re up to date, you care about the planet, and you’re a helpful landlord with paperless documentation accessed by a simple scan of a QR code.

All Ban.gl QR codes are customisable and offer the benefit of simple, no-nonsense pricing. Landlord Bangls can be created using any language, and you can include up to five different mother tongues on the same one.

Need to know more? Contact us. We’re here to help you save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and make your life as a landlord so much easier.