How-to

How to group accommodation and address documents so the section stays together

Why some people keep these documents as one section

Documents that relate to where someone has lived can end up scattered: a tenancy agreement in one folder, a bill in an email, a letter in a drawer. Some people find it easier to treat them as a single section so that everything about one address can be found in one place.

• One section means fewer places to look.
• Grouping by address keeps related papers side by side.
• A consistent order makes it easier to see what is there and what is missing.

This guide does not say which accommodation documents any application needs. For that, check GOV.UK or speak to an IAA-registered adviser or SRA-regulated solicitor.

Kinds of documents people often group

These are examples of things people commonly keep together under accommodation and address. They are not a list of what is required.

• A tenancy agreement, including any later renewal or extension.
• A letter from a homeowner or the person someone is staying with.
• A council tax bill.
• Utility bills, such as gas, electricity, water or broadband.
• A mortgage statement.
• Other letters or statements that show an address.

Someone's own situation may mean some of these do not apply, or that other documents belong in the section. That is a question for GOV.UK or an adviser, not for a filing system.

Group by address, then by date

One approach is to sort in two steps. First, split the section by address. Then, inside each address, put the documents in date order.

1. One sub-group per address. If there was more than one address, give each its own set so the papers for one place are never mixed with another.
2. Oldest to newest, or newest to oldest. Pick one direction and use it for every address.
3. Agreement first. Some people put the tenancy agreement or letter at the front of each address, followed by the bills in date order.

The guide on naming and numbering scanned files explains how to carry this order into file names, for example by starting each name with the address and the date.

Keep multi-page documents whole

A tenancy agreement can run to many pages, often with signature pages or schedules at the end. Splitting it across folders makes it easy to lose a page.

• Scan every page of an agreement, including the last page and any attachments.
• Keep the pages as one file in the right order, rather than as separate loose images.
• Check the page count against the paper copy after scanning.

For clearer scans, see the guide on scanning documents clearly on a phone. If a paper set is kept too, the guide on keeping paper and digital copies covers matching the two.

Add a mini contents list and note any gaps

A short contents list for this one section makes it easy to see what is held. It can be a simple table or a note kept with the files, and it can later feed into a larger contents page. The guide on building a contents page shows the wider idea.

• Address: the address each group relates to.
• Document: for example tenancy agreement, council tax bill or utility bill.
• Date or period: the date shown, or the period covered.
• File name or number: so the entry matches the file.

Add a line for anything not yet found, such as a missing month or a page still to be scanned. Writing a gap down is simply a note to self. It does not say whether the gap matters for any application.

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