Record a rent payment
Add rent received, connect it to the correct property and tenancy, and allocate the payment against the relevant expected rent period.
Recording a rent payment creates an actual income transaction. Allocating it against the rent schedule shows which expected rent period the payment satisfies and helps maintain an accurate outstanding balance.
How rent payments work
A rent payment contains the amount received, payment date, reference and source. It can then be allocated against one or more expected rent entries.
Rent payment received
24 Oak Avenue · September 2026 rent
Record the date the money was actually received, then allocate it to the rent period it relates to.
Before recording the payment
- Confirm the money has actually been received.
- Check the payment amount.
- Review the bank or payment reference.
- Confirm the payment date.
- Identify the property and tenancy.
- Check the payer’s name where available.
- Review the expected rent schedule.
- Check whether the payment covers one or several periods.
- Search for an existing transaction to avoid duplication.
- Confirm whether any part of the payment is not rent.
Create a payment only when the transaction has occurred. The rent schedule already records the expected amount.
Open the rent payment area
Open Financials
Select Financials from the main Estavo navigation.
Open Transactions or Rent Payments
Select the area containing recorded income and rent receipts.
Search existing transactions
Check the amount, date and reference before creating another entry.
Select Record Rent Payment
Open the payment-entry form.
Select the property and tenancy
A payment received after a tenancy ends may still relate to an earlier outstanding rent period.
Enter the rent payment details
Do not change the received amount to make it match expected rent. Differences should remain visible as partial payments, overpayments or unallocated balances.
Allocate the payment to expected rent
Review outstanding rent entries
Check the expected dates, amounts and current balances.
Select the relevant period
Choose the expected rent entry the payment relates to.
Enter the allocation amount
Allocate all or part of the received payment.
Review the remaining balance
Confirm whether the rent period is fully or partly satisfied.
Save the allocation
Confirm the received payment and expected rent are linked correctly.
Record a partial rent payment
Where the amount received is lower than the expected rent, record the actual transaction and allocate only the amount received.
- Enter the actual payment amount.
- Select the relevant expected rent period.
- Allocate the amount received.
- Leave the remaining rent balance outstanding.
- Record a note where the reason is known.
- Add a later payment separately when it is received.
- Review the updated arrears position.
- Avoid marking the full period as paid.
Allocate one payment across multiple rent periods
Enter the full amount received
Record one transaction matching the bank or payment record.
Select the first rent period
Allocate the appropriate amount to the earliest or intended outstanding period.
Select the next period
Allocate the remaining payment against the next relevant rent entry.
Review the allocation total
Confirm the allocations equal the transaction amount.
Save and review balances
Check each rent period and any remaining unallocated amount.
Handle a rent overpayment
Allocate to a future period
Apply the excess to future expected rent only where this reflects the intended treatment.
Leave as unallocated
Retain the balance without assigning it until its purpose is confirmed.
Record as another income type
Separate any amount that is not rent and categorise it correctly.
Record a refund
Add the outgoing refund separately if the excess is returned.
Keep the payment equal to the amount actually received and manage the excess through allocation or refund entries.
Record an unallocated rent payment
A payment can remain unallocated temporarily when the property, payer or intended rent period cannot yet be confirmed.
- Record the actual payment date and amount.
- Add the available bank or payment reference.
- Record the payer name where known.
- Add a note explaining why it is unallocated.
- Avoid assigning it to a property without sufficient information.
- Review unallocated transactions regularly.
- Allocate the payment when the correct tenancy and period are confirmed.
- Check that it has not already been recorded elsewhere.
Save and review the rent payment
- Confirm the amount received.
- Check the actual payment date.
- Review the payment reference.
- Confirm the property and tenancy.
- Check the selected expected rent period.
- Review the allocation amount.
- Confirm any unallocated balance.
- Check for duplicate transactions.
- Select Save or Record Payment.
- Review the updated rent balance and arrears position.
Edit an incorrect rent payment
Open the transaction
Find it using the property, date, amount or reference.
Review the source transaction
Confirm the correct amount and date from the bank or payment record.
Correct the transaction details
Update the date, reference, method, payer or notes where necessary.
Review the allocation
Correct the tenancy or expected rent period if the payment was matched incorrectly.
Save and review balances
Confirm the rent schedule and arrears position now reflect the corrected payment.
Where the money was genuinely received, correct the allocation rather than removing the underlying payment.
Record a refund or payment reversal
A refund or reversed payment should normally be recorded as a separate outgoing or reversing transaction so the original payment history remains visible.
- Retain the original received payment.
- Record the refunded or reversed amount.
- Add the refund or reversal date.
- Record the payment reference.
- Link it to the original transaction where supported.
- Reverse or adjust the related rent allocation.
- Review the resulting outstanding balance.
- Add supporting notes or evidence.
Common rent-payment problems
The payment appears twice
Check for a manually entered payment and a separate imported transaction with the same amount and date.
Rent still shows overdue
Confirm the payment was allocated to the correct expected rent period.
The wrong tenancy was selected
Correct the allocation and review the balances for both tenancies.
The payment amount does not match rent
Record the actual amount and manage the difference as partial payment, overpayment or unallocated balance.
The transaction cannot be allocated
Check that a rent schedule and expected rent entry exist for the tenancy.
An imported payment is already matched
Review the existing match before creating or allocating another transaction.
The overpayment disappeared
Review future allocations, unallocated balances and refund transactions.
The refund did not restore arrears
Confirm the original rent allocation was reversed or adjusted with the refund entry.
The rent payment is recorded
The next guide explains how to record property expenses, select the correct category and attach invoices or receipts.
Continue to property expenses