How to never miss a lease renewal: a reminder system for landlords
Missed renewals cost landlords money: months of rent at the old rate, notices served too late, and tenants who move out without warning. A simple reminder system, set up once, removes the guesswork for every property you own.
Why renewals slip
- Yearly rent is paid once, so there is no monthly habit to remind you.
- Dates live in different places: old receipts, agreements, an agent’s memory.
- Notice periods are long. A yearly tenancy in Lagos usually needs six months’ notice, so by the time a renewal feels close, it is often too late to change course.
Step 1: collect every date in one place
For each property, write down the tenant’s name, the start date, the end or renewal date, the rent and how often it is paid, and the notice period in the agreement. If dates are missing, use the last rent receipt to work out the period paid.
Step 2: set reminders that match the decisions
| When | Decision or action |
|---|---|
| 6 months before | Decide whether to renew. If ending a yearly tenancy, serve notice now |
| 3 months before | Review rent; tell the tenant your terms in writing |
| 1 month before | Confirm terms and send the invoice |
| 7 days before | Chase payment and signatures |
| On or after the date | Act promptly on anything still outstanding |
Our renewal timeline guide explains each step, and how to raise rent fairly covers the three-month conversation.
Step 3: choose a tool you will actually check
- Paper diary or wall calendar: free, but easy to lose and no alerts.
- Phone calendar: alerts work, but you must create each one by hand and redo them every year.
- Spreadsheet: good overview, but it never reminds you by itself.
- A dedicated app: enter the renewal date once and the reminders follow automatically.
Step 4: update after every renewal
When a tenancy renews, record the new end date and rent straight away and file the new receipt. A system is only as good as its latest dates.
Do it in Landlord Reminder
Landlord Reminder is free and made for this. Add each tenancy once with its renewal date and it shows what is overdue, what is due within a month and what comes later, with alerts three months, one month and seven days ahead. You can attach the agreement and receipts, and your data is encrypted on your device. Landlords abroad can read managing Nigerian property from abroad.