When is a landlord compliance spreadsheet enough?
A spreadsheet is enough if you have one or two rentals, you update next-due dates the day a certificate arrives, and you already keep reliable calendar alerts at 90 and 30 days. In that case the sheet is a register, not your only reminder.
If you never miss the annual gas safety booking today, keep the sheet — but still treat alerts as mandatory. Storage without reminders is how expired CP12s happen.
Where do certificate spreadsheets usually fail?
Common failure modes: the file lives on one laptop; columns drift between properties; PDFs sit in email while dates sit in the sheet; nobody owns the monthly review. Portfolio landlords and busy sole traders lose the thread first.
A dedicated reminder tool is built around the anniversary: property-scoped dates, expiry warnings, and (when Certs Reminder launches) email alerts before Gas Safety, EICR and EPC lapse.
How should you choose without overbuying software?
Choose the lightest system you will actually open. If calendar alerts already work, keep them. If you have missed a renewal once, move dates into a tracker with automated reminders rather than adding another colour-coded column.
Certs Reminder is aimed at landlords who want property-scoped Gas Safety, EICR and EPC dates with launch reminders — join the waitlist if that is the gap a spreadsheet is not closing.
Spreadsheet vs dedicated reminder — side by side
| Need | Spreadsheet | Dedicated reminder tool |
|---|---|---|
| One property, disciplined calendar | Usually fine | Optional |
| Several properties / shared management | Easy to drift | Stronger fit |
| Expiry alerts without opening a file | Manual calendars only | Built for this |
| PDF + date in one place | Separate folders/emails | Designed together |
| Cost and setup | Free, DIY | Waitlist now; tiers at launch |
Frequently asked questions
Is a spreadsheet illegal for landlord certificates?
No. The law cares that certificates are valid and available when required — not which app stores the dates. Spreadsheets fail operationally, not because they are banned.
Should I abandon my spreadsheet today?
Only if reminders are unreliable. Export your next-due dates first. Use free guides and calendar alerts until a reminder product (like Certs Reminder) is ready for your workflow.
What should every row include?
Property label, certificate type, issue date, next due date, engineer reference, and a link or filename for the latest PDF.