Property Hawk Has Closed — What Landlords Need to Do Now

Property Hawk was a familiar free tool for UK landlords for years — a place to record properties, tenants, tenancies and the paperwork that goes with them. The service has now closed, and thousands of landlords have lost the one place that held their records. If you're picking up the pieces — or you exported your data and haven't yet rebuilt your reminders — here's exactly what to do, and how to make sure the next tool keeps you compliant as the Renters' Rights Act phases in.

1. Recover your data

If you managed to export before the shutdown, dig out that file now. If you still have any access route, get everything out: your property addresses, tenant names and contact details, tenancy dates, and any certificates or documents you uploaded. Save it somewhere safe — a spreadsheet and a folder of PDFs on your own computer or cloud drive. If you didn't export in time, you'll need to rebuild from your own copies of certificates and tenancy paperwork — which is a strong reason to keep everything in a tool you control from here on.

2. Don't lose track of your renewal dates

The hidden risk of a tool closing isn't the data — it's the reminders. If you were relying on Property Hawk to remember when your gas safety certificate, EICR, EPC or insurance renews, those dates need a new home immediately. A missed gas certificate or expired EICR can mean fines, invalidated insurance, or being unable to let. Write down every expiry date as you export, so nothing slips through the gap between tools.

3. Choose a replacement that covers compliance

A spreadsheet works as a stopgap, but it won't warn you before a certificate lapses or keep your documents organised per property. Look for a tool that does three things well:

• Tracks every certificate and renewal date with clear status (current / due soon / expired)
• Stores the actual documents so you can produce them on demand
• Helps with tenant vetting and keeps you ahead of new legislation

LandlordProof was built for exactly this. The core tracker is free, there's no card required, and you can import your portfolio from a spreadsheet in a few minutes.

4. Rebuild and check

Once your properties are in your new tool, add each certificate, upload the document, and confirm the expiry dates are correct. Then you're back to a single source of truth — with reminders — rather than a drawer full of PDFs and a memory you're trusting more than you should. It's the same direction of travel as Making Tax Digital, which now pushes landlords toward keeping records digitally and continuously rather than reconstructing them once a year.

This article is general guidance for UK landlords and is not legal advice. Requirements and deadlines change — always verify current rules at GOV.UK. LandlordProof is not affiliated with Property Hawk.