Rent Ledger Spreadsheet for Landlords: Excel + Sheets

Picture a landlord with a handful of units who tracks rent in a notebook and a banking app. Most months that is fine. Then one tenant pays part of the rent late, another pays two months together, and a third asks for a statement of everything they have paid this year. Suddenly the notebook is not enough. A rent ledger spreadsheet records every charge, payment, credit and deposit with a running balance per tenant, so you can answer “what is owed?” in seconds.

This guide explains how to keep a clear rent ledger, then walks through the Rent Ledger + Tenant Ledger spreadsheet from Create Digital Tools.

Get the Rent Ledger + Tenant Ledger →

This is an organising tool for your own records, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check the late-fee rules that apply where your property is.

Why rent tracking goes wrong

Rent sounds simple: the same amount, on the same day, every month. In practice, small landlords run into the same issues:

• Partial and combined payments. When payments do not match the rent, a simple paid/unpaid list stops working.
• Late fees worked out by hand. Grace days, flat fees and daily fees are easy to get wrong without a formula.
• Deposits mixed up with rent. Deposits need to be tracked separately from rent paid.
• Statements and receipts on request. Producing a full history for a tenant means searching through months of records.

A ledger, where each line is an entry and the balance runs on from the line before, is the standard way to handle all of this.

How to set up a rent ledger spreadsheet yourself

1. Set your rules first

Decide the rent due day, the number of grace days and how late fees work: a flat fee, a daily fee, or a daily fee with a cap. Write these down where you can see them.

2. Create a tenant list

For each tenant record the unit, lease start and end dates, monthly rent and deposit. Give each tenant a consistent name or ID so ledger entries link correctly.

3. Use entry types

Every ledger line should have a type: charge (rent or a fee), payment, credit or deposit. Charges increase the balance, payments and credits reduce it, and deposits are tracked on their own.

4. Keep a running balance per tenant

Each line’s balance equals the tenant’s previous balance plus charges minus payments and credits. A positive balance means money is owed.

5. Review a monthly rent grid

A grid with tenants down the side and months across the top, coloured by status, shows patterns that a long ledger hides.

6. Issue receipts and statements

Give a receipt for each payment and a statement when a tenant asks. Both should come straight from the ledger so they always match your records.

Inside the Rent Ledger + Tenant Ledger spreadsheet

The Rent Ledger + Tenant Ledger is an .xlsx file for Excel that can also be imported into Google Sheets. It uses formulas only, with no macros, add-ons or subscription, and it comes with sample data for 8 tenants dated to the current date. A Setup Guide PDF is included.

Start Here

Setup steps, the ledger entry types and a colour key.

Dashboard

Rent roll, amount collected this month, total owed, tenants in arrears, late fees due, deposits held, collection rate and a chart.

Setup

Rent due day, grace days, late-fee rules (flat, per day or capped), payment methods and properties.

Tenants

Up to 60 tenants with unit, lease dates, rent, deposit, balance, last payment and standing.

Ledger

2,000 rows for charges, payments, credits and deposits, with a running balance per tenant on every row.

Rent Grid

Twelve months of rent paid per tenant, colour-coded green, amber and red.

Late Fees

Choose a month to see paid and short amounts, days late and the late fee for each tenant, calculated from your own grace days and fee rules.

Tenant Statement and Rent Receipt

A printable statement with full history and balance due, and a printable receipt for any payment that fills in automatically.

Watch the setup guide and full tour

This video shows setup and each tab of the ledger:

Good habits for keeping rent records

• Enter payments the day they arrive. A ledger is only as good as its latest entry. A weekly catch-up at most keeps it accurate.
• Use a reference for each payment. Note the bank reference or cheque number so you can match entries to your bank statement.
• Record charges separately from payments. Rent due and late fees go in as charges; money received goes in as payments. Do not net them together.
• Keep deposits apart. Track deposits as their own entry type so they are never counted as rent.
• Reconcile monthly. Compare collected rent on the dashboard with your bank deposits at the end of each month.
• Give receipts promptly. A receipt for each payment avoids disagreements later.
• Back up the file. Keep a copy in cloud storage or export a dated copy each month.

Clear records help you, your tenants and anyone who prepares your accounts.

Getting started in your first session

Download the .xlsx file and the Setup Guide PDF, and open the file in Excel or import it into Google Sheets. Start with the Start Here tab to learn the entry types and colour key. On Setup, enter your rent due day, grace days, late-fee rule, payment methods and properties. Add your tenants with unit, lease dates, rent and deposit on the Tenants tab. Then record opening balances and this month’s charges and payments in the Ledger. Open the Dashboard and Rent Grid to check the totals look right, and print a test statement and receipt to see how they appear.

Who it is for (and who it is not for)

A good fit if you are:

• A small landlord or self-managing owner with up to 60 tenants.
• A property manager who wants rent, late fees and deposits in a spreadsheet you own.
• Someone who needs printable tenant statements and rent receipts.

Probably not the right fit if you:

• Want online rent collection or bank syncing. Payments are entered by you.
• Manage more than 60 tenants.
• Need full accounting with tax returns. This is a rent record, not bookkeeping software.

Filling a vacancy? Our Rental Application Kit has fillable application, screening and reference forms. Browse more in our Excel and Google Sheets spreadsheets.

FAQ

Excel or Google Sheets?

Both. Open the .xlsx in Excel, or import it into Google Sheets.

Can I use it on my phone?

A computer is recommended for setup. The Google Sheets app works for quick updates.

How do I remove the sample tenants?

The file comes with sample data for 8 tenants so you can see how it works. Follow the Start Here tab and Setup Guide to replace it with your own.

Does it calculate late fees automatically?

Yes, from the grace days and late-fee rules you enter on the Setup tab. Check that your rules follow local regulations.

Is it an instant download?

Yes. You receive the .xlsx spreadsheet and the Setup Guide PDF; nothing is shipped.

Get the Rent Ledger + Tenant Ledger →

Microsoft Excel is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation, and Google Sheets is a trademark of Google LLC. This is an independent spreadsheet, not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft or Google.