Use a lifecycle, not one giant folder
- Property: ownership, insurance, safety, warranties, and permanent property records.
- Application: consent, application, verification, decision, retention, and secure deletion.
- Tenancy: signed lease, disclosures, condition evidence, notices, and correspondence.
- Money: charges, payments, receipts, deposits, expenses, invoices, and tax support.
- Maintenance: request, photos, access communications, vendor work, cost, and resolution.
Name and connect records consistently
Use a stable property/unit identifier, a document type, an effective date, and a version or status. Avoid putting sensitive applicant or tenant information in filenames that may appear in notifications or shared links.
Keep the final signed or issued version distinct from drafts. Preserve corrections as new versions or auditable entries instead of overwriting history.
Retention and deletion need equal attention
CRA generally requires relevant tax records for six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to, subject to its detailed rules. Applications, credit information, tenancy files, and legal notices may follow different privacy or provincial requirements.
Document a retention reason and next-review date. Securely delete personal information when there is no longer a legitimate requirement to keep it.
Sources
- Canada Revenue Agency: Keeping Records (accessed 2026-07-25)
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: Privacy in the landlord and tenant relationship (accessed 2026-07-25)
Authored by DwellTrack Editorial Team. Review owner: Editorial review required for retention guidance.