Run the Leasing Journey
A typical lease in Real Estate looks like this:
Tenant → Lease (Draft) → Activate → Rent schedule → Collect rent
→ Pending Renewal → Renew or Terminate
You can also start from Unit Availability: click a vacant unit → Create Lease.
Set up a lease
- Register a tenant under Real Estate → Tenants (or create from the vacant unit action).
- Create a lease linking tenant and unit — rent, frequency, deposit, late-fee rules, and optional rent escalation %.
- Review the live rent schedule preview on the create form before saving.
- Activate the lease to generate the rent schedule and mark the unit Rented.
- Use Rent Calendar on the lease (or Rent Dashboard) for upcoming dues and portfolio KPIs.
Lease lifecycle: Draft → Active → Pending Renewal → Renewed / Terminated / Expired.
Collect rent
Record payment in the office
- Open the lease detail → Record payment, or work from the Rent Dashboard.
- Enter amount and payment method.
- Save. The rent schedule status updates accordingly.
Posted rent can create journals in Accounting when that module is set up.
Guest rent links (no tenant login)
- Generate a rent payment link from the lease or rent collection screen.
- Email the link; the tenant pays on the secure rent payment page.
- Confirm or reject the payment if your process requires review.
Late fees and escalation
- Late fees — configure % or flat amount, optional cap, and once vs monthly compounding on the lease. A scheduled job applies them.
- Rent escalation — optional annual % on the lease. A nightly job updates future pending periods when the next escalation date arrives.
Security deposit
On lease create, a security deposit can post to the liability account. From Lease Detail → Deposit Actions:
| Action | When to use |
|---|---|
| Refund | Return held deposit to the tenant |
| Apply to outstanding | Offset deposit against overdue rent |
| Forfeit | Recognize deposit as income (damage or breach) |
Rent reminders
Open Real Estate → Rent Reminders to configure:
- Multi-stage reminders (days before or after due)
- Email, SMS, and portal announcement channels
- Scheduled aged receivables report delivery (day and hour)
End of lease
- Near expiry — or after Mark Notice on Unit Availability — status becomes Pending Renewal.
- Renew to create a successor lease, or Terminate with a reason.
- On Unit Availability, mark the unit available again when it is vacant.
:::tip List the unit when it is vacant From Unit Availability or the unit record, publish to the listings portal so applicants can apply online. :::