Correcting a tenancy start date depends on how long the agreement has been running and whether funds are held in the ledger. The approach differs across three scenarios.
Scenario 1: The Tenancy Is Very New (Funds Still in the Owner's Ledger)
Reverse all funds reconciled for this tenancy.
Adjust the rent template to reflect the correct start date.
Void all incorrectly dated rent invoices using the Ignore as Rent option.
Generate new invoices using Generate Next Rent Invoice or Set Opening Balance.
Reapply the tenant's funds to the newly created invoices.
Scenario 2: No Funds in the Owner's Ledger
Update the rent template start date to the correct date.
Generate one-off rent invoices to cover each period up to the current Next Invoice date.
Unreconcile previous invoices and reverse them where possible, or unreconcile only if balance constraints apply.
Match deposits from bank statements to the new correct invoices.
Reverse payments against the incorrect invoices and void them.
Ensure there are no unprocessed deposits in the trust account.
Note: Document all changes in case of a trust account audit and seek advice from your auditor before proceeding with multiple reversals.
Scenario 3: Tenancy Started Too Late (Recorded Start Is After Actual Start)
Update the rent template start date to the correct earlier date.
Check the date range for the next invoice generation.
Create a one-off rent invoice for the initially missed period.
Generate another one-off invoice for any gap between the old and new invoice dates.
Match the tenant's upcoming payment to the new invoices.
Scenario 4: Tenancy Started Too Early (Recorded Start Is Before Actual Start)
Update the rent template to the correct later start date.
Verify the next invoice date range after the adjustment.
Issue a one-off rent invoice to cover the gap between the old and new rent invoices.
Create a descriptive income credit note for the period that was overcharged and apply it to the new invoice.
Example: The tenancy was invoiced from 1 Feb but actually started on 10 Feb. February and March rent have already been invoiced; next invoice shows as 1 April. Update the start date to 10 Feb — next invoice date moves to 10 April. Raise a one-off rent invoice for 1–9 April, and a credit note for 1–9 Feb, then apply the credit note to the invoice.
North American customers will see "Leases" where this article says "Tenancies", and "Terms and Options" where it says "Terms and Breaks". For more information on regional terminology, see our Glossary of Regional Terminology.