First rent charges on active tenancies

As existing accounts don't get migrated into Alto, you'll need to manually add your first rent charge onto each active tenancy.

Once you have added the first rent charge to an active tenancy, the next date is the one which your tenant is due to pay.  You can choose to automatically send an invoice to your tenants when the rent charge is raised.

When the next rent due charge is added, Alto will continue to raise the charge at the frequency you have selected, i.e. monthly/weekly/four weekly/annually. This charge will only need to be added once.

This article includes: 

• Adding first rent charges
• Sending a rent payment reminder (invoice) to your tenants
• Invoicing for rent in arrears
• Shared tenancy charges

Adding first rent charges

1. Click Tenancies on the main toolbar
2. Select the relevant tenancy from Recent & Favourite Tenancies
   1. Alternatively, find the tenancy using the Search Tenancies bar in the top right
3. Click Actions
4. Within the dropdown menu, click Charge
5. Click Add Charge
6. The Add Charge for this Tenancy window opens on the Charge tab
   
   1. Charge Date - Set this as the next date which the tenant is due to pay their rent
   2. Charge To - This determines whether the charge is to be raised against the tenancy or to a specific tenant. By default, this is set as the tenancy at the corresponding address
   3. Frequency - Set this as the frequency which your tenant agreed to pay rent on their tenancy agreement 
   4. Charge Item - This is where you set the item the charge relates to. In this example, click Landlord Income and then tick Rent
   5. Description - We advise that you don't edit or delete this as it allows Alto to generate the monthly description based on the charge date and the frequency
   6. Net Amount - Enter the amount you will be charging
7. Click OK

You will now be back on the Charges for this Tenancy screen. If automated charging is turned on, you can leave that screen without raising the charge, as Alto will raise it for you automatically when it becomes due.
(You can check if automated raising of charges is turned on at company or branch level.
For company level: Go to Tools>Templates and admin>System Administration>Companies>Edit.
For branch level: Go to Tools>Templates and admin>System Administration>Branches>Edit.
If Stop Automated Charging is unticked, it means that it's turned on and will allow Alto to raise invoices just after midnight on their due date)

Sending a rent payment reminder (invoice) to your tenants

If you would like to send a rent payment reminder (i.e. an invoice to your tenants a number of days prior to the rent due date), this can be selected in the Options tab of the rent charge.

1. Follow steps 1 - 6f above in Adding first rent charges 
2. Click the Options tab
3. Tick Produce and Send Documents 
4. In the Raise Days in Advance field, type the number of days in advance which the invoice will be sent (If you're using Import receipts functionality, follow the steps here) 
5. Once done, click the Charge tab to return
6. Click OK

The Lead Tenant will receive the invoice by their Account Delivery Method as set out on their contact record.

Invoicing for rent in arrears

You can change the wording on the recurring rent invoices so that you can invoice in arrears.

For example, if the original charge is:

• Charge Date - 01/01/2024
• Description - Rent for the month SS/SS/SS to EE/EE/EE

This would result in a charge due 01/01/2024 with the Description 'Rent for the month 01/01/2024 to 31/01/2024'.

However, to invoice in arrears, you would do:

• Charge Date - 31/01/2024
• Description - Rent for the month to SS/SS/SS

This would result in a charge due 31/01/2024 with the Description 'Rent for the month to 31/01/2024'.

The above would also work for other frequencies of payments (eg 4-weekly) with modification of the Description.

Shared tenancy charges

If you wish to raise a charge on a tenancy and split these charges between tenants on a joint tenancy, you can set up a shared charge on a tenancy.
For more information on Raising shared charges on a joint tenancy, click here

Related articles:

Raising an expense charge on a tenancy