WhatsApp messages with your landlord or tenant: keeping a proper record

Practical guidance, not legal advice. Rules differ by country and court. Your lawyer has the final word.

“The heating has been broken since Tuesday.” “I’ll send someone tomorrow.” Many tenancies run on WhatsApp now. When there’s a dispute about repairs, a deposit or a notice date, that chat is your timeline.

Why a proper record helps

• Dates prove timelines: when a problem was reported, when it was answered, when notice was given.
• Photos sent in the chat (mould, damage, meter readings) appear right where they were sent if you export with media.
• Deposit schemes, mediators and tribunals deal with many cases. A clean, numbered document is easier for them to work with than 40 screenshots.

How to do it

1. Export the chat with media (iPhone · Android).
2. Open the zip in Paperthread. Choose Records for a dispute, or Chat if you just want a readable copy.
3. Filter to the tenancy period, preview for free, then download.

Tip: start keeping a record early

Export the chat every few months while the tenancy is running. If a phone is lost or a chat is deleted, you still have a copy.