Rental admin: the complete annual calendar for landlords

Rental admin comes in four recurring blocks: monthly tasks (meter reading, settlement, collecting rent), annual tasks (tax return, contract review, rent increase), seasonal tasks (start and end of the heating season), and ad-hoc tasks (tenant change, repairs). Organise these into one calendar and no deadline slips — and there are no surprises at move-out.

This article gives you a ready annual calendar: month by month, what’s worth handling for a let property. For one or two flats, pin it up; for several, set it as reminders.

The four task types

Before the calendar, it helps to separate why each item lands there:

• Monthly, recurring: meter reading, settlement with the tenant, checking that rent arrived.
• Annual, fixed-date: tax return, contract and rent review, insurance renewal.
• Seasonal: start of the heating season (autumn) and its end (spring), summer peak usage.
• Ad-hoc: tenant change, repair reports, deposit settlement. These can’t be scheduled ahead, but you should have a protocol for them.

The annual calendar, month by month

Dates are indicative — adjust to your contract’s anniversary and your providers’ reading deadlines. The tax dates below follow the Hungarian system; check your own jurisdiction.

The monthly routine (the same every month)

Alongside the annual dates there’s a core that repeats every month:

1. Meter reading — the tenant reads (or photographs) the meters, you record them.
2. Settlement — calculate consumption and charges, send the itemised statement. For the full process, see utility bill settlement for rentals, A-Z.
3. Collection check — did rent and utilities arrive? On arrears, send an immediate written reminder.

Done by hand, these three steps take 15–30 minutes per flat per month — and that’s exactly what RentTab automates: readings come from a photo, charges are calculated for you, payment status shows in one view. RentTab does not handle money; it produces and records the settlement.

Ad-hoc tasks: have a protocol

For what can’t be scheduled, prepare a script in advance:

• Tenant change — key overlap, readings between old and new tenant, deposit settlement.
• Repair reports — one channel where the tenant flags issues, with a record of who fixes what and when.
• Deposit settlement — at move-out, reconcile against the move-in condition photos.

To simplify the whole of your monthly admin, see renting without spreadsheets.

How to set up your own calendar

1. Write down the fixed dates: contract anniversary, tax-return deadline, provider reading deadlines.
2. Add the monthly routine as a recurring reminder (reading → settlement → collection check).
3. Mark the seasonal points: start of the heating season (September), its end (spring), summer peak.
4. Build an ad-hoc protocol for tenant change, repairs and deposits — so you don’t improvise from memory.

Frequently asked questions

When is the tax-return deadline for landlords? The personal annual return deadline is typically 20 May in Hungary. Always confirm the current date with the tax authority.

Should I read meters monthly or less often? Many landlords read monthly because each settlement carries less error. Your contract and provider reading schedule decide.

When can I announce a rent increase? Typically tied to the contract anniversary or year-end, in the manner set out in the contract and with prior notice.

What’s the most important date of the year? The 31 December (year-turn) reading on every meter — it’s the basis of every annual settlement.