7 aircon records landlords should keep between tenancies
Landlords should keep one dated aircon record pack per rental unit. It should show the starting condition, tenant reports, completed work, approvals, warranty and anything still unresolved. This is an operating record, not proof of legal responsibility or tenant fault.
By Team Snowflake | Reviewed by Lead Technician 25 Jul 2026
What should the record pack prove?
The pack should preserve a clear timeline for each aircon unit. A landlord, tenant or technician should be able to see what condition was recorded at handover, what changed, what work followed and what still needs a decision.
This is different from deciding who must pay. A tenancy clause may record what the parties agreed, but a service note does not interpret that clause. A complaint log also does not prove misuse. The pack supports the next operating decision by keeping the evidence together.
| Question the pack should answer | Record that answers it |
|---|---|
| Which unit and room are involved? | Unit inventory and baseline condition |
| What did the tenant report, and when? | Dated symptom log |
| What was checked, found and done? | Service or repair report |
| What remains open? | Watch list and next decision |
Which seven records should stay together?
Keep seven distinct records because each answers a different question. Combining them into one vague invoice loses the condition history that landlords need at turnover.
1. Unit inventory and baseline condition
List each indoor unit by room and connect it to the correct outdoor system where that is known. Record the observable starting condition at handover, including whether the room cooled, drained and ran without an unusual sound during the check.
A baseline is a snapshot, not a guarantee that the unit will remain fault-free. Note anything that could not be tested instead of marking it as normal.
2. Tenancy clause and agreed responsibilities
Keep the signed aircon clause with the record pack so the agreed servicing and reporting duties are easy to find. Preserve the wording rather than rewriting it in a maintenance note.
This guide does not decide whether a clause is valid or who is liable for a later fault. That requires the actual agreement and, where needed, suitable legal advice.
3. Tenant symptom and access log
Keep the tenant's dated description, the affected room, when the symptom appears and any photo or video supplied. Also record whether access was offered or a visit was postponed.
The pattern matters. Cooling fades after every top-up is more useful than a message that only says the aircon is not cold, because it tells the next technician what earlier work did not settle.
4. Service and repair reports
Keep a per-unit note of the complaint, scope, findings, work completed and test result. If the visit covered several rooms, avoid one blanket line that hides which unit had the fault.
A report should separate an observed finding from an assumption. If a concealed drain route was not inspected, it should not state that the full route was clear.
5. Quotes, approvals and receipts
Keep the quoted scope, the approval message and the final receipt together. This shows what work was authorised and whether the completed scope changed after diagnosis.
A receipt proves payment for its stated work. It does not prove that every connected component was inspected or that a different future fault is covered.
6. Warranty and installation records
Keep the installation handover, product warranty, workmanship terms and records for later part changes. Link each document to the relevant system so a future claim does not depend on memory.
Do not assume that a previous repair, a replaced part and the full system share the same coverage. The written terms and the actual fault determine the next step.
7. Unresolved items and next decision
Maintain a short watch list for symptoms that were not reproduced, repairs not approved and conditions that need another check. State the trigger for action, such as the same leak returning or one room losing cooling again.
Do not invent a service date when the evidence does not support one. The next visit should follow the unit condition, any agreed tenancy duty and the access available.
How should each fault or service visit be logged?
Log one row per unit and event. The entry should let the next person reconstruct the sequence without guessing what the tenant meant or what the technician actually tested.
| Field | What to record | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| FieldDate and unit | What to recordEvent date, property, room and unit identifier | What to avoidOne entry covering an unknown mix of units |
| FieldReported pattern | What to recordSymptom, timing, affected rooms and operating conditions | What to avoidOnly writing not cold, leaking or noisy |
| FieldEarlier work | What to recordCleaning, repair, reset or refrigerant work already tried | What to avoidRepeating a remedy without noting that the fault returned |
| FieldFinding and evidence | What to recordWhat was observed or tested, including limits on access | What to avoidTurning an untested assumption into a confirmed cause |
| FieldCompleted scope | What to recordWhat was done to that unit and the result checked | What to avoidUsing the quote as proof that all quoted work was completed |
| FieldOpen decision | What to recordMonitor, revisit, approve a separate repair or obtain another assessment | What to avoidMarking the matter closed when a symptom was not reproduced |
What does the record pack not prove?
The pack does not by itself prove tenant misuse, landlord liability, code compliance, warranty acceptance or the cause of a later fault. It records what was reported, observed, authorised and completed.
Repeat drain clearing that is not working illustrates the limit. Several clearing receipts prove that clearing occurred; they do not prove that the full concealed drain route was sound. A later inspection may still find a low point or another cause outside the earlier scope.
Photos also need context. A stained ceiling may show where water appeared, but not whether the source was the drain, insulation, pipework or another building service.
- Keep facts separate from opinions about responsibility.
- Label missing tests and inaccessible areas.
- Preserve original reports rather than rewriting their conclusions.
- Do not promise the next tenant that a past service rules out a new fault.
What should be handed to the next tenant or technician?
Hand over only the records needed for the next decision. The tenant may need the operating instructions, agreed reporting route and current service status. The technician needs the unit list, symptom timeline, earlier findings and open items.
Keep personal messages and payment details out of the technical pack. Leave out unrelated tenancy records too. A short index can point to the original files without sharing material that the aircon decision does not need.
- Current unit inventory and handover condition
- Relevant tenant symptom history
- Latest per-unit service or repair report
- Applicable warranty or part record
- Any open issue and the evidence needed next
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Tell us what’s going on. Symptoms, setup, photos, anything we should know. We’ll assess and come back with the right next step.