# Tenant contact list template for managers

> A tenant contact list template for property managers: the fields to include, a CSV layout to copy and a monthly check to keep entries right.

Guides | Published 2026-10-25 | 6 min read
Source: https://properlex.com/resources/tenant-contact-list-template

A tenant contact list template is a single table that records every tenant at every property, with named people, mobile numbers, email addresses and the role each person plays. A good one has one row per person, a column for the property and a column for the date the entry was last confirmed. Copy the layout below, then set a regular check so it stays right.

This guide gives you the fields to include, a CSV layout you can paste into a spreadsheet, a step-by-step way to fill it in and a monthly checklist. It also explains why a template alone is not enough, and what to do about that.

## What should a tenant contact list include?

Start with the people you need to reach, not the businesses you lease to. A lease may name one company, but a notice has to reach the person who can act on it. Capture these fields for each person:

| Field | Why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| Property and unit | Lets you send a notice to one building or one floor without reaching the rest |
| Tenant name or business | Links each person back to the lease or account |
| Contact name | A named person is easier to reach and easier to hold to account than a shared inbox |
| Role or position | Separates the person who pays the rent from the person who runs the site or locks up |
| Mobile number | The channel most likely to be seen quickly in an urgent situation |
| Email address | Carries detail and creates a written record |
| Preferred channel and opt-outs | Records whether the person has asked not to receive SMS or email |
| Emergency contact flag | Marks who must hear first about a fire, flood or power failure |
| Last confirmed date | Shows how far each entry can be trusted |

## Tenant contact list template you can copy

Paste this header row into the first line of a new spreadsheet, then add one row for each person. Keep the column order fixed so the file can be imported into other systems later.

> property, unit, tenant, contact_name, role, mobile, email, emergency_contact, sms_ok, email_ok, last_confirmed

Use the same spelling for property and tenant names on every row. Small differences such as "Unit 4" and "Suite 4" split one tenant into two and make filtering unreliable.

## How do you fill in the template?

1. **List the properties first.** Use one short, consistent name for each building, and stick to it.
2. **Add one row per person, not per tenant.** A shop with an owner, a manager and an after-hours key holder is three rows.
3. **Mark at least one emergency contact per tenant.** If a tenant has no one marked, you have a gap you will only find during an incident.
4. **Record preferences.** If a person has opted out of SMS or email, note it so you do not send what they have declined.
5. **Add the confirmation date.** Use the date the person last confirmed or corrected their details, not the date you typed the row.
6. **Share the file carefully.** The list holds personal information, so limit who can open and edit it.

## Why do tenant contact lists go out of date?

Tenant details change on the tenant's side, where you cannot see the change. The list is only as good as the last time someone told you.

- Staff leave, change roles or swap mobile numbers
- A business is sold, renamed or moves to a new email domain
- Residents move out and the new occupant is never added
- Copies of the list sit in spreadsheets, inboxes and phones, and each one drifts from the others
- Nobody is responsible for checking, so the list is only tested when a notice fails

The pattern is the same each time. The person holding the list is not the person who knows when it changes. That is why the most useful habit is to move responsibility for each entry to the tenant.

## How often should you check a tenant contact list?

There is no set standard, so base the schedule on risk and on what your team can sustain. A schedule that is followed beats a stricter one that is not.

- **Emergency contacts:** confirm most often, and fix a bounced email or undelivered SMS the same day.
- **Main contacts:** confirm on a regular schedule, for example each quarter.
- **New tenants:** confirm every field before the first notice goes out.
- **After a lease change or move-out:** update the list straight away.

## Do privacy rules apply to a tenant contact list?

Yes. A list of names, mobile numbers and email addresses is personal information. In New Zealand, the [Privacy Act 2020](https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/0031/latest/LMS23223.html) includes an information privacy principle on accuracy, which says an agency should take reasonable steps to check that personal information is accurate, up to date, complete, relevant and not misleading before it uses it. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has applied this principle in [case notes on inaccurate records](https://privacy.org.nz/publications/case-notes-and-court-decisions/case-note-312145). Check the current wording of the Act for your own situation, and seek advice if you are unsure.

In practical terms, a contact list that is confirmed on a schedule is easier to defend than one that nobody has looked at in two years.

## Monthly tenant contact checklist

- Every property has an emergency contact marked for every tenant
- No row is missing a mobile number or an email address
- Bounced emails and undelivered SMS from the last month have been fixed
- Tenants who have not confirmed their details have been chased
- Move-outs have been removed and new tenants have been added
- Opt-outs are recorded and respected
- Only the people who need the list can open it

## What are the limits of a spreadsheet?

A spreadsheet is a fine place to start. It becomes a problem when you rely on it for urgent notices. It cannot ask tenants to confirm their details, it cannot tell you which messages arrived and it makes you the only person who can fix an entry.

Properlex, the relationship platform for property, replaces the manual upkeep. You invite one primary contact for each tenant, and they manage their own people in a free portal. Scheduled confirm-your-details messages then ask every contact to confirm or correct their details, and each answer is recorded. You can import an existing list using the CSV template, so the work you do now is not wasted. See how [contact management](https://properlex.com/features/contact-management) works.

When something does go wrong, the same list is what you send to. You choose the property and the contact types, send SMS and email together and read the delivery status for every recipient. Our guide to [emergency notification for tenants](https://properlex.com/resources/emergency-notification-for-tenants) shows how. Property managers can also [publish after-hours and building contacts](https://properlex.com/features/property-contacts) so tenants know who to call.

## What does an out-of-date list cost?

Most of the cost is time. Every bounced email, wrong number and chased confirmation is admin that pulls a property manager away from other work. To put a figure on it for your team, use the free [contact admin cost calculator](https://properlex.com/contact-admin-cost-calculator), or read how the formula works in [how to calculate the cost of contact admin](https://properlex.com/resources/how-to-calculate-the-cost-of-contact-admin-in-property-management).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a tenant contact list template?

It is a ready-made table for recording the people at each tenancy, with columns for property, unit, name, role, mobile, email, emergency contact flag, preferences and the date each entry was last confirmed. You copy the layout and add one row per person.

### What should be in a tenant contact list?

At a minimum, the property and unit, the tenant, a named contact, their role, a mobile number, an email address and a flag for emergency contacts. Add the preferred channel, opt-outs and a last confirmed date so you can see which entries to trust.

### How often should I update a tenant contact list?

There is no fixed standard. Confirm emergency contacts most often, main contacts on a regular schedule such as each quarter, and new tenants before the first notice. Fix any bounced message or wrong number as soon as you find it.

### Who should keep tenant contact details up to date?

The tenant is best placed, because they know first when a person or number changes. The property manager owns the process, the schedule and the standard. Properlex lets each tenant maintain their own people in a portal, with scheduled confirm-your-details messages as a backstop.

### Can I import my existing spreadsheet into Properlex?

Yes. Download the CSV template for tenants, fill it in from your existing spreadsheet and import it. Properlex lists any rows it could not read so you can fix them.

### Do tenants pay to use Properlex?

No. Accounts created from your invitation are free for the tenant. You pay for Properlex, with plans from $49 per month, and there is nothing for the tenant to install.

[Book a demo](https://properlex.com/get-started)