Rent receipt book

What the rent receipt book does

Receipts protect both the landlord and the tenant. This receipt book records each payment with a receipt number, date, tenant, unit, rent period, amount and payment method, keeps a running total and works out the monthly rental income tax on what you received, so the return is quick to prepare.

Who it is for

Landlords and caretakers who collect rent in cash, M-Pesa or by bank and want a proper receipt record to support their returns and to settle any dispute with a tenant.

How to use the workbook

1. Enter the receipt number, date, tenant and unit for each payment.
2. Type the rent period it covers and the amount.
3. Choose how it was paid.
4. Read the totals and the estimated tax at the top.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Receipt number, date, tenant, unit and period
• Payment method recorded
• Totals by month and method
• Estimated monthly rental income tax
• Space for 400 receipts

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Receipts, Summary, Rates. The main table has the columns Receipt no.; Date; Tenant; Unit; Rent period; Amount; Method; Reference or notes. Yellow cells are for you to fill in and grey cells calculate by themselves, so leave the grey cells alone. The example rows show how it works; type over them with your own entries.

Tips for getting it right

• Give the tenant a receipt every time, including for M-Pesa.
• Never reuse or skip a receipt number.
• Record the M-Pesa code in the notes column.
• Compare the total with your bank and M-Pesa statements monthly.

Why keep this record

Most tax trouble comes from late or missing records rather than from the tax itself. When the figures are collected as they happen, preparing a return becomes a matter of copying totals, not of searching for receipts. A workbook that follows the same layout as the return also makes it easier to spot a number that looks wrong before KRA does, and to explain it if asked.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know Excel formulas? No. Type into the yellow cells and the rest is worked out for you. The formulas are visible if you want to see how a figure is reached.

Can I add rows or change the layout? You can add your own columns to the right and your own notes. If you insert rows inside a table, copy the grey formula cells down so the new rows calculate too.

Will it work on my phone or in Google Sheets? Yes for viewing and typing, but dropdown lists and the charts look best in desktop Excel or LibreOffice.

Keeping it safe and up to date

Tax figures change with each Finance Act, so check the Rates sheet against KRA's current guidance before you file. Keep the supporting documents with the workbook, and keep each year's copy for at least five years in case KRA asks for proof.

Read the KRA filing calendar for small businesses for the wider picture. Free calculators that go with it: Rental income tax calculator. See more tax templates or ask us for a custom one.

The workbook works in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. It is a tool to help you work out and record figures, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Free calculator: Rental Income Tax Calculator
• Guide: Monthly rental income tax or annual tax: which route is better for a landlord?
• Guide: The 30 June tax deadline
• Guide: How to file a Monthly Rental Income return
• Another template: MRI versus annual rental tax comparison
• Another template: Monthly rental income (MRI) tracker
• Another template: Rental income annual tax computation

Need something different? Request a custom template, browse all guides or see every Excel template.