Rents change. A tenant asks for a parking space. The landlord raises the rent after a year. An internet service is added in March and cancelled in September. If these changes are made by rewriting the old figures, past invoices stop matching the agreement and every statement is open to dispute. This guide explains how to change the charges on a lease cleanly.
A lease is a bundle of charges
A lease is not one number. It is a set of charges, each with a label, an amount and a start date:
| Charge | Type | Amount (Rs) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | Recurring | 45,000 |
| Maintenance | Recurring | 3,000 |
| Parking | Recurring | 2,000 |
| Signing commission | One-time | 45,000 |
A recurring charge appears on every monthly invoice. A one-time charge appears on a single invoice and then stops.
Keeping them separate lets you change or end one charge without touching the others.
The golden rule: never rewrite the past
A rent increase starts on a date. Invoices before that date stay exactly as they were, because that is what was agreed and billed. Invoices from that date use the new amount. If you overwrite the old rent, every earlier statement quietly changes, and nobody can say what the tenant really owed in March.
Raising the rent
Example: rent rises from Rs 45,000 to Rs 49,500 (a 10 percent increase) from 1 July.
| Period | Rent charged |
|---|---|
| January to June | 45,000 per month |
| From 1 July | 49,500 per month |
Record the new amount with its effective date, and keep the old one in the history.
Part-month changes
If a change starts mid-month, the month has two rates. Charge each by the day.
Example: parking at Rs 3,000 a month starts on the 21st of a 30-day month.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Daily rate (3,000 ÷ 30) | Rs 100 |
| Days (21st to 30th) | 10 |
| Parking this month | Rs 1,000 |
Adding a charge
When a tenant asks for a new service:
Add the charge with its label, amount and start date. Decide if it is recurring or one-time. Tell the tenant what the first invoice will show. Ending a charge
When a service stops, end the charge on a date instead of deleting it. The history then shows that parking existed until that date and why it stopped.
What about invoices already issued?
This is the question that causes most confusion.
If this month's invoice has not been paid at all, it can be recalculated to include the change. If it has been paid in part or in full, leave it alone. Apply the change from the next month, or issue an adjustment. Past months are never touched. Keep a history
For every change, a record should show who made it, when, what it was before and what it is now. When a tenant says "my rent was never 49,500 in July," you can show the signed increase and the date it took effect.
Common mistakes Overwriting the old amount. The past is rewritten. Changing a paid invoice. The payment no longer matches. Deleting a charge that ended. You lose the history. Full-month charges for part months. Tenants pay for days they did not use. No written notice. Disputes follow. How OneAccounts Property Management does it
Each lease carries labelled charges, recurring or one-time, such as Rent, Internet and Parking, or your own labels. Charges are versioned and prorated by the day, and you can add a charge during the lease, edit its amount or end it on a date. Past invoices are never touched. If the current month's invoice has not been paid yet, it is recalculated and reposted; one with a payment recorded is left as it is. Changes are recorded in the history. See OneAccounts Property Management.
OneAccounts does not apply scheduled rent escalations by itself; you enter each increase when it takes effect.
Frequently asked questions Can I raise the rent in the middle of a lease?
That depends on your agreement. Record the increase from its effective date.
What if I forget to apply a rent increase?
Apply it from the next month and discuss any back-billing with the tenant. Do not alter past invoices.
Should I delete a charge that has ended?
No. End it with a date, so the history is intact.
How do I charge a one-off fee?
Add a one-time charge. It appears on one invoice and then stops.
Does changing a charge change past statements?
It should not. Past invoices stay as they were.