What belongs in a digital home guide?
A good home guide answers the questions people ask when they first arrive—and the ones they ask when something stops working.
Start with the things people need to find.
Record the water shut-off, electrical panel or fuse box, heating controls, meters and router. Use a clear photo and a plain description of where each one is. A helpful example is “inside the left cupboard under the kitchen sink”. Only mark a location as confirmed after someone has checked it.
Put the instructions beside the equipment.
Save the make and model, the matching manufacturer’s user manual and any owner-confirmed notes. A model-label photo helps distinguish similar appliances. Keep ordinary operating information separate from work that needs a qualified professional.
Make the right contact easy to find.
Include the owner’s preferred contact route, a backup contact and relevant saved trades. Record who to contact outside normal hours. A saved number does not mean that a tradesperson is available or a visit has been booked.
Share the useful parts.
A tenant may need the appliance guide and repair contact, while an owner’s financial records should stay private. Review access when someone moves in or leaves. Put sensitive access details in a separately controlled place, rather than a general welcome document.
Let the guide grow with the home.
Start with one useful room. Add a new manual when an appliance changes, a photo when a control moves, and a note when a repair is completed. A guide is easier to trust when its information stays current.
Product guidance based on the Housetold product blueprint. The checklist is organisational guidance, not a safety inspection or substitute for local tenancy requirements.
Give the useful details a place.
Keep original photos, documents and the dates you record with the property. Review suggested details, choose what to share and return to the history when it helps. Housetold is on iPhone now, with Android coming soon; invited tenants use it free.
Download on the App Store