Property managers across the UK have a range of problems and challenges to face. These routinely include having to manage multiple tenants and occupancies, deal with onboarding and ‘signing up’ new tenants and landlords, dealing with rent and other payments and service charges and helping to alleviate and deal with issues requiring third part service providers such as tradespeople and engineers.
Property management software is a relatively new concept and has been continuously developed and honed across the property management sector. These software packages nowinclude more features than ever, able to assist landlords, managers, tenants, service providers and all ‘stakeholders’ throughout the entire management process (source: Arthur Online Property Management Software). Property management is now easier and more efficient than ever, benefiting everyone at every stage.
Better Connections and Communication
In past times, when it came to managing tenants and the properties in which they reside, managers or landlords would have to literally phone them up, go to their place of residence or rely on physical letter correspondence. Nowadays though, with advances in technology and software as a service (SaaS) solutions, managers and landlords are able to communicate remotely; quicker, more efficiently and in a more detailed manner with tenants and other necessary parties.
For example, if there is an issue with a tenant’s bank account and monies due have not reached the landlord or managing agent, rather than having to chase the tenant to rectify the issue, a notification can be posted via their software. This can track when the message is sent, when it is picked up and when it is read. The tenant can then rectify the issue and communicate that back to the managing party.
In cases where a third-party service provider such as a builder, engineer or even gardener is required, the software allows the tenant to flag an issue to the manager or landlord. Say for example in the case of retail premises that there is something in the design or structure that the shop owners want to changeto increase sales (source: Bobblehat Retail Design).
They can simply go to the piece of management software and request from the landlord that the changes are authorised and once done so, they may even be able to contact a service provider for the amendments in question.
The managing party can use the software, sometimes even through a handy mobile application to communicate with their service provider of choice. This makes for a much more seamless process and makes everything more straightforward for all involved in cases where quick repairs are badly needed.
Onboarding Made Much Easier
Possibly the most difficult part of being a landlord or property manager is the part of the process known as the ‘onboarding’ stage. This entails a lot of documentation and standard processes including:
Getting all of these as well as various requirements done properly can be very time consuming no matter how you go about it. However, using a piece of property management software as a tool to improve the processes and tasks involved saves a great deal of time. This will allow you to spend more time on what matters rather than just formalities needing time and attention.
As part of the onboarding process, you will also be required to sign documents, get them countersigned by the tenant(s) and then keep them on record. When it comes to inventories and deposits, the same is very much true.
Therefore, by having everything segmented and properly managed in a single, handy piece of SaaS software, you will find that everything involved becomes easier and more efficient and your time is spent in far better ways.
