5 best property management software systems for landlords

If you’re a self-managing landlord, it can be hard to keep track of all the small tasks you need to do, particularly if you rent out more than one property.

Property management software can help you to stay on top of everything, and could work out cheaper than hiring a letting agent.

So if you want to stay in control of your portfolio, read up on the benefits of property management software and compare five of the best platforms for landlords.

What is property management software?

When a tenant moves into your property, there are lots of things you need to do across the course of their tenancy, such as keeping financial records, scheduling maintenance jobs, and sending updated documents.

Property management software helps you to do all these things in one place, with plenty of automation to save you time and reduce the margin for human error.

Using a software package can reduce the pressure and hassle associated with self-managing a rental property. You can do away with paper records and complicated spreadsheets and benefit from a clear overview of your buy-to-let business.

What is cloud-based property management software?

Cloud-based software is stored and managed through the cloud. This means your records and information are stored securely online, rather than on one computer.

This type of software is usually accessed through a web browser or app, so you can manage your rental property from anywhere using any device.

These days, the vast majority of software systems are cloud based.

3 reasons why property management software is important

Being a landlord can be complicated and time-consuming, so it’s important to use all the tools available to you that can make things simpler.

Here are three reasons why using software could benefit landlords:

1. Keeping records and a paper trail – whether you’re paying tax or pursuing an eviction, being able to access the information you need quickly and easily is vital.
2. Meeting your compliance obligations – using software to set tasks and reminders for things like gas safety certificates can help to keep your tenants safe.
3. Understanding the financial position of your portfolio – knowing how much rent you’re owed and what outgoings you’ve got coming up allows you to budget effectively.

Compared – 5 of the best property management software systems

When looking for the best property management software for your needs, you’ll need to think about key features and how many properties it covers, as well as things like price and package.

Read on for details of five of the best-known software providers for landlords.

1. Arthur

Arthur provides a full management service for self-managing landlords, helping you to:

• find and communicate with tenants
• manage your finances
• automate day-to-day property management
• handle compliance obligations, such as storing deposits
• track repairs and maintenance

You can choose the Standard, Professional, or Enterprise Package, with prices from £67.50 a month to £122.50 a month.

Arthur links up with a range of third-party providers, including Xero for accounting and Fixflo for reporting repairs.

2. Landlord Vision

Landlord Vision styles itself as easy-to-use software that helps landlords to manage all aspects of their buy-to-let business.

As well as full accounting services, Landlord Vision provides access to legal document templates plus the opportunity to track tenancy agreements, view tasks and deadlines, and set up automatic reminders.

There are three packages available:

• Starter – includes five tenancies for £19.97 a month
• Standard – includes 10 tenancies for £29.97 a month
• Premium – includes 15 tenancies for £39.97 a month

3. Property Hawk

Property Hawk provides a free software service called PM3s, which it says has been used by over 80,000 landlords since 2006.

Key features of the free software include:

• access to forms such as tenancy agreements and Section 21 notices
• manage tenancy details such as meter readings and closing statements
• tasks and reminders to keep on top of gas safety checks and electrical safety checks
• keep utilities and expenses records
• create editable property inventories

4. Landlord Studio

Landlord Studio helps landlords to manage their accounting and maintenance, as well as tax reporting and finding new tenants.

The software has also been created with the aim of helping landlords to prepare for Making Tax Digital changes that come into effect from April 2026.

Users can choose the Go option, which is free for up to three properties. Pricing for the Pro package, which includes Xero integration, unlimited users, and unlimited storage, starts at £9 a month for three properties.

5. Xero

Xero is an accounting software that landlords can use to automate invoices and financial reports, plus prepare for Self Assessment tax returns.

It’s worth bearing in mind that a lot of property management software systems integrate with Xero to provide their accounting function. However, if you’re just looking for accounting support, you may want to use Xero on its own.

Landlords can use Xero to:

• reconcile bank transactions such as rent payments
• enter bills and expenses 
• review short-term cash flow

There are four packages available, with prices starting from £3.75 a month for the Starter package up to £13.75 a month for the Ultimate package.

Property management tips – get the best out of your landlord software

Once you’re up and running with your chosen software package, you’ll need to use it properly to get the most out of it.

Here are some points to consider:

• upload things as you go – for example, if you buy something for the property that counts as an allowable expense, uploading the receipt straight away can save you time when it comes to doing your tax return
• communicate with tenants – most software allows you to automate sending emails, invoices, and rent receipts to tenants. Communicating this way demonstrates your professionalism, showing tenants that you’re on top of everything
• don’t ignore reminders – by keeping up to date with your tasks, you reduce the chances of missing important compliance or tenancy deadlines

Do you use software to manage your rental property? Let us know in the comments below.

More guides for buy-to-let landlords

• 5 smart home devices for your rental property
• What is a Section 13 notice? A guide for landlords
• How to install a home security system in a rental property
• Do landlords need contents insurance?

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