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Unless you’re a dedicated property magnate, being a landlord shouldn’t take up your whole day. But even the most relaxed ‘part-time’ landlords have periods when it feels like the whole process is taking up far too much of your time.
Lucky for us, new technologies can speed up a lot of the traditional lettings nightmares – or get rid of them completely. So with the help of our property experts, we’ve put together a list of the latest tools, ideas and apps that will help make letting your property quicker, smoother, and less of a headache.
‘Project manage’ your property
Being a landlord often feels like juggling. Keeping all the balls in the air is hard enough by itself, but making sure your renters, the agent, and the handyman down the road are all kept up to speed can be a nightmare too.
Trello is a free, simple list-making app that can help you ‘project manage’ your property. It’s used by tech teams and startups worldwide, but it’s also the perfect way to keep track of your property, your tenants, or even multiple properties.
You can create to-do lists, get reminders when tasks are due, add attachments like contracts or photos, and even tag other people on them so they know they need to do something. There are plenty of options and add-ons, but even the basic app is just the most intuitive project board out there. Big recommend from us.
Try Trello out for yourself here.
Online banking that works for landlords
It’s a good idea to keep track of all payments coming in and out of your property. But if your traditional bank won’t make that easy for you, there are plenty of new banking options out there who will help you track everything for free.
Mobile banks like Monzo, Tide and Starling Bank offer transparency and money managing options that are simply decades ahead of the bigger, more sluggish banks. They can help you keep track of your payments, produce monthly/yearly reports, and save money in separate pots, all on your phone. If you have multiple properties, this could be the best way to keep on top of them all in one place.
Some of these apps will even allow you to request payments from other people – so they could also be a handy solution for regular payments between you and your tenants, agents and contractors.
Check out Monzo, Tide, and Starling Bank.
Super simple inventory management
Ever got to the end of a lease and had to waste time quibbling with your tenants over ‘wear and tear’? Sortly will help you sort that – it’s an inventory management app that helps you easily keep track of the ‘things’ in your life.
The app is photo-based, which means you can create a clear visual inventory of all you own – or the condition of all the furniture in your property before your tenants move in. It’s designed to help you document everything in your house or office for insurance purposes, so it’s organised, thorough, and really intuitive to use.
Find the right person for the job
This one’s a must if you’re planning any repairs or renovations. RatedPeople.com helps you find local contractors for repairs and odd jobs – for free! From landscapers to plumbers, you can see detailed reviews from people who’ve booked them before, and chat to them through the site before booking anything – so you know you’re not about to lose money to a cowboy tradesman.
Find your next handyman, builder or decorator at Rated People.
Calculate your next property move
If you’re in the business of property, you might be looking at buying another property to let it out. This super-quick rental yield calculator will give you an estimate of the potential return from that property – simple!
If you’re a landlord, you’re part of a fast-moving market. But with a few tech tips and tricks, you can stay ahead of the game and make sure you get the most value from your property. Let us know how you get on – or if you’ve got any apps or technologies you think we missed!