Written by
Emma Collins
Published on
Jan 13, 2026
Property management in the UK has changed fast. Compliance requirements are tighter, tenants expect quicker responses, and portfolios are getting harder to manage without adding headcount. What used to work — spreadsheets, shared inboxes, and endless WhatsApp messages — now creates more problems than it solves.
Property management software is no longer optional for most letting agents and property managers. But the market is crowded, and not all tools solve the same problems. This guide breaks down what property management software actually means in the UK today, what types of platforms exist, and how to think about choosing the right one.
What does “property management software” mean in the UK?
In the UK, property management software generally refers to systems that help letting agents and landlords manage rental portfolios day to day.
Most platforms cover some combination of:
Property, unit, and tenant records
Tenancies and renewals
Maintenance and repairs
Communication with tenants, landlords, and contractors
Compliance tracking (gas safety, EICR, deposits, etc.)
In reality, many tools are very strong on records and reporting, but weaker on the operational work that consumes most time — especially maintenance and communication.
Who this guide is for
This guide is aimed at:
Letting agents managing multiple landlords and properties
Property managers responsible for ongoing maintenance and compliance
Landlords with growing portfolios who want less admin and fewer fire-drills
If maintenance requests, contractor coordination, or inbox overload are daily frustrations, the type of software you choose matters a lot.
What to look for in UK property management software
Rather than chasing the longest feature list, it’s more useful to think about how software fits into real workflows.
Key things to consider:
Ease of use
If staff or tenants don’t use it consistently, it won’t reduce workload.
Maintenance handling
How easy is it for tenants to report issues? Are requests structured, tracked, and visible at a glance?
Communication
Does the system centralise conversations, or do emails, calls, and WhatsApp messages still live everywhere?
UK-specific compliance
Gas safety, EICRs, and deposit rules should be supported clearly and reliably.
Scalability
Good software should reduce admin as portfolios grow, not increase it.
The different types of property management software on the market
Most UK tools fall into a few clear categories.
1. All-in-one property management platforms
These systems aim to be the core system of record for agencies, covering property data, tenancies, and general workflows.
Common examples include:
Reapit – a long-established CRM and property operations platform
Arthur Online – popular with property managers for portfolio and compliance management
Alto – CRM-led platform widely used by estate and letting agents
These platforms are best suited to agencies that want a central system for records, reporting, and core operations.
2. Maintenance-centric tools
Some tools focus primarily on maintenance, repairs, and issue tracking rather than the entire lettings lifecycle.
Examples include:
Fixflo – widely used in the UK for maintenance workflows
Arthur Online (maintenance module) – deeper repair tracking within a broader PMS
These tools are often used alongside a main PMS to bring more structure to maintenance.
3. Automation-led and AI-driven platforms
A newer category of tools focuses less on data entry and more on reducing manual work through automation.
Examples include:
Lanten – AI-assisted maintenance triage, structured issue records, and contractor coordination
These platforms are designed around workflows rather than forms, aiming to reduce the time spent reading messages, chasing updates, and manually logging issues.
4. Communication tools used as workarounds
Many teams still rely heavily on general communication tools, even though they’re not designed for property management.
Common examples:
WhatsApp Business
Gmail or Outlook shared inboxes
Slack or Microsoft Teams (internally)
These tools are flexible, but they lack structure, audit trails, and visibility — which becomes a problem as portfolios grow.
Common frustrations with traditional setups
Even agencies using established property management software often struggle with the same issues:
Maintenance requests arriving through multiple channels
Staff manually copying information between systems
Contractors being chased individually for updates
No clear overview of what’s been reported, approved, or completed
Software that exists mainly for reporting, not daily operations
This leads to more tools, more admin, and more stress — not less.
Where property management software is heading
The direction of travel is clear across the UK market:
Less manual inbox management
More automation around repetitive tasks
Better structure around maintenance and issues
Clearer visibility without constant checking
AI and automation aren’t about replacing people — they’re about removing the low-value work that slows teams down.
Where Lanten fits in
Lanten is built specifically to tackle the most time-consuming part of property management: maintenance.
Rather than trying to replace your entire PMS, Lanten:
Handles tenant maintenance requests via WhatsApp and email
Uses AI to structure, triage, and prioritise issues automatically
Creates clear maintenance records without manual data entry
Coordinates contractors without endless follow-ups
Is designed specifically for UK letting agents and property managers
Lanten works alongside tools like Reapit, Arthur, or Alto, focusing on reducing workload where it’s felt most day to day.
If maintenance is where most of your time disappears, Lanten is worth a closer look.
