If you’ve got a rental property or two, there’s a good chance you’ve got a messy Excel file somewhere on your laptop. Maybe a folder full of scanned contracts, half-labelled receipts, and a mental note to “sort it all out soon.” Sound familiar? 

It’s what most small landlords do — not because it’s the best way, but because it’s what we’ve always done. 

But lately, more of us are quietly ditching the DIY approach and switching over to property management software. And no, it’s not just something for big agencies or tech geeks. It’s for regular landlords like you and me who are tired of the constant admin, forgotten dates, and last-minute tax stress. 

“I Only Have One Property. Surely I Don’t Need Software?” 

That’s what I thought, too. 

Then a tenant messaged me about a broken washing machine. I spent twenty minutes scrolling through old emails trying to find the last person who fixed it. Couldn’t find the invoice. Couldn’t even remember what I paid. 

Another time, I nearly forgot the gas safety certificate was due for renewal. Got lucky — only remembered because a tenant casually brought it up. 

That’s when I realised: I wasn’t managing my property. I was firefighting it. 

When I finally gave property management software a go, I honestly didn’t expect much. But now? It logs rent payments automatically. It reminds me when a certificate is due. I can upload receipts straight from my phone. And come tax season, everything’s sitting in one place, neat and tidy. 

I didn’t realise how much brain space it was all taking up until I didn’t have to think about it anymore. 

The Hidden Stress of “Just Doing It Myself” 

Here’s the thing: most of us don’t mind a bit of admin. But when you’re managing things off the side of your desk, the risk of something slipping through the cracks is high. A missed compliance deadline. An overdue rent payment you forget to chase. That one repair you meant to book and just… didn’t. 

All of these things chip away at your time — and they quietly add up to bigger problems later. Or worse, penalties. 

And then there’s HMRC. If you’re keeping everything in spreadsheets and shoeboxes, you’re probably not claiming everything you could. You’re probably not MTD-ready either. And if HMRC ever asks questions, it’s going to be a stressful few weeks pulling everything together. 

Is It Complicated? 

Honestly? No. If you’ve used online banking or ordered takeaway on your phone, you can use landlord software. 

Most of it is made to be idiot-proof (which I appreciate). You log in, mark rent as paid, upload a photo of a receipt, and that’s it. No formulas. No faffing. Some apps even give you a tax report at the end of the year — just download and hand it to your accountant.