Employing an agent is a no-brainer for many, not least those who are time poor, live a distance from their rental properties or have other commitments. 

However, after research by the NRLA found that – of the members that use agents – two thirds would consider self-management if the association could offer support.  

 It was at this point that the idea for Portfolio began to take shape. 

 Since then, the NRLA’s innovations team has been developing, testing and honing the platform, offering landlords a user-friendly and affordable way to self-manage their properties. 

 Fast-forward to today and there are now 30,000 properties being managed via the platform, which is free to all NRLA members. 

What is Portfolio? 

 Portfolio is a suite of digital tools that allows members to manage their property portfolio via their NRLA account. This includes everything from creating tenancies to managing maintenance – with a strong focus on compliance.  

 It is completely free, with the option to add on paid-for services such as tenant referencing and safety certificates provided by compliance partner Safe2. 

 A two-month pilot scheme in 2022 resulted in a lengthy wish-list of features that members were looking for, with developers working to make these a reality.

 One-stop shop for tenancy management 

Via Portfolio landlords can: 

·        Build a bespoke, compliant tenancy agreement 

·        Manage existing tenancies, with no maximum limit 

·        Use e-signatures to speed up the process when it comes to establishing a tenancy 

·        Manage offers and request holding deposits 

·        Ensure they have the right documents to be compliant 

·        Store all information and signatures in one place 

·        Automate tasks and get key date reminders 

·        Manage and track all information and maintenance requests from tenants 

Exciting new developments are also in the pipeline, including plans to expand the offer to allow landlords to advertise their property on popular platforms such as Rightmove and Zoopla via the site, and to link to Open Banking. 

 Work has also been ongoing to improve the user experience and look of the portal. It now takes just a few minutes to add a rental property, with other improvements to the design and navigation.  

How do I get started?  

To find out more about Portfolio and set up your own account, go onto the NRLA website and click on ‘My Portfolio’ in the top right-hand corner. This will allow you to log in the portal and start adding your properties. 

 Landlords already using Portfolio have praised its usability. One said: ‘I’ve been looking for a platform like this for years, it’s going to be a gamechanger, ’with another user describing the platform as ‘like having an intuitive personal assistant’ which ‘does what it says quickly, easily, and efficiently’. 

 With updates ongoing in response to member feedback, the Portfolio offer is constantly developing and improving. For further updates and the very latest news on Portfolio, keep an eye on our news site and social media channels.