Now is a great time for landlords to look at ways to manage their property portfolios online as wide-reaching legislation change looms, including a new digital Private Rented Sector database.

Last week saw us here at the NRLA welcome a thousand property professionals to our annual Landlord Conference and – hosting a session on tech and the PRS – I was surprised to learn around three quarters of our audience were running their business without digital tools.

Of course there is nothing inherently wrong with it, and no-one can be blamed for thinking ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ – however there is going to be a move towards digital systems, so now would be a great time for landlords to prepare.

Digital database

Plans for a digital database for private sector landlords forms part of the Government’s proposals as part of the Renters’ Rights Bill and, while we are still waiting for more meat on the bones as regards the detail, it will require landlords to register their properties online and potentially upload essential documents and safety certificates.

Making Tax Digital

The Government is also rolling out its Making Tax Digital (MTD) plans to fully digitise UK tax, meaning landlords will need to keep their tax records and make submissions to HMRC digitally through MTD-compatible software.

Both these are major changes for those who currently take a more paper-based approach.

The NRLA has been focussing resources on developing innovative solutions to common issues faced by landlords – and in the last 12 months has invested in digital safety certificate firm Safe2 and developing its own property management platform Portfolio.

Now, with a push from the Government encouraging landlords to embrace digital solutions there’s no better time to dip your toe in the water and see what we have to offer.

Portfolio

NRLA 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 to our members , with the option to add on paid-for services such as tenant referencing.

With a recent upgrade focussing on making the platform as user-friendly and intuitive as possible it’s the perfect way to start moving management of your portfolio online – without a hefty price tag – with 6,000 landlords already managing 35,000 properties using the system.

Landlords can also take advantage of the Safe2 offer, with discounts for NRLA members. Part of the NRLA family, Safe2 will seamlessly organise safety inspections with either the tenant or letting agent, arrange any repairs flagged and issue the relevant certificate and, vitally, also lets you know when documents are due to expire.

Our award-winning Training Academy also has a comprehensive online offer, with a huge variety of online courses, which you can find out more about here.

Digital solutions are a fantastic way to save you time and money – so why not take a look at our offer today.