Property management computer systems — what is available?

Readers of the previous article in this series may have been surprised at the wide range of system costs mentioned — under £10,000 for a microcomputer to more than £100,000 for a multi‐terminal mainframe system. This is inevitable in a fragmented market which spans high street estate agents to multi‐national property giants. Given this diversity, the ‘best value for money’ package is not so obvious. Property managers do have different expectations and assign different priorities to facilities offered. There is therefore no perfect solution to what is initially an administrative practice, covering the collection of rent, rent reviews, the calculation of service charges, maintenance work, credit control and reporting to clients. Processing requirements also vary considerably depending on the size of the portfolio and the level of sophistication desired. In the final analysis it is a matter of achieving the right balance between requirements and cost.