What Letting Agents Need From Software
Running a lettings agency without proper software means spreadsheets, manual rent tracking, missed compliance deadlines, and legal liability. You're juggling tenancy agreements, rent collection, maintenance requests, deposit protection, insurance compliance, and property records all at once.
The best lettings software needs to handle:
- Tenancy management — agreements, start/end dates, terms, tenant details, emergency contacts
- Rent collection and accounting — track payments, automate reminders, reconcile accounts, generate reports
- Maintenance and repairs — log requests, assign contractors, track costs, manage completion
- Deposit protection — hold deposits in scheme-protected account, generate prescribed information, track compliance
- Compliance tracking — Right to Rent checks, deposit scheme registration, landlord insurance verification, gas safety certificates, EPC compliance
- Tenant and landlord communication — send rent reminders, maintenance updates, notices
- Reporting and analytics — understand your rental income, maintenance costs, tenant turnover, profitability per property
This is different from general property CRM. You need software built by agents for agents.
The Top Picks for 2026
1. Goodlord — Best for Modern Agents
Goodlord is cloud-based, built specifically for UK lettings agents. It's become the standard for tech-forward agencies.
What you get:
- End-to-end tenancy management (agreement generation, signing, storage)
- Automated rent collection (integrates with major banks)
- Deposit protection (partners with Deposit Protection schemes)
- Compliance tracking (Right to Rent, gas safety, EPC, insurance)
- Maintenance portal (tenants request repairs, agents assign contractors)
- Landlord and tenant portal (both can see documents, request updates, pay rent)
- Financial reporting (P&L per property, per landlord)
- Mobile app (manage properties on the go)
- Integration with accounting software (Sage, Xero, QuickBooks)
Pros:
- Genuinely modern interface (not outdated)
- Deposit protection is handled by Goodlord (you're not liable)
- Automated rent collection saves hours every month
- Compliance tracking is automated (you get alerts for due dates)
- Tenant/landlord portals are excellent (reduces phone calls)
- Financial reporting is detailed
- Integration with accountancy software
- UK-based support
Cons:
- Setup takes time (import properties, documents, tenants)
- Monthly cost is higher than some competitors
- Learning curve for team (but worth it)
Who it's best for: Growing lettings agencies, tech-forward agents, agencies processing 50+ properties
Pricing: Typically £50-150/month plus per-property fees (usually £10-15/property/month)
Sign up: https://tradepick.co.uk/go/goodlord
2. Reapit — Best for Independent Agents
Reapit is a property management platform used by many independent lettings agents and estate agents.
What you get:
- Tenancy management (agreements, tracking, renewal)
- Rent collection and accounting
- Deposit protection management
- Maintenance and repair tracking
- Landlord and tenant portals
- Compliance tracking (Right to Rent, insurance, certificates)
- Reporting and analytics
- Mobile app
- Team management (assign staff to properties)
- Integration with accounting software
Pros:
- Good balance of features and price
- Solid compliance tracking
- Maintenance portal is intuitive
- Financial reporting is useful
- Works well for independent agents
- Deposit protection is integrated
- Mobile app is functional
Cons:
- Interface is less modern than Goodlord
- Setup can be involved
- Smaller support team than Goodlord
- Some features require additional modules (cost extra)
Who it's best for: Independent lettings agents, small to medium agencies, agents seeking balance of features and cost
Pricing: Typically £40-100/month plus per-property fees
Sign up: https://tradepick.co.uk/go/reapit
3. Jupix — Best for Traditional Agents
Jupix is an on-premises and cloud solution used by many traditional lettings agencies and estate agents.
What you get:
- Full tenancy management (agreements, tracking, renewal)
- Rent collection and accounting
- Maintenance management
- Compliance tracking
- Landlord and tenant portals
- Reporting and analytics
- Integration with accounting software
- Document management
- Email and SMS communication tools
Pros:
- Used by many traditional agencies (ease of implementation)
- Comprehensive feature set
- Good compliance support
- Can be on-premises or cloud (choice)
- Support is strong for established agencies
Cons:
- Interface is dated (less modern than Goodlord)
- Setup is complex (better for larger teams)
- Licensing can be expensive for small agencies
- Learning curve is steeper
Who it's best for: Established agencies with dedicated IT, larger multi-branch agencies, agencies seeking comprehensive feature depth
Pricing: Varies widely (typically £100-300+/month depending on licensing and on-premises vs. cloud)
Sign up: https://tradepick.co.uk/go/jupix
4. Fixflo — Best for Maintenance Management
Fixflo specializes in maintenance and repair management. If maintenance is your bottleneck, this is worth looking at.
What you get:
- Maintenance request portal (tenants submit repairs)
- Contractor management (assign jobs, track completion)
- Cost tracking (maintenance spend per property, per landlord)
- Automated reminders (follow-up if contractors haven't started)
- Mobile app for contractors (see jobs, upload photos, confirm completion)
- Integration with major lettings software (Goodlord, Reapit, Jupix)
- Reporting (maintenance costs, completion time, contractor performance)
Pros:
- Best-in-class maintenance portal
- Contractors can use mobile app to manage jobs
- Integrates with other lettings software (not replacement)
- Cost tracking is excellent (understand maintenance spend)
- Reduces back-and-forth communication
Cons:
- Not a complete lettings solution (needs integration with another tool)
- Cost adds up if you're already paying for lettings software
Who it's best for: Agencies with high maintenance volume, agencies that want to specialize in maintenance management
Pricing: Typically £15-30/month plus integration fees
Sign up: https://tradepick.co.uk/go/fixflo
5. PropertyFile — Best for Small Agencies
PropertyFile is aimed at small lettings agencies and independent agents managing properties alongside other business.
What you get:
- Tenancy management (basic to intermediate)
- Rent tracking and collection
- Maintenance request tracking
- Compliance reminders
- Document storage
- Basic reporting
- Tenant portal
Pros:
- Affordable for small agencies
- Simple interface (less training needed)
- Adequate compliance tracking
- Good for agencies with under 50 properties
- No long-term contracts (month-to-month)
Cons:
- Fewer features than Goodlord or Reapit
- Less modern interface
- Limited integrations
- Maintenance features are basic
- Deposit protection handling is limited
Who it's best for: Small independent agents, agents managing under 50 properties, budget-conscious agencies
Pricing: Typically £20-50/month
Sign up: https://tradepick.co.uk/go/propertyfile
Comparison Table
| Feature | Goodlord | Reapit | Jupix | Fixflo | PropertyFile | |---------|---|---|---|---|---| | Tenancy management | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | No | Basic | | Rent collection | Automated | Automated | Automated | No | Manual | | Deposit protection | Integrated | Integrated | Integrated | No | Limited | | Maintenance portal | Good | Good | Good | Excellent | Basic | | Compliance tracking | Excellent | Good | Good | No | Good | | Landlord portal | Excellent | Good | Good | No | Basic | | Tenant portal | Excellent | Good | Good | Yes | Basic | | Financial reporting | Excellent | Good | Good | Maintenance focus | Basic | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | | Team management | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Basic | | Integrations | Strong | Good | Good | Integrates with others | Limited | | Modern interface | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | | Best for | Growing agencies | Independent agents | Large agencies | Maintenance volume | Small agencies | | Price | £50-150+/property | £40-100+/property | £100-300+ | £15-30 | £20-50 |
Compliance and Legislation
Your lettings software must support UK compliance:
- Deposit protection — Deposits must be held in protected scheme within 30 days (prescribed information must be provided)
- Right to Rent checks — You must verify tenant immigration status (software should log this)
- Gas safety certificates — Annual checks required, must be held and provided to tenant
- Electrical safety — EICR required every 5 years (or for each new tenancy)
- Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) — Required before letting, must be current
- Landlord insurance — Must be verified and current
- Tenancy agreements — Must be signed and stored
- Rent Payment Records — Must be kept for 6+ years (for tax purposes)
All five tools above support these. But check:
- Does it track deposit protection status? (Yes for all, but Goodlord handles most liability)
- Can it generate compliance checklists? (Yes, Goodlord is strongest)
- Does it integrate with deposit schemes? (Yes for main options)
- Can it alert you when documents expire? (Yes for all)
FAQ
What's the difference between Goodlord and Reapit?
Goodlord is more modern, better interface, better automation. Pick this if you want cutting-edge software and don't mind paying more.
Reapit is more traditional, good features, better value. Pick this if you want solid functionality at lower cost.
Both are excellent. Goodlord is the future, Reapit is the proven option.
Should I use Fixflo alongside another tool?
Only if maintenance is your pain point and you're processing 100+ maintenance requests per month. For most agencies (under 50 properties), the maintenance tools in Goodlord or Reapit are adequate.
How much does lettings software cost?
Small agency (under 20 properties): £30-50/month (PropertyFile) Growing agency (20-100 properties): £80-150/month (Goodlord or Reapit) Large agency (100+ properties): £200+/month (Jupix or Goodlord enterprise)
Plus per-property fees (usually £10-20/property/month).
Can I import my existing tenancies?
Yes. All tools accept CSV imports or manual entry. If you have 50+ properties, the vendor will help you import. Plan 2-4 weeks for full data migration.
What about deposit protection liability?
Goodlord handles deposit protection for you (partners with registered schemes). You're not liable if something goes wrong.
Reapit and Jupix integrate with schemes, but you're still responsible for ensuring compliance.
PropertyFile offers limited deposit tracking.
Do I need a separate accounting software?
No, but you might want to. All five tools integrate with Sage, Xero, or QuickBooks. You can use the lettings software for rent tracking and export to accountancy software monthly. Or use built-in accounting features if adequate.
Can I manage multiple properties easily?
Yes. All tools let you see portfolio overview, compare properties, and track total rental income. This is basic functionality in all.
What if a contractor needs to access the system?
Goodlord, Reapit, and Fixflo have contractor portals (contractors can see assigned jobs, upload photos, confirm completion). PropertyFile has limited contractor features.
Recommendation
For a growing agency (20-100 properties): Goodlord. It's modern, automated, and reduces compliance risk. Yes it costs more, but it's worth it.
For an independent agent (under 50 properties, cost-conscious): Reapit. Good features, solid compliance, better value than Goodlord.
For a small agency (under 20 properties): PropertyFile. Simple, affordable, adequate features.
For an established multi-branch agency: Jupix. Comprehensive features for larger operations.
For agencies with high maintenance volume: Add Fixflo on top of your main lettings software.
The metric that matters: Can you see your portfolio value, rental income, and upcoming compliance deadlines at a glance? Can tenants request repairs without calling you? Can landlords access their documents 24/7? If yes to all three, you've got the right tool.
Your lettings software is how you scale from 20 properties to 200. Choose right and you free up 15+ hours a week on admin and compliance.