Custom Property Management Software for UK Letting Agents: What It Costs and What It Must Do

A custom property management system for a UK letting agency usually starts from about USD 10,000 for a focused first version, and we quote in GBP on request. The price rises with the number of roles, modules and integrations. Off-the-shelf letting software is quicker to start and suits many agencies. A custom system is worth it when your process does not fit the standard screens, when you pay for several tools and copy data between them, or when you want rent, repairs and compliance in one place you own.

This guide covers what the software has to handle, the UK rules it should help you track in 2026, and what drives the cost, using the system we built for Metroletts, a UK letting agency, as the example.

What does letting agency software need to handle?

• Landlords: onboarding, their properties, statements and payments
• Properties: status, occupancy, meter readings, documents and certificates
• Tenants and viewings: applicants, viewings, tenancies and contact history
• Maintenance: repair jobs with priorities, contractors and photos
• Inspections: check-ins, check-outs and routine visits recorded on a phone at the property
• Accounts: rent due and received, landlord payouts, invoices and arrears
• Reports: occupancy, rent outstanding, profit and the cost of empty properties

Which UK rules should the system help you track in 2026?

Since the Renters' Rights Act took effect on 1 May 2026, landlords in England can no longer use Section 21 notices, and tenancies are periodic with no fixed end date. Ending a tenancy now means proving a Section 8 ground, so dated records of rent, repairs, inspections and messages matter more than before. Good software makes that evidence easy to find.

It should also remind your team before these deadlines are missed:

• Deposits protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt, with the prescribed information sent to the tenant
• Gas safety checks every year, with a copy of the record given to tenants
• Electrical safety reports (EICR) at least every five years
• A valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for every let property
• Right to Rent checks before a tenancy starts

This is a summary, not legal advice. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and further parts of the Act are still being introduced, so check GOV.UK or your legal adviser for the current requirements.

What did we build for Metroletts?

Metroletts juggled landlords, properties, tenants, viewings, repairs, inspections and rent in spreadsheets, which made it easy to miss an urgent repair or a final rent payment. We built one property management system for the whole agency.

Each role (admin, accountant, inspector and maintenance staff) lands on its own dashboard, showing active tenants, occupancy, rent outstanding, profit, empty-property loss and an urgent maintenance log. Inspectors use a mobile web app on site. When a property is archived, the system asks for final meter readings with photos, alerts the accountant and handles final rent and open maintenance jobs across every module. The system was refined through rounds of client testing and change requests.

Custom software or off-the-shelf letting software?

Off-the-shelf letting software is the right choice for many agencies: you can start within days, the vendor keeps it updated, and the standard workflow fits a typical lettings business. You pay a monthly fee, often per user or per property, and you work the way the product works.

A custom system costs more at the start, then mostly hosting and support. It makes sense when your agency has its own way of handling maintenance, inspections or landlord accounts, when you run lettings alongside other services, or when fees for several tools add up. Compare three years of subscriptions and add-ons for your whole team with a fixed quote before you decide.

What drives the cost?

• Number of roles and dashboards: admin, accounts, inspectors, maintenance, landlords or tenants
• Modules: maintenance, inspections, accounts and reporting can be built in stages
• Portals: separate logins for landlords to see statements or for tenants to report repairs
• Integrations: accounting software, payments, email and SMS, e-signature or property portals
• Mobile use: a mobile web app for inspectors, or full store apps
• Moving old data: importing landlords, properties, tenants and history from spreadsheets or another system

How long does it take?

We start with a clickable prototype, usually 2 to 4 weeks, so your team can try the screens before anything is built. A working system then usually takes 8 to 20 weeks, depending on the number of roles and integrations. Releasing it in stages, starting with properties, tenants and maintenance, gets your team using it early.

How do you keep it under control?

List where things go wrong today: missed repairs, late certificates, rent nobody chased, landlords asking for statements. Build for those first. Keep the code, hosting and data in your agency's name, and make sure you can export everything at any time.