A new property management platform tailored for small landlords managing their own portfolios is set to launch on 12 May. Developed by experienced landlords and financial professionals, the tool aims to simplify compliance, maintenance, and financial record-keeping amid increasing regulatory demands.

A platform designed for small landlords

William Harford, co-founder of Harthing, alongside Neil Carthy and Adam Saul, has introduced a property management tool specifically created for landlords with one or two properties who self-manage. The platform addresses the challenges faced by small landlords in keeping up with the growing complexity of regulations and tax requirements.

With over 50 years of combined experience in financial services, including two chartered accountants and a Cambridge mathematician responsible for building the platform, the team brings a strong professional background. Notably, Adam Saul is also a director of Rochdale AFC, and all three founders are landlords managing their own properties.

Features at launch

The platform will offer a range of features designed to streamline property management tasks. These include property records, maintenance logging, compliance tracking, and document storage. Financial transactions will be categorised for Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliance from the moment they are entered.

One of the key innovations is the Immutable Accountability Record, which ensures every action is hash-chained, making records tamper-proof and preventing edits or backdating. Additionally, the Evidence Bundle feature allows landlords to generate a complete, chronological proof of all actions taken for a property with a single click.

A compliance dashboard will provide expiry alerts for important documents, helping landlords stay ahead of deadlines. The platform also utilises artificial intelligence to extract expiry dates from gas safety certificates automatically, reducing manual data entry without offering opinions or personalisation.

Addressing current landlord concerns

Harford highlights the practical difficulties landlords face in managing documentation, questioning where landlords currently store gas safety certificates and whether they could retrieve them within two minutes if required. This points to a common challenge in maintaining accessible and organised records.

With recent and upcoming regulatory changes such as the introduction of Section 21 reforms on 1 May, the enforcement of Awaab’s Law, and the ongoing requirements of Making Tax Digital, landlords are under increasing pressure to maintain compliance. Harford emphasises the importance of having adequate tools to meet these demands.

He also reminds landlords of the deadline to serve the official GOV.UK Information Sheet to all existing tenants by 31 May, warning of a £7,000 fine for non-compliance. This underscores the growing regulatory burden on landlords managing properties without letting agents.

What this means for landlords

The launch of this platform represents a significant step towards supporting small landlords in managing their responsibilities more efficiently and confidently. By consolidating maintenance, compliance, financial records, and document storage into a single, user-friendly system, landlords can reduce administrative overhead and improve accountability.

The immutable record-keeping and evidence bundle features provide landlords with robust proof of compliance, potentially reducing disputes and easing the burden of audits or inspections. Automated data extraction from certificates further minimises errors and saves time.

As regulatory requirements continue to evolve, having a dedicated tool designed with small landlords in mind could prove invaluable in maintaining compliance and avoiding costly penalties.

William Harford welcomes questions about the platform and is open to feedback to ensure the tool meets landlords’ needs effectively.

Source: Based on reporting from Property118

TLA Training Academy

The Landlord Association has launched its new Training Academy for UK landlords, providing structured guidance, compliance education, and practical knowledge to support landlords at every stage. Members can now complete the programme and become TLA Certified Landlords at no additional cost as part of their membership.

Landlords can explore the Academy here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/tla-academy/

Those looking to join and access the full training and certification can register here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/landlord-association-membership-uk/

TLA update

The Landlord Association is currently onboarding new service providers into its Trusted Partner Hub, a new initiative designed to support landlords, tenants, letting agents, and property managers with vetted, high-quality services. As one of the fastest growing landlord associations in the UK, TLA offers partners direct access to an engaged and active member base at the point of need. Service providers across legal, maintenance, insurance, finance, mortgages, tenant screening, and property services can register their interest here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/become-a-tla-service-partner/