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Managing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can be stressful, and full of unique challenges. These are properties that are rented out to at least three individuals – essentially a house share. For a landlord, that means multiple tenancy agreements, differing payment schedules, more rigorous legal and licensing requirements, more wear and tear, and higher risk of fines and non-compliance.
It’s no surprise that more and more HMO owners are turning to property management software to help them save time and reduce unnecessary stress.
But, where do you start?
In this guide we’re going to compare the top HMO management software options available to UK landlords. Whether you own a single property or have a wider portfolio, we’ll cover the best digital solutions that can make a real difference to how you run your business. We’ll focus on robust compliance management and solutions with built-in rent tracking so you can find the perfect solution for your needs.
Key Features to Look for in HMO Software
Not all property management software is created equal, especially when it comes to HMO properties. So before we get into some specific options, it’s important to establish what you want to get out of your property management software. Which of these key features would help you the most?
- Multi-tenancy support
Essential for tracking individual tenants, rooms and leases within the same property. - Licensing and safety certificate tracking
Stay on top of gas safety certificates, HMO licences and other vital compliance documents. - Automated reminders for inspections and compliance
Set reminders for property checks, licence renewals and other deadlines. - Tenant onboarding and communication tools
Streamline the move-in process and centralise communication to reduce friction and confusion. - Financial and rent tracking per room
Track payments from multiple tenants separately – including arrears and deposits. - Maintenance reporting & contractor coordination
Log maintenance requests, assign contractors and track resolution all in one place. - Integration with accounting tools (e.g. Xero, QuickBooks)
Link financial data for smoother reporting, tax returns and bookkeeping. - Cloud-based & mobile-friendly platforms
Access your HMO management tools from anywhere, on any device.
Top HMO Management Software Solutions for UK Landlords
Read on for our run down of the five best property management software platforms, each of which are designed with HMO management in mind.
1. Landlord Vision
Best For: All round performance – ideal for HMO landlords that want a fully integrated compliance-focused platform that scales with their property portfolios.
Overview
Landlord Vision offers everything you will need from your property management software, with powerful tools tailored to HMO management. You can track individual tenants and rooms within each property, set up automated rent schedules as well as manage licenses and safety documents with ease.
It’s a cloud-based software, as well as being mobile-friendly and ideal for both new and experienced landlords that are looking to save time on admin and reduce compliance risk. There is plenty of scope to grow, with features like tenant on-boarding, automated rent collection and built-in financial reporting.
Perhaps the standout benefit is the focus on UK-specific regulations – from gas safety certificates to HMO licence tracking. Property managers find this local knowledge critical when it comes to managing high-risk, complex properties like HMOs. You can view the many other property management features here.
As the property owner, you control everything, but can delegate tasks to agents or accountants by granting them limited access to various features. Whether you’re a DIY landlord or you work with external partners, Landlord Vision can be tailored to suit your exact needs. It’s just part of the reason why the service has received such excellent reviews.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Best For |
| Starter | £19.97/month | New & small landlords |
| Standard | £29.97/month | Landlords with growing portfolios |
| Premium | £39.97/month | Larger portfolio landlords, investors and limited companies |
| Enterprise | £84.97/month | High-volume landlords and companies requiring enterprise-level tools |
Key features & benefits
- Multi-tenancy support with room-by-room rent tracking
- Automated reminders for inspections, licence renewals and safety checks
- Built-in document management for certificates and contracts
- Individual rent schedules for every tenant
- Maintenance tracking with contractor coordination tools
- Mail merge functionality for easy communication
- UK-developed and fully aligned with UK landlord regulations
2. Arthur Online
Best For: Highly customisable management features
Overview
Arthur Online is a flexible property management software system that is well-suited to multi-unit rental portfolios. It is especially popular among landlords who want to automate their workflows, from tenant communication to maintenance reporting and automated rent reminders.
It’s a platform that integrates seamlessly with Xero and QuickBooks, which makes financial reporting much quicker and easier, and it also supports custom fields which enables you to tailor it to specific HMO properties.
Arthur Online is more complex than other tools that we’ll look at on this list, but it has proven very popular with landlords with growing portfolios and mixed asset types. The fact that the features can be customised means that it can make complex tenant management tasks much more straightforward.
Pricing
Packages start from £70 per month, rising up to £126 per month.
3. Hammock
Best For: Finance-first tenancy management
Overview
Hammock’s property management software is all designed around your finances. You can connect it directly to your bank to give you real-time insights into your rent payment and cash flow. This makes it ideal for landlords that want to keep a close eye on their money.
Some HMO landlords may find that Hammock is slightly limited, in that it doesn’t offer room-by-room tenancy tracking, but there are many other features that are ideal if you manage multiple properties – rent reminders, expense tracking, digital document storage. Hammock is ideal for landlords that are confident about compliance, but want to stay on top of their financial performance.
Pricing
Hammock’s packages start from as little as £8 a month for landlords with one property, rising to £31.50 a month.
4. Property Hawk
Best For: Budget-friendly property management
Overview
Property Hawk has been around for decades – a real pioneer in the property management space. They offer free software to landlords which includes all of the basic tools that you’re likely to need – tenancy tracking, rent scheduling and maintenance logging.
There are much more complex and feature-heavy solutions available, and some of the interface does look a little dated. However, this is a great piece of free software that can help you keep you organised so it’s well worth your consideration as an entry-level solution.
Pricing
Free to use
5. Rentila
Best For: All-in-one solution with app support and basic multi-property management
Overview
Rentila is a cloud-based property management solution that supports everything from tenancy management to document storage. It prides itself on being an ‘all-in-one’ solution – taking the stress away from landlords and streamlining as many tasks as possible. Despite being created in Bulgaria, it has full UK functionality.
It might be slightly more limited than some UK-native platforms, and some it is slightly limited in terms of HMO-specific features, but it does still offer support for multiple tenants across multiple properties, like automated rent reminders and deposit tracking in a user-friendly format.
Pricing
There is a free option for landlords with one property, and the most expensive ‘Gold’ package is £9.90 per month, plus tax.
How to Choose the Right HMO Software for Your Needs
If this feels slightly overwhelming, that’s completely understandable. There are a lot of options out there, all offering something slightly different. So our advice is to always come back to the key things that matter to you, which should inform your decision:
- Consider portfolio size and complexity: The size of your portfolio will dictate the complexity of the solution – make sure you use software that can cope with the number of properties you rent.
- Agency vs. solo landlord needs: Do you need tools that allow for multiple users, restricted access, or team collaboration?
- Importance of integrations and automation: Integration with accounting tools like Xero or QuickBooks can save hours each month
- Mobile access if you manage on-the-go: Cloud based services can help you keep on top of things while you’re on the move
- Trialling options before full commitment: Take advantage of free trials and demos to make sure you’re comfortable before you spend your money
Take the Next Step: Try Landlord Vision’s HMO Management Tools
If you’re looking for an intuitive, UK-specific property management platform that takes a lot of the stress of managing HMO properties, then Landlord Vision is a great place to start. Powerful features combined with a user-friendly interface – it’s easy to pick up even if you’re new to property management software, and it can save you a lot of time and hassle.
Our advice is to book in for a demo today – have a look at what it can do for your business. You can even try it for free for 2 weeks, with no obligation. You’ll have all the tools you need to stay compliant, organised and in control.
FAQ Section
Q: Do I need specialist software for HMOs?
A: While you may not need specialist HMO software, it is strongly advisable. General property management software can be helpful, but those solutions are simply not built to handle the complexity of HMO. Putting faith in the wrong type of software could lead to things being missed, and quite frankly, it’s not worth the risk.
Q: What’s the best free HMO management software?
A: Options like Property Hawk are decent, entry-level solutions that are good for dipping your toes into the world of property management software. However, you will probably find that they lack the more advanced features that you need for managing more complex HMO properties – they’re just not built for that job. If you’re serious about scaling or staying compliant, a paid solution like Landlord Vision may be more cost-effective in the long run.
Q: How much does HMO software cost in the UK?
A: Entry-level plans start at around £5 per month, while more comprehensive platforms range from £20 to £60+. Many providers, including Landlord Vision, offer a free trial so you can test the software before committing. Make sure you do this so that you know you are making the right choice.
