We've been hard at work behind the scenes this month, bringing you several key updates that we're excited to share.

Highlights from Our Latest Release

1. Enhanced Inspection Calendar: In the Windows version of RentHQ, you can now easily move inspections to different dates or times by simply clicking and dragging. Please note, this feature is available only on the Windows app, not on the browser or mobile versions.

2. Improved Tenant Selection for Tribunal Reports: We've made it easier to find tenants in the Tenancy Tribunal report. Now, you can select the property first, which will then show you a filtered list of tenants associated with that property. This update applies to several other reports requiring tenant selection as well.

3. Streamlined Work Order Emails: Contractors will now receive work order emails with fewer blank lines, especially where address information might have been missing. This small change makes for a cleaner, more readable email.

4. More Informative Reminder Emails: Reminder emails now include the first line of the tenancy address when related to a tenant, providing more context at a glance.

5. Updated Inspection Schedule Report: The Inspection Schedule Report now features the property code, making it easier to identify properties at a glance.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to improve RentHQ!

Further enhancements have been adding to RentHQ in version 3.9.8. Here are the highlights from our latest update:

- You can now create a tenant inspection from the tenant details screen, inspections tab. The date and time of the inspection will default to the current date and time, rounded to the nearest half an hour. You can change this date and time.

- You can now do a simple note search. At the top of the list of notes is a text box where you can type in a simple filter. Only notes containing your entered text will appear.

- Similar to previous changes, more lists of items are now sorted in reverse date and time order, with the newest items at the top. This now includes attachments, letters, notes, extra charges and extra fees.

Mail merge has been available as a feature in the desktop version of RentHQ since the beginning. Now part of that functionality has been added to the mobile device.

You can now generate a letter on the mobile in the same way as the desktop software.
- You can generate a receipt from the transaction screen.
- You can generate a rent increase letter from the rent changes screen.
- You can generate an extra charge letter from the extra charges screen.
- You can generate an inspection letter from the inspection details screen.
- You can generate all other letter types from the Functions/Mail Merge menu option which has been newly added.

Also newly added is the Functions/Letters menu option. This enables you to view previously created letters.

Once generated, the only option is to email the letter to the recipient if they have a primary contact with an email address. You are not able to print from the mobile device.

Due to the much smaller screen size on the mobile, you are not able to create or edit mail merge templates.

We have been hard at work implementing your software enhancement suggestions. Here are the highlights from our latest update:

Property Insurance Details:
We've added a new 'Insurance' tab on the property details screen.
A new 'Insurance List' report is available under 'Entity Reports'. This report includes all properties and their basic insurance details, even those without insurance information.
For users generating the New Zealand Tenancy Services tenancy agreement, insurance details will now auto-populate on the form.
Previously entered insurance details from the New Zealand Tenancy Services tenancy agreement have been migrated to the property details screen.

Tenant and Disbursement Information:
On the tenant details screen, tenant history is now sorted with the latest information at the top by default.
The owner disbursements tab now displays the list of disbursements in the same manner, with the most recent information first.

Mobile App Enhancements:
For iOS and Android users with larger tablet screens, the app now utilizes more screen space, improving the display over the previous compressed view meant for smaller mobile phones.

Dashboard Performance:
The dashboard screen has been optimized to load faster, particularly benefiting customers managing a large number of properties and tenants.

Mail Merge Templates:
Additional fields have been added to the Extra Charge letters template. You can now include the tax amount and tax-exclusive amount in your letters.

We hope these updates enhance your experience and efficiency with our software. Thank you for your valuable feedback!

RentHQ is constantly evolving, and we're thrilled to announce some new features inspired by your suggestions.

With over 80 reports available, finding your go-to ones can be challenging. We’ve made it easier by allowing you to tag your favorite reports with a star. These favorites will always appear at the top of your list, customized for each user and computer. Simply click the little gold star next to the report name to toggle its favorite status.



We’ve also added the option for custom work order status values, another highly requested feature. If we added all the status values people have suggested, we would probably have about 20 of them by now. Instead of sifting through a long list of preset statuses, you can now create your own. Head over to the new Functions/Setup/Work Order Status menu to add your custom status values. Note that while you can’t delete the original five status values, you can modify their descriptions and add as many new ones as you need.

For clients managing both residential and commercial properties, we’ve introduced the ability to specify the GST/VAT tax rate on extra charges. If your extra charge income groups all share the same tax rate (typically zero), this change won't affect you. However, if you have multiple extra charge income groups with different tax rates, you can now select the appropriate rate when creating a new extra charge. This feature ensures the correct tax amount is calculated and displayed on your extra charge invoice report.

We hope these improvements enhance your experience with RentHQ. Keep your suggestions coming!

This month, RentHQ has undergone further enhancements driven by customer feedback and suggestions.

One notable addition is the recording of the login used to create a note, along with displaying the name of the note creator on the note screen. This feature is useful in scenarios involving multiple contributors, especially when referencing actions like a tenant phone call. With this enhancement, identifying the initiator of a note helps to identify who made the phone call.

Additionally, a new report, 'Tenant History 2,' has been introduced. While akin to the existing 'Tenant History' report, it has a slightly refined layout for improved user experience.

Both the Automatic Transactions and Import Rules screens now feature a convenient text filter at the top, facilitating swift entry retrieval.

Furthermore, lists of notes, such as those on the tenant or owner screens, are now sorted to show recent entries at the top of the list.

When exploring rental properties, two primary categories emerge: commercial and residential. Commercial properties serve businesses, encompassing shops, warehouses, and offices, while residential properties cater to living spaces.

When delving into property management software, it becomes apparent that each property type demands distinct functionalities.

In many aspects, residential and commercial properties share similarities. Both involve tenancy or lease agreements, property maintenance, and financial transactions. However, nuances necessitate tailored software solutions.



- Commercial property rents typically incur GST in New Zealand or Australia, unlike residential properties. RentHQ addresses this by enabling tax exemption for residential rents.

- While commercial tenants often cover outgoings or OPEX (Operating Expenses), residential property expenses are typically borne by the landlord. This could includes council rates or a shared security system or insurance. RentHQ's Extra Charges feature allows for the allocation of such expenses to tenants.

- Commercial properties often distribute expenses among multiple tenants. For instance, in a shopping complex, council rates may be divided based on square meterage. RentHQ facilitates this through customizable Extra Charge Allocations for each tenant, ensuring equitable expense distribution.

Most property management software caters to either commercial or residential properties. However RentHQ allows you to satisfy all requirements by allowing a mixture of both commercial and residential properties in a single software product.

In the ever-evolving world of real estate management, efficiency is key. Property managers and landlords juggle a myriad of tasks, from handling rent payments and maintenance requests to keeping track of leases and tenant communication. In such a dynamic industry, leveraging technology becomes imperative to streamline operations and maximize productivity. Enter property management software.

Understanding Property Management Software?

Property management software (PMS) is a digital solution designed to automate and streamline the day-to-day tasks associated with managing properties. Whether you oversee a single rental property or a large portfolio, this software offers a comprehensive suite of tools to simplify administrative processes, enhance communication, and optimize property performance.

Key Features of Property Management Software:

Tenant Management: PMS allows landlords to efficiently manage tenant information, including lease agreements, rent payment schedules, and communication logs. Tenants can submit maintenance requests and track their status through the software, fostering transparency and accountability.

Lease Tracking and Renewals: Tracking lease terms, renewals, and expirations manually can be cumbersome and prone to errors. Property management software automates this process, sending reminders for upcoming renewals and enabling seamless lease updates.

Maintenance and Work Order Management: Property maintenance is a crucial aspect of real estate management. With PMS, landlords can efficiently manage maintenance requests, assign jobs to contractors, and track work orders to ensure timely resolution and tenant satisfaction.

Communication Tools: Effective communication is essential for fostering positive landlord-tenant relationships. Property management software provides channels for secure messaging, announcements, and document sharing, facilitating clear and efficient communication between all parties involved.

Analytics and Reporting: Understanding property performance is key to making informed decisions. PMS offers robust analytics and reporting features, providing insights into occupancy rates, rental income, expenses, and more to optimize property profitability.

Benefits of Property Management Software:

Time and Cost Savings: By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining processes, property management software frees up valuable time for landlords and property managers, allowing them to focus on strategic growth initiatives.

Enhanced Tenant Experience: Quick response times, transparent communication, and efficient issue resolution contribute to a positive tenant experience, leading to higher retention rates and increased satisfaction.

Improved Accuracy and Compliance: Manual record-keeping is prone to errors and compliance issues. Property management software ensures data accuracy and helps landlords stay compliant with legal regulations, minimizing risks and liabilities.

Scalability: Whether managing a single property or a diverse portfolio, PMS scales to accommodate the needs of landlords and property managers as their businesses grow and evolve.

Centralized Data Management: Instead of juggling multiple spreadsheets and documents, property management software centralizes all relevant information in one secure platform, making it easily accessible and organized.

Conclusion:

Property management software changes the way landlords and property managers operate, offering a suite of powerful tools to streamline administrative tasks, enhance communication, and optimize property performance. By leveraging technology, real estate professionals can unlock new levels of efficiency, profitability, and tenant satisfaction in an increasingly competitive market landscape.

We've implemented an enhancement that allows greater flexibility in managing letters generated for tenants. Now, not only can tenants access their letters, but owners can also view them. By default, owner visibility is disabled for tenant letters. However, we've introduced a new option that lets you toggle owner access on a per-letter basis. You can specify whether owners can view a letter at the time of creation on the Mail Merge screen, or you can modify it later. This feature empowers owners to access crucial letters, such as rent arrears notices, while keeping others private.

In our cashbook interface, we've streamlined the process of manually entering transactions. Previously, after inputting the first transaction, the system would default back to today's date for subsequent entries. However, we recognized the importance of maintaining continuity when entering transactions from a bank statement. Now, the system retains the date of the previous transaction, facilitating smoother data entry. Of course, users retain the flexibility to modify dates as needed.

Additionally, we've made an improvement to the payments tab on the work order screen. Now, the reference column displays for previous transactions associated with the work order, enhancing clarity and organization.

Based on customer feedback, the weekly notification email now has the additional reminder of tenants who are going to have a rent increase within the next 7 to 14 days. Because tenants need to be notified well in advance of a rent increase, they often forget by the time it comes around. So this gives you the opportunity to contact them and give them a gentle reminder to avoid them going into arrears.

A small change has also been added to the daily Xero Import notification email. The subject line of this email now lets you know if all the records were successfully processed. If they have, then there is no need to open the email. It is only a small change, but it saves time.

The Trial Balance report, which lists the amount due to be paid to owners at the next disbursement, now also includes owners where the disbursement amount is zero, but they are an open owner. This could mean the owner had a vacant property.