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GrowthProperty Management Back Office Services
UK letting agents: what outsourced back office services cover, how pricing works, white-label options, Renters’ Rights Act duties, and 10 questions to ask.
Solace · Last updated: October 2026 · Reading time: 7 minutes
If you’re reading this, you already run managed lettings. You know what month-end looks like. The question isn’t what a back office does. It’s whether someone else should run yours, what that costs, and whether you can trust them with your client account and your name.
Quick answer: what do outsourced back office services cover?
Outsourced property management back office services put a specialist team in charge of your managed portfolio’s client money, rent reconciliation, arrears, maintenance, compliance, inspections and landlord reporting, usually under your brand. You have the control, and they run it for you.
That’s exactly what Solace does. Our experienced team runs your back office day to day, while you follow every update in the software as it happens. You stay in control without doing the work.
Every task, payment and update is tracked in one system, so nothing slips through the gaps. Your landlords and tenants get a dedicated portal carrying your brand name, and our team carries out the work under your brand. That frees you up to focus on scaling the business instead of drowning in the operations.
Check how it works for your portfolio →
What Solace runs for you
Solace is a UK back office provider and software platform for letting agents: one system, one team, one set of records.
| Service | What our team does | More |
|---|---|---|
| Client money and reconciliation | Handles rent, landlord payouts and contractor payments in the same system as everything else, with no separate payments tool to connect | Client money |
| Repairs and maintenance | Tracks each job from report to completed invoice without switching tools | Repairs and maintenance |
| Compliance | Tracks deadlines, certificates and documents against each tenancy | Compliance |
| Periodic inspections | Runs inspections and keeps the reports on the tenancy record | Periodic inspections |
| Inventories | Check-in and check-out reports through our own inventory software | Inventory software |
| Arrears, payouts and reporting | Chases arrears, pays landlords and produces statements under your brand | Property management software |
Check how it works for your portfolio →
Your brand stays on everything
In a white-label arrangement, landlords and tenants see your name on statements, emails and portals. You keep the client relationship and the fee. We run the work behind the scenes.
It suits agents who win landlords well but whose managed book has outgrown their admin capacity, and agents in self-employed networks who manage a handful of properties themselves and don’t want to build a team around them. You can also use the software alone and keep the work in-house.
What 2027 changes for your back office
You know the Renters’ Rights Act is in force. What matters here is the evidence and deadlines it creates:
• Possession runs on evidence. Section 21 ended on 1 May 2026, so arrears histories, notices and inspection records now carry the case.
• Penalties are real. Many breaches carry civil penalties of up to £7,000, rising to £40,000 where offences are repeated or serious. The 31 May information-sheet deadline showed how quickly a tracking gap becomes a fine.
• Database and ombudsman. The government plans a mandatory PRS database from late 2026, with the ombudsman to follow. Checking landlord registration will become part of taking an instruction. Dates are still being finalised, so confirm them on GOV.UK.
Our compliance service tracks these against each tenancy, so the audit trail exists before anyone asks for it.
In-house, software or outsourced?
| Outsourced team (with software) | In-house team | Software only | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | A specialist team, and software update for you anytime | Your staff | Your staff, using the software |
| Training time | Plug and play: no training needed | 3 weeks to 3 months per hire | Staff still have to learn the system |
| Cost | No fixed overheads: you pay for the service | Fixed costs: salary, training, insurance cover | Software subscription, upgrades and more, plus staff cost |
| Sick leave and paid leave | None to cover | Sick leave and paid leave to cover | Staff sick leave and paid leave to cover |
| Hiring | Not required | Recruit, train and replace | You still need staff to run it |
| Scales with growth | Quickly: the provider adds capacity | Slowly: hire, train, repeat | Until staff run out of hours |
The question isn’t which is cheapest. It’s whether you need a system, or you need the work done.
What it costs
Providers charge per property, as a percentage of rent ( usually 1.5 to 2% - market standards) or as a fixed monthly fee, and the headline price often leaves out setup, migration and exit costs. Compare quotes on scope and total cost, not the headline number.
Based on our estimates, agents managing between 20 and 150 properties typically save roughly 35% to 45% compared with their current back office expenses. For agents managing more than 200 properties, the saving is 50% or more.
Solace pricing: For an exact figure on your portfolio, speak to our team.
10 questions to ask any provider, including us
1. Who holds the client account, and whose client money protection certificate covers it? Get the answer in writing.
2. Are you a redress scheme member, and do you hold professional indemnity insurance?
3. What exactly is in scope, and what costs extra? Ask for the service list line by line.
4. How is it priced? Per property, percentage of rent or fixed monthly, check for any additional charges.
5. Who is my named contact, and what are response times in writing? Check month-end cover.
6. How do you track compliance deadlines, and can I see the tracker? You should have audit access to records at any time.
7. How do you handle data under UK GDPR? Ask for a data processing agreement.
8. What does onboarding look like, and what happens to my data on day one?
9. What happens if we part ways? Ask how and when your data is returned.
10. Can I speak to two agents of my size who use you?
How a switch typically runs
Every provider’s process differs. A sound switch usually looks like this:
1. Discovery. Portfolio, systems, communication standards, and what’s in and out of scope.
2. Compliance check. Every property checked for current certificates and paperwork, so you know the starting position.
3. Data migration. Tenancies, balances and documents moved across and checked.
4. Go-live. A clear onboarding process is non-negotiable.
5. Review. A check after the first full month-end and the first compliance cycle.
FAQs
What do property management back office services cost? Pricing varies. Providers charge per property, as a percentage of rent or as a fixed monthly fee, often with setup and migration costs. Ask for a written quote covering scope, extras and exit terms before comparing providers.
Can I keep my own brand? Yes. In a white-label service, landlords and tenants see your name on statements and communications while the provider’s team handles the work in the background. You keep the client relationship and the fee.
Who is responsible if something goes wrong? You remain accountable to landlords and regulators. Whoever handles client money must be covered by client money protection, so check certificates, redress scheme membership and insurance in writing before you sign.
Can I use the software without the outsourced team? Yes. Agents can use the Solace platform on its own and keep the work in-house, or have the Solace team run the back office behind their brand.
How long does it take to switch? It depends on portfolio size and data quality. Allow for discovery, a compliance audit, data migration and a handover date, and ask any provider for a written onboarding timeline.
Does outsourcing cover Renters’ Rights Act compliance? It covers tracking, documentation and deadlines. Responsibility stays with you as the agent, so choose a provider that gives you audit access to records and a clear trail for every tenancy.
See how it would work for your portfolio
If admin, reconciliation and compliance are where your week disappears, and where growth stalls, it’s worth seeing what a team and a system could take off you. Book a demo and we’ll walk through your portfolio, your current setup and what outsourcing would and wouldn’t cover.
Check how it works for your portfolio →
Sources
Legal dates and penalties were checked in October 2026 and may change as the Renters’ Rights Act is implemented. Confirm on GOV.UK before relying on them.
• Renters’ Rights Act: information for landlords and letting agents (Woking Borough Council): phases, information sheet deadline and fines
• Letting agents and landlords face fines of up to £40,000 (Property Industry Eye): penalty levels
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025: the final countdown (Gowling WLG): Section 21 cut-off and transitional dates
• Renters’ Rights Act guide (JLL): database and ombudsman rollout
• GOV.UK: Renters’ Rights Act implementation roadmap and guidance for landlords and letting agents
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