Resident

Author: ResiDev

  • My first year @Resident

    My first year @Resident

    Hi, I’m Craig and I am the Client Success Manager here at Resident 

    Hopefully; unlike when I wrote My first 30 days, this might not be the first time you’ve heard of me!

    In this blog, I am going to try my best to cast my mind back over my first full year at Resident and all that has happened along the way. Now, it was a challenge remembering 30 days worth, so this truly is an undertaking.

    Alas, the slightly stronger coffee than usual sat upon my desk next to me, shall do its best to keep me on track… so, let’s dig in.

    Firstly, who & what ‘is’ Resident

    Well, I covered this in my previous post, but for all those reading this who may be using another provider, or are curious to know… here it is, in a nutshell, ofcourse.

    Resident offers cloud based Block Management software, built by block managers, for block managers. Essentially, offering a ‘single view’ for all block management needs.

    It was set up by our Founder, Kate Boyes – and for more information on how it all began, be sure to check out this lovely article for more of an insight: RESIDENT – simple answer to complex challenges in block management

    Read the article

    Life after onboarding

    In the days leading up to the end of the onboarding process, it’s fair to say that I was expecting everything to change. I don’t know why, but it was almost like I would wake up, find myself alone, nobody would be there and I would all of a sudden be in front of clients with only what I picked up in my first month, to go on.

    Now, I am all or nothing in business. So perhaps this is why my irrational part of my brain assumed this would be the case. Onboarding done, now off you fly… alone.

    I wish at that point I could have spoken to my future self and settled my anxieties around this, because it couldn’t have been further from the truth. For the most part, absolutely nothing has changed, whatsoever. I still have everyone around me, I still feel supported at every turn and I still ask questions. The major difference is that I am now fully part of the team and I am just as likely to be answering someone else’s question, too.

    It is safe to say that going through onboarding to work at Resident, gave me the clearest opportunity to appreciate the anxiety, nervousness and excitement that switching software offers to our new clients when they join. So, from that perspective – I am so pleased that I got to feel exactly the same, so that I can appease those concerns ahead of them bubbling up, when onboarding new clients with us.

    Finally, nerves are a good thing. It shows that you care and Resident really does; hugely in fact, on making sure we are doing all we can to set you up for success!

    Biggest achievement

    Let’s be honest, making wholesale changes when you are still quite new, isn’t always the norm.

    But then Resident, isn’t like most other places that you could work. It is purposefully a small team, where your voice really does get heard!

    So, having been onboarded myself, I used all of the resources that were on offer for new clients who were joining us. Aside from the 1-2-1 time with my colleagues doing screen shares etc (in the very same way that we continue to offer clients today), this meant predominantly utilising the amazing Resident Knowledge Base. I say amazing, because it is… it has 8 years worth of articles answering pretty much everything you could ever need to know, and there is no ‘chaos’ in finding what you need either. It’s quick to filter out the ‘other stuff’; like, super quick!

    That said, it allowed me to look back at what I had studied; across live sessions with colleagues and from articles, and question what had ‘stuck’ in my mind the most. In other words, how do I best learn new information?

    Truthfully, I had always known I was a visual learner and for me being shown how to do something – just sunk in so much easier and I found I didn’t need to ‘follow up’ on that topic again.

    So, the subject of this portion is ‘Biggest achievement’, right?

    I took to creating our; now, fully fledged Resident Video Library.

    Essentially, a library dedicated to all of the various ‘How To’ videos, covering the widest of spectrums. All the way from the basics such as how to add a new leaseholder – all the way through to editing arrears processes, templates and how to use dynamic fields in emails!

    Our 37 videos have now been watched in excess of 800 times. To put this into perspective, just one of our 4 minute videos has prevented our small team from being in 26 hours of 1-2-1 live meetings. More importantly, this enables us to help clients faster, more on demand and also for us to be more available for 1-2-1 training that clients really need (outside of what is covered by the Library). Plus, clients can ‘pause, play and replay’ me talking them through something, something not so easily mastered in ‘real time’ calls.

    We also now provide accompanying videos to our major releases on the software. Showing you exactly where and what said release effects in your everyday life and show you what benefits you can expect to experience.

    If you are currently a user of Resident and want to know more about the Resident Video Library, then use the contact button at the bottom of this blog!

    Working from home

    I feel like not addressing what it’s like to be ‘Remote First’, when working for a remote first business – would be a missed opportunity. So here it is in a nutshell, from my experience.

    Personally, my average week spans circa 8 hours of live 1-2-1 sessions via Google Meet etc, so I haven’t really noticed any difference in ‘working alone’. Other than that I am adding more coffee to my weekly supermarket trip… but other than that is all positives over here.

    I don’t think working full-time from home is for everyone, in just the same way as it isn’t for all businesses. For Resident it continually pushes us to develop training, onboarding and resources that are ‘rich’ and can be delivered with the same impact required, but ‘virtually’. So for us, it’s actually really important to live and breathe that mentality every day ourselves, so that it stays front and centre with all that we create.

    What’s next?

    This is a hard one to be ‘restrained’ on, because there are so many great things happening already and even more that we could easily get excited over and push to the top of the list, but restraint is and must be observed!

    Alas, lets whet the appetite a little for what’s in our future:

    Over this past year we have been working on a brand new version of Resident – which is quite honestly, more than exciting and we cannot wait to continue working on this next year too.

    I have plans to entirely change the way in which we bring people onboard to Resident. Now having tested the waters with video content for learning, I want to look at how we can enhance the overall experience.

    Think more of a ‘Pack’ that you get sent after signing up with us – a ‘what to do before you start’, ‘what to expect’ and ‘what to learn from where’… all the links and all of the reassurance we all need when starting something new!

    Newsletters! Yes, that’s right… sounds old school, but don’t worry, it won’t be making its way through your letterbox. We want to share what’s working well for other clients, what is new and what is coming up to get excited about!

    So, that’s My first year all wrapped up! I hope you found it interesting, if nothing else I hope it helped to get to know me a bit better or just a simple ‘peep behind the curtain’, whilst enjoying that well earned cup of tea!

    It has honestly been a pleasure getting to know so many of you over the last year, all whilst working with a team I am so blessed to call my colleagues.

    Until next time, keep on keeping on and I look forward to catching up with you all again soon!

    Jump onboard?

    If you are like I was, looking for a company that is really answering a problem, really has a vision and knows how to get there – then feel free to connect with me! We’re always open to hearing from like minded people.

    Say Hello!
  • Don’t say you’re still manually importing bank transactions? Why?

    Don’t say you’re still manually importing bank transactions? Why?

    Hi, I’m Craig the Client Success Manager and today we are going to be talking about one of our most popular Products, Bank Feeds. 

    In order to talk more about the What, Why & the How of Bank Feeds – we first need to cover Open Banking. Get your cup of tea and let’s dive in…

    What is Open Banking?

    Using an “application programming interface” (API), one software program can talk to another and share information between themselves. Everyday examples would be logging into a website via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter platforms.

    Open banking enables consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to share their bank and credit card transaction data securely with trusted third parties who are then able to provide them with applications and services. It can facilitate payments from account to account (A2A) without the use of cards or physical presence. It is estimated that half the UK’s small businesses and over 7 million consumers now use services powered by open banking technology and by September 2023, 60% of the UK population will be using it.

    If you want to read more about Open Banking, how it’s regulated and how it manages risk – then please read our past blog dedicated to this, here.

    So, back to the main question… Are you still manually loading transactions into Resident?

    Resident offers three ways for users to import transactions to the system. 

    • Manual
    • Import via CSV
    • Bank Feeds

    Bringing transactions into Resident in the Manual way is perhaps a logical place for companies with fewer units to start using Resident, to initially get a good understanding of how the system works.

    The second option; Import via CSV, is a sensible option for small companies with few blocks that are happy to have some consistent manual involvement with importing transactions. This option is also what the majority of companies used before Bank Feeds became available.

    So what is Bank Feeds?

    So, Bank Feeds links to your chosen account(s) and automatically pulls in transactions directly to Resident. Every morning, between 6am – 9am. Simple!

    Okay, let’s not leave it at that. Every day, when these transactions come into Resident, it will be pulling transactions from 24 hours ago. Therefore mitigating the risk of you reconciling a pending transaction etc.

    Now, you may have individual Block Accounts, or just one Global Account – either way, Bank Feeds will work seamlessly for you.

    Want to know more about how easy it is to connect, watch this short video!

    What about Reconciliation?

    So, you get to your desk in the morning and Bank Feeds has already brought in all of the transactions for you, you now need to reconcile. With Bank Feeds, you also have access to a whole new; easier, way to reconcile your transactions.

    As per the example shown below, Resident will show you Owners or Suppliers with eligible outstanding invoices. Once you select the right person or company, it will highlight any matches the payment could be for. Simply Select It, Save It and move onto the next…!

    The Cost of such ease?

    Much like Resident itself, Bank Feeds works on a subscription basis which is charged annually, upfront. The exact cost entirely depends on the number of Accounts you wish to Sync. Prices are between 99p per day – £3.95 per day… not hard to justify when you’ll be saving more than an hour of someone’s time every day!

    If you are interested in learning more, understanding your company’s cost or having a demo, please reach out to me directly:

    Email me!
  • Release Notes (31/05/2023)

    Release Notes (31/05/2023)

    What’s new?

    We are delighted to present you with new features and upgrades which will allow you to smoothly pass ARMA audits and keep your Compliance up to date.

     

    Watch the video
    View the entire video library

    NEW FEATURES

    • TICKETS
      Tickets for category visible under assessments
       
    • TICKETS #2
      Tickets for unit visible on the ownership
       
    • COMPLIANCE DASHBOARD
      Showing overview of all Assessments sections and status of your compliance tasks
       
    • RECONCILIATION
      Sign off reconciliation of the bank account
       
    • RECONCILIATION #2
      Report of all sign-offs

    UPDATES OF EXISTING FEATURES

    • AGENCY IMPORTS/CATEGORIES
      Category type is now mandatory and the template gives a list of types from which the user can choose
       
    • COMPLETED WORKS ORDERS NOT SHOWING IN DHUB 
      This requires synchronizing and 30-second wait
       
    • MESSAGES
      Unit name is now next to the contact when you select recipient for a new message
  • Release Notes (19/05/2023)

    Release Notes (19/05/2023)

    What’s new?

    Please check out the video snapshot of all the new exciting features!

    Watch the video
    View the entire video libray

    NEW FEATURES

    • CLIENT STATEMENT
      If you have a Global Bank account, each block on your portfolio will have a new section called Client Statement which will show the statement of client funds. This is found under Block Accounts, below Transactions.
       
    • DEFAULT MESSAGE TEMPLATE
      You can now set up a new message template with default text which will be added to any new custom message you send from Resident.
       
    • TICKETS IMPORT
      Gives the option to create multiple tickets using a spreadsheet (Ticketing required).
       
    • CATEGORY FOR TICKETS AND TASKS
      You can now assign a category to a ticket or task for reporting purposes. Tasks with a category will be shown under that category.
       
    • CREDITORS REPORT CHANGE
      The Creditors report will now show unallocated credit for each supplier, per property. These will be shown at the bottom of the report.

    NEW FEATURES

    • ADDING ITEMS TO SUPPLIER INVOICES
       After category selection, the relevant schedule is now highlighted.
       
    • NARROWING DOWN ID CHECK ON INVOICES
      When you create an invoice, the system will check for duplicate invoice numbers on that block only (not the whole portfolio).
       
    • ASSESSMENT REPORT
      Can now specifically pull tasks which have categories showing in the Assessments section.
       
    • GLOBAL DASHBOARD
      From the Global Dashboard, scroll beneath Tasks/Messages and Reports to see the Management section. Here, you can now see a list of blocks assigned to each Property Manager using the Action link.
       
    • SUPPLIER REMINDERS FOR INSURANCE RENEWAL
      These no longer hold a link to Resident. It is just fixed text.

    RESOLVED ISSUES

    • LIST OF SUPPLIERS FILTERING OFF INACTIVE SUPPLIERS 
      These will not show on the black book, and cannot be instructed for works orders.
  • A deeper look into our world of Development

    A deeper look into our world of Development

    Hi again, it’s Craig, Resident’s Client Success Manager.

    Hopefully you will all have seen our Development Plan that was communicated via email and our website, on 23rd February.

    For those that have not; or would like to take another look, please feel free to take a read by clicking this link. 

    What is a Development Plan?

    Resident’s Development Plan outlines the initiatives, epics and features in the engineering pipeline. Development Plans help us internally visualise the key technical objectives in the development workflow. 

    It is a high-level snapshot of our development team’s major objectives and allows us to share with our clients a clear vision for the year ahead.

    You talk, we listen…

    If you aren’t familiar with our story, Resident was founded by; and used by, Block Managers. 

    So, we have a deep understanding of what is needed by our clients. That said, we take requests and suggestions all year round, too.

    We constantly review if we are noticing trends across clients requests, and where we do, we look to build into our future Development Plans.

    For other requests outside of our communicated Development Plan, we also take on Custom Development work, which is paid for by the requested Client.

    The time to develop this custom work is then scheduled into our Development Plan too.

    Development & Growth

    Releasing new developments can be a volatile environment. Every idea/request/release impacts on multiple areas of Resident, and is never as simple as developing something new and ‘adding’ to the system.

    Our amazing development team tests everything ahead of release to ensure it meets the brief and does not compromise any other features you all rely on every day. Once satisfied, they then switch to working out of business hours to implement, to ensure they minimise disruption to users.

    It’s a constant cycle and we like it that way!

    Block Management isn’t something that sits still. It’s constantly evolving and changing, so we do too… take a look at how busy we have been

    If you wish to discuss any of the exciting upcoming developments, or indeed commissioning Custom Development work of your own with us, then please reach out to me directly: craig@resident.uk.com

  • 2023 Development Plan

    2023 Development Plan

    What’s new for 2023?

    We are pleased to present the milestones of our development plan scheduled for 2023. This is the framework for all major changes to be introduced by the end of the year in 3 stages.
     

    This Development plan only includes highlights from our wishlist. It paints our strategy for this year. Other smaller updates might also take place in 2023, so please keep an eye on our Release Notes.

    Here’s the plan

    STAGE I

    • Virtual Block Account for Clients using one global bank account
    • Two-way Messaging – you will be able to link emails from your domain to Resident and send messages through them

    STAGE II

    • Phone system integration (intro)
    • Reconciliation Report
    • 2FA for agents (intro)
    • Compliance updates – new style reminders, better ways to monitor crucial Tasks, improvements to Ticketing

    STAGE III

     

    • Prepayments and Accruals

    Please be mindful that any of these plans may be finalised sooner than mentioned, and please treat all estimates above as the worst case scenario 🙂

    Here is a list of smaller projects which we might commit to:

    • Works Order improvements – attaching files, extra reminders, workflows
    • Changes to standing order options
  • New to the world of Open Banking

    New to the world of Open Banking

    Open banking is a developing trend using “financial technology” (fintech) companies to compete with traditional financial ways to deliver financial services. 

     

    Why does Open Banking exist? 

    In 2016, The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published a report on the UK’s retail banking market concluding older, larger banks need do little to gain new business, whilst newer banks struggled to access the market and grow. One of the CMA’s solutions was opening banking. In 2017 the nine largest current account providers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Allied Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Danske, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide, RBS Group and Santander) were ordered to create (at their own cost) an implementation entity (OBIE) to help level the playing field, unlock the competition and implement opening banking.

    What is Open Banking?  

    Open banking allows secure connections between apps and banks, cuts out the middleman and aims to save users time and money. Users share the minimum data necessary for the product or service they want to use through a secure digital process. Using “application programming interface” (API) one software program can talk to another and share information between themselves. Everyday examples would be logging into a website via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter platforms, or companies using Google Map’s API to pinpoint locations. 

    Open banking enables consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to share their bank and credit card transaction data securely with trusted third parties who are then able to provide them with applications and services. It can facilitate payments from account to account (A2A) without the use of cards or physical presence. It is estimated that half the UK’s small businesses and over 6 million consumers now use services powered by open banking technology and by September 2023, 60% of the UK population will be using it. 

    Open Banking & Resident?

    Resident uses opening banking to effortlessly pull data directly from the bank, streamline reconciliation, and better manage risk with real-time cash flow visibility. Manual laborious data inputting has been automated by tech avoiding user error, optimising efficiency and minimising time spent. Resident automatically imports transactions from multiple client accounts pulling bank feeds overnight so that they are ready in the morning to reconcile. This all saves bookkeepers approximately 80% of their time. Clients can have daily up-to-date records. Real-time information like bank account balances displayed on Resident’s dashboards. A game changer for transparency of information for Resident Management Company directors and leaseholders.

    During 2023 Resident will provide open banking powered payments, enabling users to make A2A one- off or automated, recurring transfers safely.

    Is Opening Banking safe or regulated?

    In the UK, open banking is guided by the Open Banking Standard (OBS) – a framework published by the Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE, trading as Open Banking Limited). Open banking uses rigorously tested software, security systems, and data is encrypted. 

    To reduce the risk of payment fraud and protect customer data Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) is used. Banks or payment providers verify identity when users make electronic payments or access an account online using additional layers of security like two-step verification. Open banking requires explicit consent to be given to regulated apps or websites. So for Resident users to keep bank feeds active the OBS requires that consent is renewed every 90 days.

    Open banking in the UK is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requiring companies to follow strict rules and stringent standards to keep data secure. Only apps and websites regulated by the FCA or a European National Competent Authority can enroll in the Open Banking Directory. You can read more and check if an app or website is regulated on the OBIE regulated providers page or via the FCA register, or its European equivalent.

    Open banking is constantly evolving much like Resident so look out for future blogs.

  • My first 30 Days

    My first 30 Days

    Hi, I’m Craig and I am the Client Success Manager here at Resident

    Hi, I’m Craig and I am the Client Success Manager here at Resident 

    As I sit here with a freshly brewed cup of tea, preparing my mind to cast back only over my first 30 days at Resident and I’m already thinking “Right, what just happened” – it’s symbolic of how fast it has gone. Alas, the slightly more heaped teaspoon of sugar will help me on my way… so let’s dig in.

    Firstly, who & what ‘is’ Resident

    Well, Resident offers cloud-based Block Management software, built by block managers, for block managers. Essentially, offering a ‘single view’ for all block management needs.

    It was set up by the inspiring Kate Boyes, she will ‘roll her eyes’ if I make this about her – so instead, check out this really lovely article for more of an insight to ‘how it all began’:

    RESIDENT – simple answer to complex challenges in block management

    Let’s get onboarded

    On the days leading up to starting at Resident, I was fully prepped for Virtual Onboarding – being a ‘remote first’ business, this was new to me, but totally as expected.

    A couple of days before, I had received news that they had kindly hired a shared working space for me and my new buddy/trainer/colleague/fellow-tea-drinker – Michal, to share together.

    This was great, I had a clear mapped out plan, so much dedicated time one-on-one, and a real open forum to ask (and re-ask) a whole host of questions and pitch all manner of ‘why does it do it like that’ questions, which early on got our creative minds whirling and collaborating.

    I find it hard/somewhat alarming when people think on-boarding can be something that simply starts and then stops at a set time, on a set date. It almost poses itself as a distraction… like those times when you wake up just before your alarm and you can’t go back to sleep because you know ‘the time is nigh’.

    Thankfully, myself and the rest of the Resident gang are super like minded folk – ‘If it’s good, it’s good and if it’s not, then don’t panic – let’s do it together’. Suffice to say, like the rest of you/us – I hope to keep learning and I hope that never stops!

    Empowerment

    Let’s be honest, we’re a small bunch. Resident is the definition of a family run business, grown out of frustration of not having suitable software found elsewhere.

    We move quickly and with a shared sense of understanding that Block Management is hard enough, and nobody needs a system working against them.

    So, how does this all fit in with empowerment. Well, very quickly you realise you may be new – but in a small bunch of people, trust is awarded quickly – again, out of necessity.

    It is safe to say that I have worked in few places where I have felt this trusted & valued so very early on. Don’t get me wrong, it had taken Kate a while to hire for my position, so we took the time to get to know each other before I started – and therefore this trust feels, right – which is lovely.

    As I sit here now, I have already designed new processes, written new policies and trained existing clients on new exciting releases to help ease their working lives and increase their efficiencies.

    On the road

    I am a people-centric person, so the chance came around to join my colleague on the road, visiting our longest-standing clients. Along with discovering his love for classical music on our 4 hour journey each way, I also had the chance to learn more about the company, its journey and build a stronger connection with a colleague too.

    The trip to see our client was a fantastic chance to hear about quite how much Resident is part of their business. It’s like the air these businesses breathe; all going well, Resident; and any software company, should be ‘silent in the room’, always dependable, always there and always on your side. It was clear to me very quickly how much these clients were ‘all-in’ and it was such a joy to train them on recently released modules, that will make their busy lives that bit easier.

    Sharing a growth mindset

    This is something I really feel Kate and I bonded over early on in the recruitment process. A desire to not stand still, a willingness to constantly evolve and not being scared of interrogating the ‘grey-space’ (both in the industry but also internally). I am so truly excited to see where Resident will grow. It honestly has gone from strength to strength and has phenomenal new software releases already coming down the pipeline.

    Jump onboard?

    If you are like I was, looking for a company that is really answering a problem, really has a vision and knows how to get there – then feel free to connect with me! We’re always open to hearing from like minded people.

    Say hello
  • Recruiting now: Customer Technical Support Advisor

    Recruiting now: Customer Technical Support Advisor

    About Resident and the Role

    Resident Property Software Ltd is looking for a Customer Technical Support Advisor required for a busy, award-winning and dynamic company. Launched in 2014, we are a cloud-based, block management portal designed to simplify and modernise the property management process for both managing agents and those who choose to self-manage.

    Our mission is to be the industry-leading, cloud-based, property management platform. Driven by the belief that we can make property management better for everyone by sharing knowledge, striving for transparency of information and encouraging compliance, and by the desire to set the highest professional standards.

    This is a great opportunity for an organised, independent thinker with excellent communication skills and the ability to support clients with their technical issues. We offer good career progression, training and the opportunity to constantly learn information and new skills. You will be the first point of contact for all clients regarding technical issues i.e. user errors / bugs, this is an extremely varied role focused on communication, product understanding/ knowledge (training will be given) and research.

    Responsibilities

    • In-depth knowledge of products (training given).
    • Maintain the support system – answer all support quires by phone or email. We currently operate using Freshdesk system.
    • Help with maintaining a knowledge-base of tickets and solutions, to effectively re-use material.
    • Maintain a FAQ or other client-facing material, with the focus to reduce support and add value to clients. Update user manual.
    • Produce feedback of new features and bugs to address issues internally.
    • Other ad hoc duties – research, admin etc.

    Ideal candidate

    • Self-starter – a desire to want to be the best and make moves to learn how.
    • Resourceful – able learn-on-the-job and independently.
    • Personable – engage effectively with clients. We’re client-centric!
    • Positive – bring to life our products to clients. Be a brand ambassador.
    • Ambition – to utilise our tools to make the best for us and our clients.
    • Sense of Humour – we wanted to put this at the top, but chickened out.

    Additional information:

    • This is a Home-Based role. Trust is everything and self-motivation is key to success.
    • The position is for a five-day week. Your hours would be 9.00 – 5.30 pm Monday to Friday, however, due to the nature of the business, you may be expected to work outside these hours when the necessity arises.
    • The annual holiday entitlement is 20 days plus bank holidays in a
      complete year – 1 st  January – 31 st  December. The holiday entitlement will increase by 1 day for every two complete years worked up to a maximum of 30 days.
    • You will be reporting directly to the Technical Support Specialist.
    • Benefits: Company pension, full tech set-up, flexible working.
    Apply now!

    To apply please send your CV to kate@resident.uk.com

  • Release notes 12th August 2022

    Release notes 12th August 2022

    NEW FEATURE

    • Internal Transfer – allows you to transfer money between two accounts by creating a debit and credit accordingly. It will also automatically reconcile such transactions with ledger items

    UPDATES

    • Budget – if you generate demands manually, the system will automatically disable options to automatically generate and email for that demand (if originally selected)

    • Supplier extract – new column on the spreadsheet with Supplier’s Insurance expiry date

  • Release Notes 15th July 2022

    Release Notes 15th July 2022

    What’s new?

    The following features/updates have now been deployed:

    NEW FUNCTIONALITIES

    • Comments can be added to Categories on the Budget – these can be added and edited even after a budget has been approved – code:

      <# <Content Select=”./CategoryComment”/> #>
      (works on Budget Summary and Budget Details templates)
       
    • Send All Statements – Option to send Statements to all current Leaseholders at once. Works similar to downloading Statements. This can be found in Units List/More Actions/Send all statements

    UPDATES

    • Schedule Names on the list of Suppliers’ Invoices – there is only one Schedule even if there are multiple items. The schedule will be taken from the Category and will be the first item
       
    • Suppliers can now be emailed from Tickets directly
       
    • New column on Debtors report – ‘In Breach’
       
    • New frequency for Service Charges and Automatic Ground Rent – Half Yearly English Quarters – half year dates when falling on English Quarter Dates
       
    • Notes column added to Works Orders Extracted – This pulls notes from Notes sections on each works order
  • Resident Client wins ARMA Managing Agent of the Year 2022

    Resident Client wins ARMA Managing Agent of the Year 2022

    Back in 2014 when we first launched Resident Block Management Software our very first client was  Plymouth Block Management who came onboard with less than 100 units.

    Over the years our working relationship has flourished. We have watched them grow in size and expand into new areas (Devon and Cornwall),  and we are delighted that their exceptional services have been recognised at the 2022 ARMA (the Association of Residential Managing Agents) ACE Awards. There were over 100 entries whittled down to 62 finalists by the 10 independent judges. The criteria included strategic vision, focus on clients’ needs, operational excellence and how it represented good value for money, excellence in leaseholder communications, efficient handling of enquiries and staff training/development. Plymouth Block Management took away the “Managing Agent of the Year (1,000 – 5,000 units)” winners award.

    Back in 2021 Mark Christie the Managing Director of Plymouth Block Management commented that “Resident is an essential part of Plymouth Block Management and we highly recommend it to any managing agent looking to improve their internal workflow whilst at the same time giving their clients unprecedented transparency.”

    In 2014 our director, Kate, launched Resident Block Management Software that is not only utilised by Alexandre Boyes, but also over 200 other managing agents across the UK, Ireland, and Gibraltar. Mark’s full testimony highlights just how far Resident has come in supporting its customers:

    “After struggling with spreadsheets and mail merges to track and issue our service charge demands, we decided in 2016 to look for a cloud-based block management system we could utilise to make both our lives, and those of our clients, easier. Having looked at all of the well-established products on the market we eventually came across Resident and have not looked back since. As one of Resident’s earliest adopters, we have seen the Resident platform grow and develop into a state of the art property management system which puts ease of use and flexibility at the centre of everything it does.”

    “Switching to Resident completely changed the way we work as a company and allowed us to achieve our number one goal for our clients: transparency. Utilising the leaseholder portal functionality, leaseholders and management company directors can have a full overview of their service charge account including downloading statements, service charge demands and keeping up to date with any arrears, all through the portal 24 hours a day. This not only halved the amount of enquiries we received at the office, but also gave leaseholders the confidence that their property was being properly managed and allowed them the level of openness and transparency many managing agents are simply unable to provide.”

    “As a product, Resident is consistently updated with new features and improvements – the development team is approachable and always willing to discuss client ideas for improvements and new features. All of this is backed up by excellent customer support with tickets being answered very quickly and with comprehensive answers and a real person on the end of the phone who actually knows the product.”

    Now it’s Resident’s turn for awards!

    We are nominated for a 2022 Proper Award in the technology category judged entirely by customer reviews. We would be incredibly grateful if our Resident clients would nominate us here.