We are delighted to share that Spike has been nominated for the PropTech Solution of The Year award at The Property Institute ACE Awards 2024, recognising Spike’s substantial impact in leveraging technology to reshape industry practices and enhance property managers’ efficiency throughout the past year.
In recent years, property management has evolved significantly due to technological advancements, regulatory changes, shifting tenant expectations, and a growing focus on community.
According to latest research, 89% of property managers believe that technology can streamline property management processes, while 31% of tenants do not renew their tenancies due to seeking better management.
In response to these trends, Spike has developed Spike PMS, an innovative property management platform, helping property professionals drive new efficiencies, discover compelling clarity and enhance client communication like never before.
Spike PMS provides full visibility of an entire portfolio at a glance giving managers access to the information they need, at their fingertips, whilst the dedicated app makes communication a breeze, bringing property managers, tenants, and leaseholders closer together.
As we eagerly await the ACE Awards ceremony on Friday 21st June 2024, at Old Billingsgate, London, we extend our gratitude to the judges for recognising Spike’s contributions to the industry.
Congratulations to all the finalists who made the shortlist! We’re looking forward to an exciting night celebrating innovation, excellence, and the future of the property management sector.
In collaboration with KC, Leasehold Property Expert and Founder of LeasedByKC.
In the fast-paced world of property management, where demands are high and time is always of the essence, maintaining the health and well-being of employees might seem like a secondary concern.
However, with ever-increasing workloads and expectations placed on property managers, as well as the mounting pressure from external national sources, it is not surprising that 1 in 4 property managers are now considering leaving the industry according to the latest research. What’s more, property management staff consistently score well below the Office for National Statistics (ONS) averages when asked about how worthwhile their life is, their life satisfaction, and their level of happiness.
While administrative tasks still make up a lot of the workload for a typical property manager, the role is shifting to one of relationship management, bringing a whole host of additional stress for property managers to contend with who ultimately want to deliver outstanding results to both leaseholders and their tenants.
The role technology can play in supporting property managers
It’s no secret that current property management systems are outdated and lack the flexibility to keep up with the pace of change. Accessing even the most fundamental information can be arduous and time-consuming due to data being held in multiple systems, sporadic emails, and spreadsheets.
Drawing on over 13 years of experience in the property sector, Spike’s innovative property management platform, Spike PMS, helps property managers drive new efficiencies, discover compelling clarity and enhance tenant and leaseholder communication like never before.
Here’s how solutions like Spike PMS can contribute to enhancing health and well-being within the industry.
Automate time-consuming tasks
On average, property managers spend 288 hours a year performing repetitive tasks. Tasks often include sending monthly reminders for service charge demands, welcome emails to new property owners, and sending key documentation such as the latest fire policies and key health and safety documents.
Having systems in place that can automate many of these manual tasks can improve the work-life balance and productivity of property managers. This means that property managers can spend less time on administrative work and more time on the ground, conducting site inspections, meeting contractors, or building customer relationships via resident surgeries, reducing the number of complaints and improving morale.
Efficient maintenance management for safety
Maintenance issues are a common source of stress in property management. Without a central system in place, leaseholders and their tenants will use email, WhatsApp messages or text messages to report issues. Sporadic messages and using different channels make it challenging for property managers to keep track of what has been reported and run the risk of duplicating reports, making it even harder to keep residents updated on the progress. Not to mention making it almost impossible to track against SLAs and performance metrics for response times. Property management is also a complaint-heavy industry and tracking complaints is crucial to protecting a company and individual staff in case of future legal disputes.
Property management systems such as Spike PMS can streamline maintenance management by allowing residents to submit maintenance requests directly via a mobile app, and even attach photos so that staff can diagnose the fault ahead of time. What’s more, the system can be set up to divert defects and issues directly to the relevant team members, or automatically shared with external approved contractors to be investigated and resolved, with residents being informed and kept up to date on the progress.
Access a single centralised view of all data
More often or not, there will be a number of disparate tools and systems in place at a property management company which means that key information can be difficult to access. With one of the requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022 being that building owners and property managers should understand the needs of every household living within the building, it’s paramount that this information is easily accessible.
Spike PMS has been designed to be the single view for property managers, with integrations with third-party systems including finance, CRM, and maintenance management. By pulling in data from different systems and sources, this allows property managers to see all logged activities against a property, leaseholder and tenant, enabling property managers to quickly and efficiently find and access the information they need, whenever they need it.
This means that property managers can spend less time digging through files and emails, and claw back some of that precious time to focus on other activities. As well as being able to have a central activity log to be used as evidence of notification, in case of future disputes.
Effortless tenant and leaseholder communication
On average, it can take up to 7 calls and emails to get hold of a resident. Clear and timely communication can reduce misunderstandings, improve transparency, and foster trust and collaboration among leaseholders, ultimately contributing to a healthier and more supportive work environment.
Having a property management system in place means that regulatory documents and compliance-related information are also readily accessible. Storing important documents digitally and providing easy access to relevant information facilitates transparency and accountability in property management practices.
Furthermore, Spike PMS provides transparent insights into financial transactions, enabling leaseholders and tenants to view detailed service charge statements and transaction histories, ensuring clarity and accountability in financial matters. Additionally, PMS platforms often offer secure payment portals where leaseholders can make service charge payments electronically, further enhancing transparency and convenience.
Summary
Forward-thinking property management companies are realising that investing in systems and technology not only streamlines operations but also plays a crucial role in fostering a healthy and supportive work environment. By streamlining processes, facilitating efficient maintenance management, enabling data-driven decision-making, and enhancing communication, systems like Spike PMS can contribute to creating a positive work environment where employees can thrive.
The Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022 introduces new requirements for building owners to demonstrate that they have effective measures in place to identify and manage safety risks. The Act enables residents in higher-risk buildings to have a say in the management of their building and raise concerns directly with the Accountable Person, who will have a duty to listen to them.
As part of their statutory obligations, the Act requires the Accountable Person(s) to prepare and keep under review a resident engagement strategy. It must provide residents with relevant safety information and risks about their building.
The strategy will need to be provided to all residents aged 16 years and over and should be regularly reviewed and updated. It also forms part of the golden thread of information and must be submitted with the safety case to the Building Safety Regulator.
What does your resident engagement strategy need to include?
Every resident engagement strategy will be different, but the Act says it must detail:
• What information will be provided to residents.
• What residents will be consulted on.
• How residents’ views will be sought.
• How residents’ views will be taken into account.
• How the effectiveness of the strategy will be measured.
So where do you start?
One of the requirements of the Building Safety Act is that building owners and property managers should understand the needs of every household living within the building, especially if there are any disabled or vulnerable residents living there. As well as whether residents have a preferred language for communication. This will help shape your evacuation procedures and how you choose to communicate to residents on an ongoing basis.
Therefore, the success of your engagement strategy will rely heavily on how well you know the residents living within your buildings. Often this information can be difficult to access – resident information may be held in different systems, in sporadic emails, or managed by different staff. To ensure you comply with the Building Safety Act, it’s paramount that this information is easily accessible.
How technology can help?
Spike PMS has been designed to be the single view for property managers, with integrations to many third-party systems including finance, CRM and maintenance management. By consolidating data from different sources this enables property managers to quickly find and access the information they need, whenever they need it.
More importantly it enables them to perform various actions, such as having the ability to send out communication and documentation directly to tenants and leaseholders, whether that’s by email or directly to the Spike app. All communication and documentation that has been sent to a property, leaseholder or tenant is logged in Spike, with property managers able to see who’s opened and read the communication which forms an important part of the golden thread.
What’s more, with Spike PMS, you can automate the sending of communication and documentation. For instance when a resident moves into a building, property managers are able to set up a workflow that can automatically send all of the necessary fire safety documentation and any other important information to them, ensuring that you remain compliant, and nothing gets missed.
Example
Taking the example of having to know whether any residents are disabled and potentially would require assistance to evacuate the building in an emergency. If this information hasn’t been collected or property managers want to make sure it’s accurate and up to date, they can send out a service request directly to residents via the Spike app asking for residents to populate which then automatically gets logged and updated against the resident profile.
Once this information has been obtained, this provides property managers the ability to filter by these fields, and then send the appropriate communication and documentation such as tailored Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) or any other specific information relating to that individual resident.
Summary
In order for your resident engagement strategy to be effective, consider the technology used to keep residents informed, engaged and updated.
Spike PMS brings property managers, tenants and leaseholders closer together via a dedicated app, ensuring that important safety information reaches those who need it, when they need it. This helps property managers meet obligations and the latest regulations.
• Use technology to increase building safety and support Golden Thread requirements. • Identify your repetitive manual tasks and automate them. • Strengthen customer retention and foster resident engagement using technology.
Spike is delighted to announce it has been awarded TPI partner status and will work closely with the Institute and its members to tackle the major challenges the property management sector is facing.
TPI (formerly ARMA, IRPM) is the leading professional body for residential property management in England and Wales. With over 335 managing agent members collectively managing 55,000 blocks, 1.5 million homes, and over £1bn in client funds each year, TPI is renowned for promoting best practices, providing invaluable resources, and advocating for the interests of both managing agents and residents.
In recent years, the property management landscape has been reshaped by a number of factors, including changing regulatory environments, evolving tenant expectations, and an increasing emphasis on community. However, technology solutions have not kept pace, with research revealing that property managers waste over 480 hours a year on using inefficient systems and spend 288 hours annually on repetitive tasks that could otherwise be automated.
Drawing on over 13 years of experience in the property sector, Spike’s innovative property management platform, Spike PMS, helps property managers drive new efficiencies, discover compelling clarity and enhance tenant and leaseholder communication like never before.
By becoming a TPI Partner, Spike will benefit from access to a wealth of resources, including industry-leading guidance and networking events, whilst working closely with property managers to ensure its solutions continue to meet and support the evolving needs of the sector.
Jonny Wootten, Marketing Director at Spike, comments: “We believe that property management should be smart, simple and seamless. By joining as a TPI Partner, we aim to provide and empower property managers with the tools they need to optimise, organise and thrive in today’s challenging world.”
Spike, with demand for its solutions continuing to soar both nationally and internationally, with its award-winning tenant engagement portal now being used across more than 500 buildings in 15 countries.
Spike is excited to announce the launch of its first project in New Zealand, working with New Ground Living to enable tenants to get the most out of renting a home. Since 2014, New Ground Living has been pioneering the development of Build-to-Rent housing in New Zealand, bringing about meaningful improvements for rental households by providing modern, healthy, and professionally managed homes with security of tenure.
Spike worked with New Ground Living to create MyLiving, a white labelled version of its Spike Living portal that is now available to all tenants at Moroki in Glen Innes, Auckland, an apartment and townhouse complex of 50 homes that New Ground Living recently delivered for Hapai Housing. Moroki comprises of stunning one, two and three-bedroom properties, with on-site amenities and services designed to connect tenants with each other and the wider community. These include native-inspired landscaped areas, communal BBQ areas, as well as vegetable patches and composting facilities for those with green-fingered talents.
Through the MyLiving portal, tenants can view their tenancy details, easily report any maintenance issues, book onsite amenities, and gain access to their apartments via their mobile key, at the tap of a button. The portal, accessible through a mobile app, allows New Ground Living to simplify and streamline the day-to-day management of its developments, helping tenants stay better connected and allowing staff to manage enquiries and maintenance requests more efficiently.
The portal also enables New Ground Living to promote and connect tenants to their local area, provide special deals from local businesses, and offer the opportunity to create online clubs and forums, helping to instil a real sense of community.
Brian Collins, Managing Director at New Ground Living comments: “Traditionally, the experience of tenants has always been an afterthought here in New Zealand, something that New Ground Living has been working hard to change. By partnering with Spike, we’ve been able to take a big step closer to achieving our goal of placing the tenant at the centre of what we do and bring the NZ rental experience into the 21st century. The feedback from tenants so far has been very positive.
“It’s also been a challenge integrating new developments into already established neighbourhoods. By using Spike, we’ve been able to form partnerships with local retailers and promote their services directly to tenants via our MyLiving portal, showing the positive impact that our schemes can have in the local community.”
Jeremy Heath-Smith, CEO at Spike comments: “We are delighted to be working with New Ground Living, a forward-thinking operator that’s disrupting the traditional rental market in New Zealand. It’s great to see the positive impact our solutions are having in bringing together tenants, landlords and local communities, no matter where they are based in the world. We are looking forward to continuing to support New Ground Living with its aim of positively changing New Zealand’s rental market.”
We’re thrilled to share that Spike has been nominated for the CommuniCare Impact Award at the prestigious Global ESG Awards 2024, recognising Spike’s commitment to fostering positive social change within our clients’ developments and the surrounding communities.
Our nomination highlights the significant impact we’ve achieved in enhancing community engagement, social interaction and placemaking through our innovative tenant engagement solutions.
An example includes the work that Spike has been doing with Riverwalk Innovation Hub, a major office development situated at the heart of Citywest Business Campus in Dublin. Working closely with Bartra, Spike developed The Riverwalk Workplace app, a tailored solution designed to connect tenants, staff, and property managers seamlessly.
The app facilitates communication, provides essential information, and fosters a sense of community among tenants. Through features such as push notifications and the online social clubs and forums, tenants can engage with each other, organise events and stay updated on campus activities. Tenants can also use the app to submit any queries they have to JLL Ireland, the managing agent, which has encouraged regular feedback on what they are enjoying the most and what they would like to see added to the campus.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the JLL Estate Team had the challenge of how-to encourage people back into the workplace. The app played a pivotal role by showcasing the safety measure in place and highlighting the events that were taking place across the development, such as Taco Thursday and regular fitness classes. The Riverwalk Workplace app has quickly become an integral part of the Riverwalk experience, with over 500 tenants now back in the office on a regular basis and using the app.
Spike’s commitment to social impact extends internally as well, with the team actively participating in various fundraising events and charity initiatives. In addition, Spike fosters a diverse culture and encourages employees to celebrate their individuality. For instance, cultural holidays provide opportunities for the team to see their heritage celebrated at work, which can enable them to feel a sense of belonging, respect, and representation. All these initiatives earnt Spike a spot on The Sunday Times Best Places to Work in 2023.
The Global ESG Awards 2024 voting is open to the public until 18th February, we invite you to support Spike by casting your vote here.
The winner will be announced at this year’s MIPIM where the trophy presentation will take place at the Grand Auditorium Stage on Tuesday 12th of March 2024.
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Spike is proud to announce that it has become the first PropTech company to join the UK Single-Family Association (UK SFA), a not-for-profit organisation committed to advancing industry standards and best practices within the Single-Family Rental (SFR) sector.
Through its membership with the UK SFA, Spike will actively participate in initiatives aimed at addressing key challenges facing the sector, and champion the role of technology in enhancing property management, tenant relations, and increasing operational efficiency.
By joining the UK SFA, Spike gains access to a diverse network of industry professionals and thought leaders, as well as valuable resources and educational opportunities. This reaffirms Spike’s commitment to staying at the forefront of industry developments and contributing towards the advancement of the SFR sector.
Richard Berridge, UK SFA CEO, comments: “We are thrilled to announce Spike’s membership of the UK SFA, and be the first PropTech company supporting our mission. Spike is a leading light in the PropTech sector, connecting people and properties. Their approach to innovation advancement compliments the values of the UK SFA and I am confident Spike will be a valuable voice in the Association as we seek to drive positive change in the SFR sector.”
Jonny Wootten, Marketing Director at Spike, comments: “We are delighted to become members of the UK Single-Family Association. The rise in Single-Family Rental homes provides an exciting opportunity for the BTR sector, and by collaborating with other members and stakeholders, this will ensure our solutions continue to support and meet the evolving needs of the market.”
Up until the recent Build-to-Rent boom, BTR had typically catered to students and young professionals who were embarking on their careers. Fast forward a few years, and it’s the 25-34 year olds who now make up the most common demographic of residents, with an increasing percentage of 55-64 year olds living in BTR developments too. The current financial climate is likely to push this recent shift even further, increasing its wide-scale appeal, especially with hesitant first-time buyers.
As the demographics of those living in BTR are changing, so too are the expectations and needs from their rented properties.
Shifting priorities
Each BTR development is unique, offering residents a variety of amenities and services included in their monthly rent or as additional paid for services. Operators recognise the importance of having unique and varied spaces with an incredible array of facilities and services on offer to potential residents, from dining rooms and cinema rooms to rooftop spaces, communal gardens and dedicated wellness rooms. With shifting demographics however, it may be wise to keep options open and create more flexible, multi-purpose amenity spaces to allow residents to decide for themselves how to use these areas.
As well as high-quality amenities and facilities, research has revealed that one of the biggest priorities for renters is having the latest connectivity options when. According to a survey of 500 residents and 200 apartment operators conducted by DISH Business, 81% of property owners and managers indicated that technology services were important in keeping residents satisfied, while 67% agreed that they could do more to provide the highest level of technology to their residents.
Connectivity done right
A 2019 report from Wiredscore, ‘Poor Foundations: the state of UK residential connectivity’, claims two-thirds of developers can rent their well-connected properties at a higher price and possibly with a greater yield. Two-fifths – 40% – of developers have seen an increase in demand for their properties, while more than half – 56% – stating they can rent their properties for longer, due to the improved in-home experience.
Managed internet service providers, such as ASK4, can elevate a resident’s connectivity experience, which can then return in higher rates of retention. Traditional ISPs tend to have a number of limitations when it comes to connectivity in multi-tenant buildings. Firstly, the lack of a managed service layer, means monitoring and maintenance, as well as proactive improvements to the service are either not at the level that residents expect, or are simply missing altogether, resulting in a worse experience for both residents and on-site teams.
ASK4’s 4Network delivers seamless connectivity for an unlimited number of smart devices to provide a connectivity experience, just as you would expect in a traditional home setting. What’s more though, this network extends site-wide beyond the walls of a resident’s apartment, meaning that that smart devices in their own spaces can be operated while dining in the building’s cafe, or working out in the gym for instance. This helps residents to integrate into a building’s wider community and make those communal facilities feel part of their home.
Building a community with connectivity
BTR residents are drawn to the promise of a vibrant community within their building. Common areas designed for social interaction, such as communal lounges, rooftop gardens, and co-working spaces are highly valued. Latest ONS data has revealed that those aged between 16-29 are over twice as likely to report feeling lonely often or always than those over 70, so it’s no surprise that this years’ Who Lives in Build-to-Rent report found that social spaces were rated as one of the most important amenities to residents, along with a social calendar and events. These spaces foster a sense of belonging and provide opportunities for residents to connect, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships with their neighbours.
However, residents do not suddenly become part of a community just because there are communal spaces, or someone has put up an event flyer on a noticeboard. Resident engagement portals like Spike Living play an increasingly important part. Through Spike Living, residents can connect with each other instantly, and the ‘what’s around me’ feature can highlight local shops and services, reducing the anxiety around moving to a new location. In addition to providing much-needed visibility to smaller businesses, encouraging residents to explore what’s on their doorsteps.
What’s more, Spike Living allows residents to create their own clubs and forums, enabling residents to find like-minded people who share similar interests. Whilst staff can share and promote in-house and local events, all helping to foster a sense of community. Developments that have implemented resident engagement portals have reported a 20% increase in resident participation in community events and initiatives in the first 3 months alone.
Summary
BTR residents are seeking more than just a place to live—they crave a comprehensive living experience that aligns with their values and connectivity needs, both digitally and physically. Developers and operators who understand and cater to these desires by providing adequate internet connectivity, community-focused spaces, and resident portals are poised to attract and retain a diverse range of residents. As the BTR sector continues to evolve, staying attuned to these preferences will be crucial for those aiming to create thriving, dynamic living communities.
Single family rental developer and operator, Casa by Moda, has partnered with long-term technology partner Spike to utilise its market-leading resident engagement portal, Spike Living across its upcoming Casa developments.
Casa, Vista Park, situated in Glasgow, Scotland, is Casa by Moda’s first neighbourhood to launch, and has begun welcoming its first residents. The development comprises 156 new homes, made up of a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments, alongside two, three and four-bedroom houses for rent, with community spaces including a wildlife area and two play parks suitable for families and young children.
The homes will be operated by Casa by Moda, the single family homes division of investor, developer and operator Moda Group, which aims to secure an initial 5,000 new high quality family homes for rent in suburban areas within the next three years, with further schemes launching in 2024 across the Yorkshire region and beyond.
Casa by Moda has worked with Spike, whose technology is already utilised across its Moda Living neighbourhoods, to create the exclusive MyCasa resident app, a tailored version of its Spike Living portal. The resident portal has been adapted to suit surburban rental communities due to the differences seen across build-to-rent (BTR) and single family homes (SFH) platforms. It’s even more crucial across SFH communities, given the nature of living in suburban and city fringe locations, that residents feel connected to their landlord and community, regardless if that’s in-person or virtually.
The MyCasa app will enable residents to stay connected 24/7, from reporting maintenance requests to directly contacting the Casa customer service team. Residents are also able to view and book trusted at-home services from dog walking to window cleaning, join community groups and events, and chat on the community forum. This innovative technology helps to create social, integrated and safe communities at the click of a button.
Sarah Nelson, Operations Director at Casa by Moda, comments, “As custodians of the communities we operate in, our aim is to pioneer positive change to the rental market and improve the way people live. By partnering with Spike, we can provide all Casa residents with this innovative technology, allowing residents to access so much more on-demand – from partners and services, to virtual concierge, to reporting a maintenance request. They can also find out about the latest news and happenings in their neighbourhood which is crucial to connecting SFH residents to their neighbours and embedding our Casa into the wider community.”
Spike’s CEO, Jeremy Heath-Smith, comments, “We are delighted to be expanding on our partnership with Moda, with the roll out of Spike Living across their latest Casa by Moda neighbourhoods. The MyCasa resident portal will not only make residents’ lives easier by streamlining communication and providing access to on-demand community events, but also empower residents to actively participate in shaping their communities”.
Eurofund Group, the international investment and development company, has partnered with Spike to utilise its tenant engagement portal, Spike Living, at Tribu, its first co-living development.
Tribu, located in Kingston-upon-Thames, a historic district in Southwest London, offers 63 boutique studios, designed to cater to both students and young professionals seeking a more sophisticated way of living. The development features state-of-the-art amenities, including a coworking space, rooftop terrace, cinema room, communal kitchens, and dining areas, all aimed at fostering a vibrant community.
Eurofund Group worked with Spike to create the Tribu app, a white-labelled version of its Spike Living portal designed to serve as a comprehensive platform for tenants and staff alike.
The Tribu app streamlines communication by simplifying the defect reporting and parcel management processes, as well as making the sharing of important documentation such as key policies, building regulations and appliance manuals easier.
By automating routine tasks, staff can devote more time and attention to providing exceptional customer service, which is a fundamental aspect of Tribu’s success.
The Tribu app also acts as a secure social network, allowing tenants to participate in social activities, access in-house services and events, as well as connecting tenants with others in the building who share similar interests.
Jonny Wootten, Marketing Director at Spike comments: “We are thrilled to partner with Eurofund Group to enhance the Tribu living experience. By leveraging our tenant engagement portal, Spike Living, Eurofund Group are able to transform the way tenants interact with their living spaces and foster a vibrant community within Tribu.”
Dan Sanford, CEO at Tribu, Eurofund Group comments: “Spike has an unrivalled expertise in the market, with a proven track record of successfully implementing innovative solutions that address complex business challenges. Spike’s ability to seamlessly integrate its solutions with third-party services and providers is truly remarkable, and we look forward to continuing to roll out Spike Living across future schemes.”