# Software for small landlords in 2027: a checklist By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · 2026-10-25 · Canonical: https://pm.tapeandfloat.com/guides/software-small-landlords-2027.html **Most small landlords do not need a new platform in 2027. They need six things covered: books, rent collection, maintenance, leases, deposits and vendor paperwork. Check each one below, keep what already works, and fix the one that costs you the most first.** This page is not a ranked list of products, and nobody paid to be on it. It sorts rental office tools by the job they do so you can see which jobs are already covered and which are not. We make one of the tools in the last section; we say so where it comes up. ## 1. Books (keep what your bookkeeper uses) Rent income, repairs, owner draws and taxes live in your accounting software or your bookkeeper's system. Switching at year end is rarely worth it. The question for 2027 is whether every expense carries a property or unit, so you can see what each one really earns. ## 2. Rent collection and late fees One rent roll with what is due, what came in and what is late, checked on a set day each month. Late fees should follow the lease and your state's rules, and cash payments need a receipt. See our [rent collection and late fees guide](rent-collection-late-fees.html). ## 3. Maintenance requests and work orders Every request gets written down with a date, a unit, who is handling it and when it was closed. Requests that live only in texts are the ones that turn into angry calls. See the [maintenance and work order guide](maintenance-requests-work-orders.html). ## 4. Lease renewals and expirations Track each lease's end date and the notice days the lease itself sets, and decide on renewal well before the notice deadline. See [tracking lease renewals and expirations](lease-renewal-expiration-tracking.html). ## 5. Security deposits and move-outs Record the unit's condition at move-in, keep invoices for every deduction and know your refund deadline. See [tracking security deposits and move-out deductions](security-deposit-move-out-tracking.html) and the [unit turnover checklist](unit-turnover-checklist.html). ## 6. Vendor paperwork: COIs, W-9s and invoices No vendor works a unit without a current certificate of insurance on file, and no payment goes out without a W-9 and an invoice that matches the work order. See [vendor COI and invoice tracking](vendor-coi-invoice-tracking.html). ## When a property management platform makes sense Platforms such as AppFolio, Buildium and Yardi Breeze put tenant portals, online rent, accounting and maintenance in one system. They fit when you manage enough units that the per-unit or monthly price pays for itself and several people will use it every day. Some have unit minimums, so a landlord with a handful of doors may pay for far more than they use. Our [comparison page](appfolio-buildium-alternatives-small-landlords.html) has prices and fit taken from each vendor's own page. ## Where an assistant fits (our product) TapeAndFloat is a back-office assistant for small offices. It reads the tenant and vendor emails and texts you forward, keeps your own Google Sheet current, drafts reminders for you to approve, and flags what is slipping. It does not replace your accounting software, and nothing goes out without your OK. It is in a free pilot now. ## A one-page 2027 checklist - Books: every expense has a property or unit. - Rent: one rent roll, checked on the same day every month. - Maintenance: every request written down, owned and closed with a date. - Leases: end dates and notice deadlines on one list, reviewed monthly. - Deposits: move-in records and deduction invoices kept for every unit. - Vendors: no work without a current COI, no payment without a W-9 and a matching invoice. - Pick the single weakest item and fix it in January before adding any new software. **Free 60-day pilot:** forward your job emails to the assistant, keep working in your own Sheet, and we flag what is slipping. During the pilot we set it up one piece at a time and a real person reviews everything. No new app, no card. [Request a pilot spot](../#pilot). ## Frequently asked questions ### What software does a small landlord need in 2027? Usually accounting software plus a reliable way to track rent, maintenance, leases, deposits and vendor paperwork. Many small landlords cover these with a well-kept spreadsheet; a full platform pays off when the unit count and the number of people using it justify the price. ### Should I switch to a property management platform? Only if you manage enough units for the price to make sense and several people will use it every day. Otherwise fix the specific leak (late rent follow-up, lost maintenance requests, missed lease deadlines) first. ### Is this a ranked list of the best property management software? No. It sorts tools by the job they do. Nobody paid to be listed, and we name our own product only in the section about assistants. ### Does TapeAndFloat replace my accounting software? No. It works alongside your accounting software and your own Google Sheet.