The verdict in three sentences
For a firm managing 220 blocks with 9 property managers in London or Dublin, a custom block management platform costs £39,000 to £82,000 (EUR 45,000 to 95,000) and pays back in 30 to 40 months against SaaS billed at £350 to £1,050 a month plus add-ons. The decisive gain is the 25% of property manager time recovered on service charge demands, digital AGMs and a leaseholder portal that answers questions before they become calls. Below 80 blocks, stay on a package; above 150, custom software becomes an asset that adds value to the firm.
Off-the-shelf or custom: the 2026 numbers
Packaged block management software handles service charge accounting well, but growing firms hit three limits: modules billed separately, a portal that looks like the vendor's, and no automation between tools (bank feeds, e-signature, contractors, compliance trackers).
| Criterion | Block management SaaS | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | £1,700 to £7,000 (migration, setup) | £39,000 to £82,000 (EUR 45,000 to 95,000) |
| Subscription or maintenance | £350 to £1,050/month + add-ons £130 to £350/month | £520 to £1,200/month (hosting, support) |
| Leaseholder portal | Generic, vendor-branded | Firm-branded, tailored journeys |
| Service charge demands | Fixed templates, semi-manual sending | Batch-generated, automatic bank reconciliation |
| Digital AGMs | Paid optional module | Notices, proxy and postal votes, video, minutes built in |
| Code and data ownership | No | Yes, transferable with the business |
| Time to go live | 1 to 3 months | 5 to 7 months |
Over five years, SaaS costs £35,000 to £90,000 depending on add-ons; custom costs £70,000 to £155,000 including maintenance. The gap closes through productivity, not licence savings, so price your property managers' time before you sign.
Budget module by module
A serious specification splits the project into deliverable lots. Here is a 2026 estimate for a mid-sized London or Dublin firm.
| Module | Key features | Indicative budget | Measured gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaseholder portal | Statutory documents, personal account, maintenance log, building summary | £7,000 to £13,000 | 40% fewer inbound calls |
| Service charge accounting | Budgets, apportionment by lease share, bank reconciliation | £10,000 to £21,500 | Demand run in 2 h instead of a full day |
| Digital AGMs | E-notices, postal and proxy votes, video, automatic minutes | £6,000 to £13,000 | 60% saved on postage |
| Works and insurance claims | Tickets, contractor quotes, photos, insurer follow-up | £5,000 to £12,000 | Handling time cut by half |
| Property manager mobile app | Site inspections, inspection reports, fire safety checks | £5,000 to £10,500 | 3 h per week per manager |
| Data migration and integrations | Open banking, e-signature, accountant exports | £6,000 to £12,000 | Zero double entry |
The low end (£39,000) is a core platform delivered in 5 months; the high end (£82,000) adds the mobile app, full works workflows and a premium portal. In the UK, align the platform with the RICS Service Charge Residential Management Code and the Building Safety Act record-keeping duties; in Ireland, with the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 owners' management company rules. Host data in the UK or EU under GDPR, with a 6-year minimum retention policy for accounting records.
Timeline and watch-outs
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and manager workshops | 3 to 4 weeks | Specification, mock-ups, fixed quote |
| Accounting core and data migration | 6 to 8 weeks | Blocks, units, apportionments and balances migrated |
| Portal and service charge demands | 5 to 7 weeks | Portal in acceptance with 10 pilot blocks |
| AGMs, works, mobile app | 6 to 8 weeks | Complete modules tested |
| Cut-over and training | 2 to 3 weeks | Go-live, 9 managers trained |
Three points to lock into the contract: data reversibility (full export at any time), compliance of statutory documents in the portal, and a cut-over outside the AGM season and away from the service charge year-end.
Mini case study
Laurence, managing director of a block management firm in London, runs 220 blocks with 9 property managers. Her SaaS costs £820 a month plus £260 of add-ons, or £13,000 a year. She commissions a custom platform for £65,000, with maintenance at £780 a month (£9,400 a year).
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- Licence savings: 13,000 minus 9,400 = £3,600 a year.
- Manager time: 25% of 9 roles equals 2.25 FTE freed. Laurence conservatively values only 0.5 FTE (overtime and temps avoided): £19,000 a year.
- Net annual gain: £22,600. Payback: 65,000 / 22,600 = 35 months.
The real lever is capacity: the remaining 1.75 FTE let the firm take on 40 more blocks without hiring, roughly £120,000 in annual management fees at £3,000 per block.
FAQ
How much does custom block management software cost in 2026?
Budget £39,000 to £82,000 (EUR 45,000 to 95,000 in Dublin) depending on modules, plus £520 to £1,200 a month for maintenance and hosting. A portal plus accounting core starts around £39,000.
Do leaseholders expect an online portal?
In practice yes: transparency duties on service charges and building safety information push firms to publish documents online. A tailored portal can cut inbound leaseholder calls by 40%.
Can AGMs be run fully online?
It depends on the company's articles and lease terms, but most residents' management companies now allow electronic notices and remote participation. The module costs £6,000 to £13,000 and saves up to 60% of postage.
How long does the project take?
Plan 5 to 7 months from scoping to full cut-over, including 6 to 8 weeks for accounting data migration. Avoid going live during AGM season or at the service charge year-end.
From what size does custom pay off?
Below 80 blocks, a package stays cheaper. Above 150 blocks and 6 property managers, payback drops below 40 months.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of blocks, current tools and priorities (portal, service charges, AGMs) and we will price a scope between £39,000 and £82,000 with a 5 to 7 month plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
