The verdict in three sentences
Above 500 units, a letting agency that runs rent collection on spreadsheets typically carries 6 to 9 extra points of arrears because reminders are irregular and payment matching is unreliable. A custom property management platform costs 25,000 to 55,000 EUR in Dublin in 2026, or 10 to 20 million FCFA for the same scope in Abidjan, with a delivery time of 3 to 4 months. With management fees of 8 to 10% of rent, the investment usually pays back in 12 to 18 months through lower arrears and freed accounting time.
What property management software must cover
In Dublin, the agency deals with RTB tenancy registration, card and SEPA payments and landlords who expect monthly statements. In Abidjan, the same agency deals with cash, Wave, Orange Money and MTN MoMo, plus diaspora landlords. The functional core is the same:
| Module | What it does | Expected gain (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Leases and units | Unit, tenant and landlord records, indexation, deposits | No more spreadsheet duplicates, 2-second search |
| Automatic rent receipts | Monthly PDF, sent by WhatsApp and email | 25 to 35 hours saved per month |
| Arrears reminders | SMS day 3, WhatsApp day 7, letter day 15, manager alert | Arrears from 14% to 7% |
| Payment collection | SEPA or card links in Dublin, Wave/OM/MoMo links in Abidjan, auto-matching | 95% of payments matched without data entry |
| Landlord payouts | Rent minus fees and charges, monthly statement | Payout on day 5 instead of day 20 |
| Landlord portal | Online dashboard, documents, history | Fewer calls, better mandate retention |
| Client accounting | Ledger per landlord, export to the accountant | Monthly close in 1 day instead of 4 |
The most profitable module remains automatic payment matching: every tenant gets a unique reference and each payment lands on the right lease.
Custom build or off-the-shelf: cost comparison
| Option | Dublin, initial cost | Abidjan, initial cost | Annual cost | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheets + manual messages | 0 | 0 FCFA | 2 staff on chasing | Immediate |
| UK/Irish SaaS platform | 2,000 to 4,000 EUR setup | 1,500,000 FCFA setup | 6,000 to 12,000 EUR per year | 1 month |
| Generic African SaaS | n/a | 800,000 FCFA | 2,500,000 to 4,500,000 FCFA | 1 to 2 months |
| Custom level 1 (leases, receipts, reminders) | 25,000 to 32,000 EUR | 10,000,000 to 13,000,000 FCFA | 15 to 20% maintenance | 3 months |
| Full custom (+ portal, client accounting) | 40,000 to 55,000 EUR | 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 FCFA | 15 to 20% maintenance | 4 months |
A Dublin agency comparing the 25,000 to 55,000 EUR range should go custom from roughly 800 units or when it needs integrations its SaaS will not offer. Below that, a well-configured SaaS is usually enough.
Typical 3 to 4 month project plan
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and data migration | 2 to 3 weeks | Map of the 1,400 units, spreadsheet clean-up |
| Leases, units, receipts | 4 weeks | First receipt sent in testing |
| Payments and reminders | 3 weeks | Payment links, SMS and WhatsApp sequences |
| Payouts and portal | 3 weeks | Landlord statement, online access |
| Pilot and switchover | 2 weeks | 200 units in parallel, then full switchover |
Mini case study
Mr Kouassi runs an agency in Cocody, Abidjan, with 1,400 units for 220 landlords and an average rent of 150,000 FCFA (about 229 EUR). Theoretical monthly rent is 210,000,000 FCFA and his 9% fee is worth 18,900,000 FCFA. With 14% arrears he only collects fees on 86% of rents. Bringing arrears down to 7% recovers 7% of 18,900,000 FCFA, about 1,320,000 FCFA in fees per month, or nearly 15,900,000 FCFA a year (around 24,200 EUR). Add 30 hours of data entry saved each month. For a full project at 17,000,000 FCFA, payback is about 13 months. A Dublin agency with the same portfolio and higher rents reaches payback even faster on a 45,000 EUR build.
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FAQ
How much does custom property management software cost?
In 2026, budget 25,000 to 55,000 EUR in Dublin or 10 to 20 million FCFA in Abidjan, plus 15 to 20% per year for maintenance and hosting. A first working release (leases, receipts, reminders) can ship for about 11 million FCFA or 28,000 EUR.
Can rent be collected through mobile money or SEPA inside the tool?
Yes, each tenant gets a payment link with a unique reference and the payment is matched automatically. In our estimates, 95% of payments are allocated without human intervention.
Do automatic reminders really reduce arrears?
A day 3 SMS, day 7 WhatsApp and day 15 letter sequence typically moves arrears from 12 to 15% towards 6 to 8%. The effect comes mainly from consistency: no late payment is forgotten.
What happens to our existing spreadsheets?
They are migrated during scoping, in 2 to 3 weeks for 1,400 units. Inconsistencies such as duplicates or expired leases are listed and fixed before go-live.
Can overseas landlords follow their properties?
Yes, the landlord portal shows rents, payouts and documents online, in FCFA with a euro equivalent or directly in euros. Agencies often see 40 to 60% fewer calls.
Let's scope your project. Send us your unit count, payment methods and payout rules, and we will price a scope between 25,000 and 55,000 EUR (10 to 20 million FCFA) with a 3 to 4 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.
