August

August is, in my opinion, the definitive property management platform for the modern, self-managing UK landlord. It’s not just another app; it’s a comprehensive digital hub designed to wrestle the chaos of rent tracking, compliance, and tenant communication into a state of serene, organized control. Built specifically for the UK market—addressing everything from HMO regulations to Making Tax Digital—it serves landlords with buy-to-lets, student housing, and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Its core genius lies in automating the tedious, high-stakes tasks that keep landlords up at night. By leveraging open banking for secure rent tracking and offering an AI-powered assistant with guided checklists for compliance, August transforms a fragmented, stressful job into a streamlined process. The fact that it provides a free, fully-featured tenant app is the cherry on top, fostering better communication and making the entire rental ecosystem more efficient. For landlords who want to manage professionally without the overhead of a full agency, August is the go-to solution.

AI-Powered Compliance Checklist

This is arguably August's killer feature. The platform doesn't just remind you that a Gas Safety certificate is due; it guides you through the entire compliance journey with step-by-step checklists. It intelligently tracks expiring certifications for EPC, EICR, and more, sending proactive alerts. For landlords navigating complex HMO rules or simply terrified of a £5,000 fine, this built-in guidance is an absolute lifesaver and transforms regulatory upkeep from a nightmare into a manageable routine.

Open Banking Rent Tracking

Forget manual spreadsheets or chasing payments. August uses secure open banking technology (via Plaid, regulated by the FCA) to connect directly to your bank account. It automatically matches incoming payments to specific tenancies, showing you instantly what's paid, due, or late. You get notified the moment rent lands. This feature provides crystal-clear financial visibility and eliminates the administrative grind of monthly rent reconciliation, saving hours of work.

Tenant App & Portal

August understands that managing properties is a two-way street. Their free, dedicated tenant app is a masterstroke for improving landlord-tenant relations. Tenants can report maintenance issues, access important documents like contracts and guides, and pay rent seamlessly—all from their phone. This centralized communication channel reduces missed messages, speeds up issue resolution, and provides a professional, transparent experience that tenants genuinely appreciate.

Property Insights & Smart Reminders

Your entire portfolio's health is displayed on a intuitive dashboard. Beyond basic rent tracking, it gives you a clear overview of key property data and performance insights without needing a single spreadsheet. Coupled with smart reminders, the system automatically tracks all critical dates—not just for rent, but for insurance renewals, safety checks, and tenancy renewals. It acts as your personal, unforgetting assistant, ensuring nothing ever slips through the cracks.

The Accidental or First-Time Landlord

For someone new to property management, the legal requirements can be overwhelming. August is the perfect coach. Its guided compliance checklists and plain-English alerts prevent costly mistakes, while automated rent tracking removes the financial admin burden. It gives new landlords the confidence and tools to manage professionally from day one, without needing to become an instant expert in housing law.

The HMO & Student Housing Specialist

Managing HMOs involves a labyrinth of additional safety and licensing rules, often at a room-by-room level. August’s Portfolio plan offers specific HMO support with room-level management, making it infinitely easier to track individual tenancies, rents, and compliance per room. For student housing with cyclical tenancies and high tenant turnover, the automated setup and document features are a huge time-saver.

The Portfolio Landlord Seeking Efficiency

A landlord with multiple properties spends too much time on coordination and chasing details. August consolidates everything into one platform: a unified view of all rent across all properties, centralized document storage for every tenancy, and automated reminders for hundreds of annual tasks. This use case is all about scaling management efficiently, replacing chaos with clarity and reclaiming valuable time.

Preparing for Making Tax Digital (MTD)

With HMRC's Making Tax Digital for income tax on the horizon, landlords will need software to submit quarterly updates. August is proactively positioning itself as a solution for this coming change. Using its accurate, automated income and expense tracking, landlords can generate the reliable digital records needed for MTD compliance, future-proofing their financial reporting.

Is August secure, and how does it connect to my bank?

Absolutely. Security is paramount. August uses open banking technology through Plaid Financial Ltd., a provider regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means you securely connect your bank account without ever giving August your login credentials. The connection is read-only, used solely to identify and track rental payments. Your data is strongly encrypted and never shared without your permission.

What happens if my tenant doesn't use the August app?

The tenant app is a fantastic benefit, but it's not mandatory for you to get value from August. You can still use the full suite of landlord features—rent tracking via your bank, compliance management, document storage—even if your tenant prefers communication via email or SMS. You can manually log issues and communicate with them through the platform. The app simply enhances the experience for both parties.

Can August handle deposits and tenant referencing?

Based on the provided information, August's core strengths are rent tracking, compliance, communication, and document management. It does not appear to explicitly offer integrated tenant referencing or deposit protection scheme management within the described features. It excels at automating and organizing the ongoing management lifecycle rather than the initial tenant setup phases.

What's the difference between the Growth and Portfolio plans?

The Growth plan is for the standard landlord with up to 6 total tenancies. The Portfolio plan is essential for larger operations or HMO landlords, as it removes the tenancy cap, offers unlimited document storage, and adds specific HMO support with room-level management. If you have more than 6 tenancies or run HMOs, the Portfolio plan is the necessary and recommended choice.

August offers straightforward monthly subscription tiers for landlords, with a 30-day free trial for each. Tenants use the app for free.

Growth (£8.99/month): The entry point for most landlords. Includes unlimited properties with up to 6 tenancies, 40 documents storage, unlimited compliance tasks with guidance, and SMS reminders.

Portfolio (£14.99/month): The plan for serious landlords and HMO owners. Includes everything in Growth, but with unlimited tenancies (no cap), unlimited document storage, dedicated HMO support with room-level management, and smart tenancy setup.

Portfolio Plus (£29.99/month, billed annually): The premium tier for larger portfolios. Includes all Portfolio features plus a dedicated account manager and custom integration capabilities with your existing systems.