This archive comparison has been revised into a practical selection guide, reviewed on 16 October 2026. Historical prices, customer quotations and unsupported rankings have been removed.
Start with the block's requirements
A block manager needs to understand shared-building work as well as individual occupier records. Write down the tasks the system must support: budgeting, service-charge records, invoices, reconciliation, repair tracking and resident communications.
MRI's published block-management information describes accounting, maintenance and communication functions in one platform. That confirms the kinds of workflow available in the market; it does not establish that one supplier is the best choice for every building.
Ask for a practical demonstration
Give shortlisted suppliers the same fictional test scenario, clearly labelled as demonstration data. Ask them to show a budget, an incoming invoice, allocation of an expense, an outstanding balance and the resulting report.
Then follow a repair from the resident's report through an instruction and a completion record. Check who can see each item and whether supporting documents remain easy to find. Do not use real residents' personal information merely to test a product.
Check the full commitment
Request a written quotation covering setup, data migration, training, support and recurring charges. Confirm which features are included in the proposed package and which require additional products.
Ask how records can be exported if the contract ends. Assess permissions, backups and the supplier's data-handling terms instead of accepting a general security slogan.
Software can organise work, but selecting it does not by itself settle the legal obligations or accounting treatment of a particular block. Keep responsibility for decisions and review of the records clear.