Estate agency group Spicerhaart has invested £1.7 million over five years in a customised property management system developed in partnership with software provider Rex, as the sector prepares for regulatory changes including the Renters’ Rights Act.
The platform, developed over two years, represents a collaboration between Spicerhaart’s operational experience managing tenancies and Rex’s software development capabilities. The company stated it initially considered designing its own tool but opted to customise an existing platform to its requirements.
System development
Steve Lamb, chief information officer at Spicerhaart, said the company required a platform capable of scaling with business growth whilst supporting compliance requirements facing landlords and agents. “We looked at the products already available, but we did not want to shoehorn our operation into a system designed around somebody else’s processes,” Lamb stated.
The system aims to provide a foundation for introducing automation and AI tools whilst maintaining service levels. This development follows broader trends in the sector, with proptech firms increasingly collaborating to address operational challenges.
Market context
Tom Ainsworth, Chief Revenue Officer at Rex Software, described the partnership as reflecting two years of co-development built around operational realities. He indicated the companies plan to explore further AI adoption, including through Rex AI, and develop an online landlord platform.
The investment comes as property management firms face increasing regulatory complexity. The system is designed around workflows encountered by Spicerhaart’s teams, drawing on the company’s experience across hundreds of thousands of tenancies.
The collaboration represents a significant capital commitment by Spicerhaart to technology infrastructure, as agencies across the sector adapt to changing compliance requirements and operational demands in the rental market.
