When clicking on the download link at this website, users of Internet Explorer or AOL browsers may have the option to Run the installation file. Firefox users may have the option to Open the file. You should not run or open the file from the website. You should use the Save option to download the file onto your computer. There are 2 reasons:

1. You own the software. If you install from the website, you will not have a copy of the installation file. If you download the file, you can store it safely. You can even burn it onto a disc for safekeeping.

2. Sometimes corruption can occur in the installation file when running or opening the file from the website. This can cause errors which may prevent the software functioning correctly.

When you have downloaded the installation file, double-click on it to install the software.

How do I install the software on more than one computer?

The software can be installed on up to three different computers at no extra cost.

To install the software onto another computer, transfer the installation file to that computer, or download it onto that computer from our website (contact support to request the link if you have lost the original e-mail).

When you have downloaded the installation file, double-click on the file and complete the installation process as before, including the registration. When registering the second or third computer, be sure to use the same e-mail address which was used to register the first computer. You will then receive the licencing information via e-mail.

How do I licence the software?

To licence the software, you must request a licence key from our online database.

To do this, go to the Help menu, select Register, enter your email address in the email field and click on the Request Online button. An email will be sent to your registered email address.

This email will contain a file attachment. This attachment is your licence key file. Save this file attachment to your computer.
IMPORTANT: you do not need to open the file to save it to your computer, or to licence the software.
Just save the file attachment to your computer. Right-click on the attachment and select Save, then upload the file into the software to complete the process.

You do not need to use the Serial Number displayed in the email unless you are purchasing an additional licence so that you can register more than 3 computers.

If my computer crashes, do I need to request a new licence key?

No – the licence key is unique to the computer on which the software is installed. If you are re-installing the software onto the same computer, you can re-use the license key with which you were originally issued.

Can I use the same licence key on more than one computer?

No – you need a different licence key for each computer. There are three ways in which you can obtain the license key for a computer:

Following installation, when the software is restarted, it will attempt to download a license key online.

You can manually download the key online by going to the Help menu» Register » Register Online

You can send an email to support@propertyportfoliosoftware.co.uk which includes your name, the e-mail address you used when purchasing the software and the Client Unique Key displayed in the Register section of the Help menu. We will then reply with your license key.

You can acquire up to three unique license keys with your purchase.

Managing Your Data

How do I back up my data?

Under the File menu you will find the Backup Database and Restore Database commands. The Backup Database command will create a backup of your current database and save it within the software's installation folder at

C:/Program Files/Landlords Property Tax Manager

This is is the default location for saving backup files. You can save this file to another location by clicking the Browse button in the Save As dialogue box that opens when you select Backup Database from the Help menu.

The file name will consist of the date and time of the backup. You can modify this file name or apply one of your own if you wish.

How do I move data from one computer to another?

See the FAQ Answer to How do I back up my data? for guidance on creating a backup of your database.

When you have saved a backup of your database, move the backup file on to the other computer and use the Restore function to import the database.

Both of your computes will now have the same information and you have a genuine backup of your data. However, modifications made to either file will not be automatically transmitted to the other computer. To keep both copies of the software up to date, you will need to transfer the backup files on a regular basis.

Can I protect my data with a password?

You can add password protection to individual portfolios in your database.

From within the portfolio in question, go to the Portfolio Management menu and select Edit Portfolio. Locate the password sub-section and enter a password in both boxes. Click on the Save button in the toolbar.

Each time you open that portfolio in future, you will be prompted to enter your password.

How many portfolios can I create?

There is no limit to the number of portfolios you can create. This means that you can create as many different portfolios as you need, based on your own criteria.

All the tax calculations and reports function within an individual portfolio only. They do not report across multiple portfolios, so it is possible to separate different parts of your business, or different businesses or ventures, by managing those properties and tenants from within different portfolios.

Vista Compatibility

I get an error message when I run the software

Users of the Vista Operating System may experience an error when they run the software for the first time. Follow the instructions below to activate a configuration tool which will adjust your system settings to correct the error:

1.    First make sure that the software is not running or attempting to run.
2.    Navigate to C:Program Files/Landlords Property Manager and find the file called SetVistaPermissions.exe
3.    Double-click on the file to activate the configuration tool.
4.    Restart the software and check to see if the problem has been resolved.

Apple Mac Users

Is the software compatible with a MAC OS?

The software is not designed to be compatible with a Mac operating system. However, there are two possible alternatives for Mac users. One is to use a Windows Emulator, which is a software application that enables the Windows operating system to run on a computer installed with a Mac OS. Another is to create a partition on the hard drive and install a Windows operating system on the other side of the partition. To use the software, you would boot the computer using the other partition. Further information on these solutions is widely available online.

Updates and Support

What help and support do I get?

If you require any assistance, you have the following options available:

On-line demonstrations
You can access the detailed audio and video demonstrations of the software by clicking here.
Application Help
There is comprehensive help for every feature of the software within the application itself. Go to the Help menu or click on the help button available within the tool bar of each window and dialogue box of the software.
Email Support
You can email our support centre with any query about any aspect of the software at support@propertyportfoliosoftware.co.uk
Telephone Support
You can call our support centre and a member of the support team help you with your query. The support centre is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

What happens if my support contract is out of date?

If your Support Contract has expired, you can renew it by logging into your Customer Account. You can do this using the Customer Login link at the top-right of this page or by clicking here

If you do not have your password, use the Forgot Password link to request a new one. It will be emailed to your registered email address.

You can find more information about the benefits of renewing your Support Agreement here

How do I check for new updates?

You can check to see if there are any updates available by going to Help menu» Auto Update » Check for Updates.

How do I get updates?

Within the software we have an automatic update function which, if activated, will check to see if there are any updates available from the Property Tax Portal website each time the application is started (note: you must have a live internet connection when you start the application).

Activate the automatic update function by going to the Help menu and selecting Auto Update. Place a tick in the box next to 'Auto check for updates at startup'.

If an update is found, you will be asked if you want to download it. Once downloaded, it will be installed automatically. This simple process ensures you are kept up-to-date with the latest release of the software at all times.

If the automatic update option is not activated then you can manually check for updates. To manually check for updates use the following path:

Help menu» Auto Update » Check for Updates

I have an old version, but when I check for updates it says none are found.

The most likely reason for this is because you have a firewall activated on your computer and it is preventing the software from accessing our website to check for the updates.

Please change your firewall settings so that it allows the software to access the internet.

How to help Support help you!

What's a screenshot?

A screenshot is a digital image of the visible items on your computer screen.

In other words, it's a way of taking a picture of whatever is on your screen at that moment, as though you were using a camera.

Following the camera analogy, you would 'take' a screenshot in the same way that you 'take' a picture with a camera.

Why would I take a screenshot?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a screenshot is worth at least ten emails!

If you experience an error and receive an error message that you can't interpret, you can take a screenshot of the error message and send it to Support as an attachment along with a description of the problem in the body of the email. This avoids you having to type out the error message or trying to read it out over the phone.

You could also send us a screenshot if you're having trouble learning to use the software, or figuring out how best to input your data. Send us a picture of the data and a description of what you're trying to do and our Experts can advise you.

How do I take a screenshot?

You take the picture by pressing the Print Screen key. The Print Screen key is often abbreviated to Prnt Scrn or Prt Sc and is usually found on the right-hand side of a standard British English keyboard.

The Print Screen key is like the shutter button on your camera.

Users of Windows Vista can also use the Snipping Tool located under Accessories in the Start Menu.

When you press the Print Screen, nothing will appear to happen, because the image will have been saved to your computers clipboard. The clipboard is where things go when you 'copy' them by using the Copy command under the Edit menu of your word processor or email program.

To 'paste' the screenshot out of the clipboard, go to the Start Menu, select Programs, go to the Accessories folder and open the Paint program. Within Paint, go to the Edit menu and select Paste.

Voila!

Now go to the File menu in Paint and select Save As. Give your screenshot an appropriate name and check that the file type is JPEG. This is important because otherwise the file will be too big to send to us. If you want, you add text to the screenshot as well. While the screenshot is open in Paint, you can use the text tool from the Pain toolbar to add a box of text to the image.

Save the file and attach it to an email to Support along with a description of why you're sending it!

Tenant Management

How do I enter a new tenant?

To enter a new tenant, go to the Tenant Manager > Tenant Details tab and click on the green Add button in the toolbar at the top of the screen. Fill in the tenant's information in the blank form below.

Note: only 3 pieces of information are required to create a record. These fields are coloured orange on the form. All other fields are optional and may be used at your discretion.

When you have filled in the information, click on the blue Save button in the toolbar. The tenant you have just added will appear in the list of tenants at the bottom of the screen.

How do I amend the details of an existing tenant?

To make changes to the personal details of an existing tenant in the database, go to the Tenant Manager > Tenant Details tab and select the tenant in question from the list at the bottom of the screen. Select the tenant by clicking on the entry once.

Note: if the tenant does not appear in this list, you have not yet added them to the database.

When you select a tenant from the list, their details are displayed in the form above. You can now make any necessary changes to the record. When you have made the changes, be sure to click on the blue Save button in the toolbar to save the changes you have made.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

How do I set up a property as an HMO?

In the Property Manager, locate the Rooms sub-section of the Main Information tab. Click on the Add button in this sub-section. This will open a dialogue box in which you can define various attributes of the room. To identify that room as an HMO, tick on the 'Is room habitable?' tick box.

You can now track the income for the room separately as the software treats this room as an individual Let for reporting purposes.

The Tenancy Agreement

How up-to-date is the tenancy agreement that is provided in the software?

The tenancy agreement is provided by Tessa Shepperson from www.landlordlaw.co.uk and it is regularly reviewed and updated by her.

How do I handle DSS payments?

You can download a tutorial that demonstrates how to handle DSS payments here

Can I print off the amount of rent that has been paid by a tenant and send the report to him?

Yes – the Tenant Payment History report can be generated and sent on to the tenant. Also, all the reports that are generated from within the software can be downloaded into Microsoft Word or Excel so you can edit them as you require.

Property Management

Can the software manage both private/residential and commercial property?

Yes, the software can be used to manage commercial property (i.e. shops and other commercial premises) and properties held within a company as well as personally owned residential property.

To manage a commercial property, set-up the property in the database and record all the income and expenses as you would for a residential property. The easiest way to do this is to create a new portfolio under your company name and maintain your company owned properties within this separate portfolio.

See also the FAQ answer on running multiple portfolios.

Can I manage short term and/or long term holiday lets?

Yes – there is no distinction between short-term lets and long-term lets as you are still capturing all your income and expenditures against the properties. The only difference between managing residential or commercial property and holiday lets is the shorter time frame, which will result in more tenancy agreements and rent schedules over the course of a year.

Can I manage my overseas properties?

Yes, you can create a separate portfolio for each country where you own property and select the appropriate currency for each portfolio. This ensures that all the reporting values for the property will be displayed in the correct currency.

The software can cater for over 100 currencies.

Can the software calculate in multiple currencies?

Yes – when you create a portfolio you can choose the currency that you want all the figures to be displayed in.

For example, if you hold property in the USA, you can choose the $ currency and all numerical values and reports will be displayed in this currency.

If you wish to change this later, you can do so from the Edit Portfolio screen under the Portfolio Management menu.

Inputting Insurance Data

What is the difference between the insurance in Rents, Rates & Insurance and the one in Utility & Insurance?

Information recorded under Property Details > Utilities & Insurance is included in documents such as the Tenant Welcome Pack. It is used for reference purposes and therefore, it is not mandatory information that you must enter. It's for your own convenience and that of your tenants.

Rents, Rates & Insurances is used to record those types of costs as they occur, in the same way that you might enter legal expenditures under the Other Costs tab.

Finance Management

Recording an advance on an existing mortgage

When obtaining a further advance from a mortgage lender on a mortgage that already exists, where do I enter this further advance in the software?

You would assign a second loan or mortgage to the property.

Administration fees for a further advance

There is often an administration fee charged by the lender for a further advance. Where do I record this in the software?

The recommended practice is to record this in the Professional & Legal section of the Other Costs tab under the Property Manager. You can find this under the following path:

Property Manager >> Other Costs >> Professional & Legal

Information entered in this section is accounted for in the reports.

Mortgage arrangement fees

A mortgage arrangement fee is usually just added to the mortgage. How do I show this in the software?

If it is the first mortgage used to finance the purchase, record this fee in the Purchase Details section which can be found under the Property Manager at the following location:

Property Manager >> Purchase & Selling Details >> Purchase Details

For all future mortgages and/or advances on existing mortgages, record the fees in the Other Costs section, as described in the answer to Administration fees for a further advance

Tracking Costs and Expenditures

How to handle costs

You may have a cost that cannot be attributed to a single property but which applies to numerous properties within a portfolio.

In such cases, you have three options:
1. Create a dummy property
2. Split the cost across the entire portfolio
3. Assign the cost to a property that has the largest share of that cost

Use the dummy portfolio to record all of your portfolio-wide costs. Costs that only apply to individual properties should still be recorded under that property.

Splitting the cost across the entire portfolio "evens out" the cost for reporting purposes so that when running a report on any individual properties, it does not bias the result.

Using any of these methods will preserve your ability to run accurate reports on your portfolio.