CompareSpreadsheet vs PropReady
Comparison

Your spreadsheet can't alert you to a deadlineyou didn't know existed.

PropReady knows every deadline because it's built specifically for the Renters' Rights Act. A spreadsheet only knows what you put in it.

Try PropReady free for 14 days

Side-by-side comparison

Compliance scanning

Spreadsheet

Manual research

PropReady

Automatic, updated with law changes

Document generation

Spreadsheet

Word templates, manual fill

PropReady

AI-generated, pre-filled, legally current

Awaab's Law tracking

Spreadsheet

Manual calendar reminders

PropReady

Automatic 5-day / 7-day timers with alerts

Audit trail

Spreadsheet

Hope you saved the email

PropReady

Timestamped, tribunal-ready PDF export

EPC tracking

Spreadsheet

Separate spreadsheet

PropReady

Integrated with upgrade planner

Legal updates

Spreadsheet

You read the news

PropReady

Automatic, pushed to your dashboard

Cost

Spreadsheet

"Free" (but your time isn't)

PropReady

From £7.99/month

Risk of missing something

Spreadsheet

High

PropReady

Near zero

Why a spreadsheet isn't enough anymore

Before the Renters' Rights Act, a spreadsheet could get you by. Now, with mandatory timers, new prescribed forms, and fines up to £30,000 per offence, the margin for error is zero.

A spreadsheet can't warn you about what you don't know

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduced dozens of new obligations. If you didn't know about a requirement, it won't appear in your spreadsheet. PropReady scans against every obligation automatically — including ones added after you signed up.

Awaab's Law has hard deadlines — a calendar reminder isn't enough

When a Category 1 hazard is reported, you have 5 working days to begin an investigation and 7 calendar days to produce a written response. These timers run on business days, exclude bank holidays, and must be documented with evidence. A spreadsheet formula won't handle this.

Documents must be legally current — not "close enough"

A Section 13 rent increase notice generated from a 2023 Word template may reference the wrong prescribed form or miss a required clause. PropReady generates documents using the current legal requirements, updated as regulations change.

Tribunals don't accept "I thought I was compliant"

If a tenant challenges you at the First-tier Tribunal, you need a timestamped audit trail showing every document served, every notice sent, and every deadline met. PropReady generates tribunal-ready PDF exports. A spreadsheet row showing "done" won't hold up.

EPC deadlines are approaching — and the rules are changing

Minimum EPC rating requirements are tightening. PropReady tracks every property's EPC expiry and rating, flags properties below the minimum, and includes an upgrade cost planner. In a spreadsheet, you'd need to manually check every certificate.

You can't set reminders for things you don't know exist

New legal requirements don't announce themselves. When legislation changes, PropReady updates its compliance checks and pushes new actions to your dashboard. A spreadsheet stays exactly as static as the day you built it.

The real cost comparison

Solicitor compliance review

£200-500

per hour

One missed deadline

£5,000-30,000

per offence fine

PropReady

£7.99

per month

The hidden cost of “free”

A spreadsheet is free to create. But your time isn't. The average landlord spends 4-6 hours per month on compliance admin — researching regulations, updating documents, chasing deadlines. At even a modest £25/hour, that's £100-150/month in lost time. PropReady automates 90% of that work for £7.99/month.

Who should choose what?

Stick with a spreadsheet if...

  • You have one property with no current tenancy
  • You enjoy researching legislation changes as a hobby
  • You're a qualified solicitor yourself
  • You're comfortable with the risk of missing a deadline

Switch to PropReady if...

  • You have one or more properties with active tenancies
  • You want to be automatically notified when laws change
  • You need documents that are always legally current
  • You want a tribunal-ready audit trail without the admin
  • You value your time at more than £1/hour

See it in action

See what replaces your spreadsheet

Compliance Dashboard

Automatic compliance tracking

No formulas, no manual updates. PropReady scans your properties against every legal requirement and shows your compliance score in real time.

  • Auto-scans against current law
  • Deadline countdowns built in
  • Updates when regulations change
14 Oak Street, BirminghamPropReady
Compliance score
0%
Convert AST to periodic tenancyURGENT
Serve tenant information leafletDUE 31 MAY
Re-protect deposit under new rulesREQUIRED
Issue EPC Band C upgrade planBY 2030
Register on PRS Ombudsman schemeREQUIRED
Fully compliant
Awaab's Law

Timers your spreadsheet can't run

Awaab's Law requires precise 5-day deadlines. A calendar reminder won't cut it when the clock is ticking on business days and bank holidays.

  • Starts automatically on tenant report
  • Tracks investigation and repair separately
  • Alerts before you miss a deadline
Awaab's Law Monitor

Tenant report received

“There is black mould on the bedroom wall and ceiling. It has been spreading for 3 weeks.”

Reported by: S. Thompson · 16 Apr

Investigation deadline
COUNTING DOWN
5d 0h

You must begin investigation within 5 working days

reported
investigation
overdue
resolved

Upgrade from your spreadsheet in 2 minutes

Add your properties, get an instant compliance score, and see every action you need to take. No spreadsheet formulas required.

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