Home, leisure and garden chain will deploy MRI Horizon and AI-driven MRI Contract Intelligence to manage complexities of IFRS 16 compliance for real estate and equipment leases

London – 9 March 2022 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions, announces The Range, a leading UK retailer, has selected MRI Horizon CRE and MRI Contract Intelligence to manage its International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS 16) compliance. The Range, which specialises in home, garden and leisure goods, will implement MRI’s Horizon CRE – a cloud-based lease management and lease accounting solution – and artificial intelligence (AI) powered Contract Intelligence to simplify real estate and equipment lease calculations.

The Range operates more than 200 stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland, and its finance team required a PropTech solution with unique retail lease accounting capabilities to manage its entire portfolio of real estate and equipment leases. Horizon CRE enables The Range to address specific retailer needs, including multi-currency functionality, multi-entity reporting and retail accounting periods. The deployment will empower it to more efficiently handle the specific challenges retailers face in meeting IFRS 16 requirements. The IFRS 16 accounting standard came into effect on 1 January 2019 and requires that all leases be recorded on balance sheets to increase the transparency of business exposure to costs.

“We needed a proven software solution that could specifically address the needs of retailers and the lease complexities unique to our company,” said Jamie Messham, The Range’s Chief Financial Officer. “MRI Horizon CRE does that perfectly. Having a lease management solution in place that addresses retail accounting periods while allowing us to manage different types of leases will make reporting easier for our finance team. It will also give us the ability to scale and adapt as we meet the changing needs of our growing business.”

The Range is also deploying MRI’s Contract Intelligence solution to confirm the accuracy of all data going into the system, thus ensuring reliable and accurate IFRS 16 calculations. MRI Contract Intelligence is an AI-based lease abstraction software solution that quickly and efficiently extracts key data from documents to save time and ensure error-free data. Using Contract Intelligence will allow The Range to establish a smooth process for adding new leases to the system by validating data beforehand. The company has been in compliance with IFRS 16 since the new standard was rolled out, but the complex, time-consuming nature of the requirements compelled it to explore software solutions to simplify the process.

Craig Gillespie, Managing Director of Occupier Solutions, MRI Software, said: “Our comprehensive solution suite continues to evolve to help clients meet the rigorous demands of accounting and financial reporting today. The Range saw that combining the established feature set of Horizon CRE – used by over 200 retailers around the world – with the innovative capabilities of Contract Intelligence would be a huge advantage for their finance team. The upshot is The Range will be able to better manage its diverse lease portfolio and IFRS 16 compliance with a tool that delivers clear and accurate reporting for regulators, management, investors and other stakeholders.”

MRI Software’s Horizon CRE is utilised by some of the largest supermarket brands in the UK and trusted by more than 1,000 property occupiers across finance, retail, aviation, telecoms, logistics and other sectors worldwide. Its comprehensive suite of functionality and features provides an easily accessible resource for lease information and documentation to make it easier for organisations to follow compliance guidelines and best practices.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s open and connected, AI-first platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through innovative solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to realize their vision of building thriving communities and stronger businesses. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:
Platform Communications

Hugh Filman
hugh@platformcomms.com
+44 7905 044850

Katrina Trantau
Katrina@platformcomms.com
+44 7597 163076

The post UK Retailer The Range Selects MRI Software for IFRS 16 Compliance appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

UK University deploying contractor management software to track and manage visitors, consultants, and service providers working across its campus

London – 1 March – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions, announces that Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has selected its WhosOnLocation contractor management software to effectively manage service providers on its campus. WhosOnLocation enables organisations to gain full visibility of contractors, service companies and other visitors who might have a physical presence on their premises.

MMU decided to employ WhosOnLocation’s contractor management software to provide a better way to monitor who was signing in and out of its campuses and ensure all service providers complete an induction process before accessing its facilities. With WhosOnLocation’s contractor solution, service companies can sign in and out of a location remotely or onsite by scanning a token at a self-serve kiosk, checking in/out at the reception desk, using their smartphone’s browser for touchless sign in/out, or accessing the cloud-based solution’s mobile app.

“As a university that has 38 buildings, we can have hundreds of different contractors on our campuses throughout the year – so it is essential that we know who’s onsite and where in order to maintain our high standards of health and safety,” said Jonathan Face, Assistant Director, Estates, at Manchester Metropolitan University. “We looked at several vendors, but WhosOnLocation was our number one choice because its solution matched all our requirements. It has streamlined our entire contractor management cycle and empowered us to become more efficient because we can now quickly identify where our contractors are at any time from one central location.”

MMU manages the site-based health, safety and welfare of all consultants and contractors working across its properties and facilities. WhosOnLocation’s contractor management software helps the university track when contractors are working alone, in at-risk areas or at an off-site location. Contractors are also included in emergency mustering for an accurate roll call using the WhosOnLocation Evacuation app. The additional functionality gives MMU access to live emergency contact information, along with the ability to issue push notifications to all visitors, consultants and contractors in any emergency.

Dermot Briody, Senior Vice President and Executive Managing Director, EMEA and Occupier Solutions for MRI Software, added: “We’re incredibly proud that Manchester Metropolitan University chose MRI’s WhosOnLocation software to gain a more secure, efficient and connected way to screen and monitor its contractors. The university can minimise inefficiencies and uphold its health and safety commitments by tracking and measuring which contractors are onsite so it can keep everyone on campus safe.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:
(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Katrina Trantau (+44 7597 163076)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post Manchester Metropolitan University Selects MRI Software’s WhosOnLocation solution to improve contractor presence management appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Report shows villagers fared best and are more optimistic about the future than city dwellers

London, 15 February 2022 – Nearly seven in 10 social housing residents surveyed (69%) aren’t hopeful for the future of their local community after lockdown, according to the latest output from the Resident Voice Index initiative. The Community Support & Life After Lockdown report is based on a survey of more than 4,100 respondents from across the UK, who expressed their views on how the pandemic impacted their levels of loneliness, resilience and optimism.

Adults under 35 were the age group most affected, the survey revealed. Members of this age group emerged as the loneliest overall and were more likely to fall into ‘extreme’ loneliness, with more than twice as many feeling lonely “often/always” than before the pandemic (33% compared to 16%). Compounding these findings, this group displayed the lowest levels of resilience and were more likely to dislike where they lived. Nearly 4 in 10 (37%) were notably pessimistic about their future.  This finding echoed previous results from the Resident Voice Index, which showed low levels of residents feeling safe and belonging to their neighbourhood amongst this age group.

Where a resident lived also made a difference, with villages coming out on top as the best places to live in the UK for social housing residents. Those living in villages liked where they lived the most, reported the lowest levels of loneliness (17%), and maintained the highest degrees of resilience compared with pre-lockdown levels. Villages showed the highest numbers of people who didn’t feel lonely (43%) or had no change in feelings of loneliness (57%). Nearly 4 in 10 of them (37%) also said they felt optimistic about a post-lockdown future, compared to 28% of those living in cities.

Project lead Doug Sarney said:

These results really dig into the effects of the pandemic on UK social housing residents. The report suggests interventions that housing providers and policy makers could make in order to improve levels of resilience, optimism and social cohesion whilst combatting loneliness in those areas where it is needed the most.

He adds that specific suggestions in the report include:

Younger people need support to counter the fact that they have been significantly harder hit by the lockdown. Communities could also look to the life experiences of older residents to provide clues for elevated levels of resilience. Furthermore, the answer to raising the quality of life may lie in recreating village-like environments in new urban development projects.

Takeaways

Across the pandemic, the negative impact in terms of loneliness and resilience evidenced by the Resident Voice Index may be expected, but the scale of the change is substantial. The free-text answers given by respondents showed a great need for support and help in the immediate future, with the requirements of younger people looking to be some of the most urgent to address.

For housing providers, analysis of the index scores shows that reporting a good relationship with a provider corresponds with higher levels of resilience, optimism and not feeling lonely. Moreover, it may foster hopefulness for the future, since people who are aware of the actions of their housing provider are more than twice as likely (57% vs 25%) to be optimistic about the future of their local community.

Other key survey findings include:

• Over half of social housing residents were experiencing loneliness by the end of 2021, and almost 4 in 10 respondents reported an increase in their overall loneliness because of the lockdowns

• Almost twice as many social housing residents (30%) answering the Community Support & Life After Lockdown survey reported being lonely ‘Often/Always’, compared to those asked by the more general English Housing Survey (17^%) in December 2021.

• In late 2021, 61% of these social housing respondents classified themselves as being ‘resilient’. Those levels were a 10% reduction from March 2020. Older respondents had higher levels of resilience, which shifted less as a result of the lockdowns.

The Resident Voice Index is an independent project that anonymously gathers the views of social housing residents in the UK. Developed by MRI Software, a trusted provider of software to the social housing sector and wider property market, the short surveys are designed to provide policy makers and housing providers with insights from residents about their neighbourhoods and communities, along with interventions that could improve them. The goal of the project is to ensure the voice of the resident is heard to improve the experiences of social housing residents.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading global provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. Its comprehensive suite of cloud-based products and applications that form the MRI Living for Social Housing offering delivers flexibility, choice and scale to more than 850 clients in the UK and Ireland. Worldwide, MRI Software serves more than 3,000 organisations in social, affordable, public and community housing. Built on a foundation of industry expertise and innovation, our solutions are helping create thriving, connected communities and deliver better resident experiences.

You can download a copy of this report at residentvoiceindex.com

The post Young People Hit Hardest through the Lockdowns, Survey of Social Housing Residents Shows appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Platform provides centralized operational control and information visibility for building owners, tenants, property managers, and service providers

Solon, Ohio – January 20, 2022 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, has acquired Angus Systems, a Toronto-based provider of enterprise-class building operations management software for commercial real estate owners and operators. Complementing the company’s existing facilities management (FM) solutions with an enhanced breadth and depth of functionality, Angus Systems expands MRI’s ability to support clients embracing digital transformation and managing ever-changing work environments amid the ongoing pandemic. This transaction closely follows MRI’s August acquisition of FSI, a U.K.-based provider of FM software.

Angus Systems serves more than 700 customers, and its platform, Angus AnyWhere®, is used to manage 2.7 billion square feet of property across North America. The solution encompasses service management, access control, and tenant experience, delivering centralized control and information across work orders, credentialing, touchless entry, amenity services, and building communications. Bringing more than 120 team members to the MRI family, the acquisition reaffirms MRI’s commitment to the Canadian market and enhances the company’s local presence and support.

“The employee, tenant and resident experience is central to our desire to make the world a better place to live, work and play,” says Saurabh Abhyankar, MRI’s chief product officer. “Angus Anywhere, with its leading work order management and mobility capabilities, adds to our FM solutions suite to allow our clients to run more efficient buildings, provide people with better on-site experiences, and ensure a more sustainable future.”

Landlords and corporations across a wide range of industries and geographies are implementing return-to-office initiatives or hybrid work arrangements. Technology plays a key role in addressing new standards for health, safety, and compliance, as well as demands for digital, data-driven building operations and enhanced tenant experience. Modern, purpose-built platforms like Angus AnyWhere support all of these needs, unifying owners, tenants, vendors, and technicians under one system.

Angus Systems’ solutions enable organizations to:

• Save time and money through automation: streamline manual processes and communicate with building stakeholders in real time, increasing efficiencies and supporting operational, financial, and cultural resilience across the workplace
• Heighten safety and security: establish comprehensive access control and visitor management, both of which are essential tools in the ongoing pandemic
• Enhance the tenant experience: engage with the building community and better manage building services and amenities, which many tenants now expect from their office environments
• Enjoy flexibility: integrate easily with other products across the CRE tech stack
• Access from anywhere: leverage the mobile-powered, cloud-based platform in the field, in the office, and outside the workplace
• Improve decision-making with better data: automate data compilation to monitor, track, and optimize operations and performance

“The time is right to enable future growth, and we could not be more excited about this next step in our journey,” says Chris Gale, president and chief executive officer of Angus Systems. “MRI’s commitment to innovation and client success mirrors our own, and I’m confident they’ll be a great partner to not only carry our legacy forward, but take it to the next level. We’re excited to introduce our solutions to this growing and thriving community.”

In addition to expanded support and development resources, Angus Systems clients will be able to take advantage of a broad portfolio of complementary solutions, including energy and property management products, to help their businesses thrive. MRI will continue to support Angus Systems’ customers without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
(North America for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post MRI Software Acquires Angus Systems, a Toronto-Based Provider of Building Operations Management Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Woodfell Estates have chosen to implement MRI Sales and Lettings to support their new agency offering with a single web-based integrated platform.

Woodfell Estates is a new entity, set to rapidly scale over the coming months. Their management team wanted to ensure they had the right systems in place to facilitate growth while providing their clients with the best possible service.

MRI Sales & Lettings will allow Woodfell Estates to do exactly this. MRI Sales and Lettings is a powerful platform catering for all areas of agency, with numerous integrations to other PropTech solutions, allowing users to build a tech stack based on industry standard technology.

David H, Director of Woodfell Estates, said:

“Out of all the different software providers we explored in the market, MRI Sales & Lettings definitely stood above the rest. Through streamlined processes and their multiple integrations, we are confident that this is the supplier that will provide the greatest level of support to our new project.”

Michael Connolly, Account Executive at MRI Software, said: “It has been great working with David, understanding his business needs and exploring how MRI Sales & Lettings can get the best out of his new venture. It is particularly exciting to work with a new business that has ambitions to grow, and we look forward to helping them achieve exactly that.”

The post New year, new software: Woodfell Estates selects MRI Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Founded in 1985, Amsprop is Lord Alan Sugar’s private real estate company. Amsprop owns and self-manages a diverse portfolio made up of prime commercial and mixed-use properties in Central London, the City of London, and across the UK. Amsprop is headed by Managing Director, Daniel Sugar.

In recent years, Amsprop’s portfolio has grown larger and more complex, in part to support the management and development of subsidiary portfolios owned by the Sugar family.

Amsprop required a management system to provide a holistic view of all their properties and centralise data across property management, accounting, and maintenance. The Amsprop team aimed to provide transparent reporting across all departments, improve efficiency in invoicing and service charge management, reduce voids between tenancies, and maximise income across the portfolio.

Mark Kober, Head of Leasing and Property Management at Amsprop, explains: “we’ve got a team of very knowledgeable people, but a lot of information was stored within spreadsheets. This became difficult – there was always a gap between property, estates and accounting teams, and a lack of transparency in overall management. The systems had been outgrown, and with a long-standing team member retiring, it seemed like a good time to update our processes.”

Having worked with MRI Qube in previous companies, Mark spoke to Malcolm Payton, Investor Solutions Business Development Manager at MRI Software, alongside a range of other potential providers.

After an intensive selection process, Amsprop purchased a 20-seat MRI Qube Property Management and Accounting solution, using MRI Qube’s Manager Hub to allow management, including Lord Sugar and Daniel Sugar, who have their own licences to easily view performance from an accounting and financial perspective. The team also signed up for MRI Maintenance Management, a module within MRI Qube PM.

“I had used MRI in previous companies, but we did a lot of research and checked out quite a few systems”, explains Mark.

We looked at a competitor product which presented well but didn’t have the full capabilities behind the bonnet. We then went back to MRI and we were very thorough – Malcolm and the MRI team were very patient in answering our questions. We even visited a few of my old companies to understand how they used their systems, and came to the conclusion that MRI Qube PM would work best.

Amsprop migrated their data into the system gradually, with a soft launch through the summer of 2021 which was completed in late July. “The property management side was intensive but a relatively seamless move over”, says Mark. “The finance side was far more technical than the property side, because of how the company and its subsidiaries operates.”

Pravesh Jibna, Head of Finance for Amsprop’s Property Division, explains the accounting migration further: “it was something we did struggle with at the start – people had been working a certain way, with Sage and a spreadsheet, for 20 years, so this was all new to us. It took a couple of months, but now everybody is on board and we really see the benefit of having the data in MRI Qube PM.”

Training the Amsprop team to use the new software took place remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and sessions included team members from a range of departments to ensure that all teams understood how Qube would affect them.

“It was a digital transformation project, so everybody needed to be involved”, says Mark. “The training proved to be very useful. At the beginning we wanted to have this face to face in the office, but we actually found that the remote training was a better way, as we were more focussed and able to engage.”

MRI Software’s Malcolm Payton was impressed with the Amsprop team’s high level of engagement with the training process. “A lot of companies do the training and that’s it”, he explained. “Amsprop ran additional sessions outside of this and rolled up their sleeves to crack on independently, which helped things move much more effectively”.

Since going live with MRI Qube PM, the Amsprop team have seen immediate time and cost savings as previously resource-intensive processes have been automated.

It used to take us days to get quarterly invoices out”, explains Pravesh. “We used to need four or five people to manually check and update information for our 150+ tenants every quarter, and then manually create, print and post invoices.

“It’s now all automated, including chasing late payments, and we have live information from MRI Qube PM instead of having to go into Sage to check payments. The software has cut out so much work and the process is so simple now – just press a button and everything works!”

The Amsprop team is also benefiting from the increased transparency and data sharing made possible by MRI Qube PM. “Having a holistic view of property finance, management and maintenance has really simplified the process”, explains Mark. “Before, we had a spreadsheet for property, one for estates and one for finance, and if there was a new tenancy or lease the data needed updated in three different places. Now everybody can see the information in one place, and we don’t need to check with different teams for lease renewal details, we can get these ourselves.”

As Amsprop continues to evolve and grow, Mark is confident that MRI Software is the right choice to support the company’s changing needs. “If you’re managing properties in house, you need a system like this. As the company evolves to its next stage we’ll also be looking into different MRI products. MRI Contract Intelligence is a possibility – it’s a very good product and AI is very much where the industry is going.”

Malcolm Payton, Investor Solutions Business Dev Manager at MRI Software, said: “It has been a real pleasure working with Lord Sugar’s prestigious property organisation. The team at Amsprop have been fantastic during the implementation phase of the project and are now live and fully embracing their new system. The solution is already providing a number of tangible benefits, including providing senior stake holders with transparency as to the health of the portfolio, which will help support and assist decision making. We are looking forward to a long future and partnership with the Amsprop team.”

The post Lord Sugar’s Amsprop selects MRI Qube PM to provide a holistic view of property portfolio appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

LloydsPharmacy, one of the UK’s largest pharmacy operators, is deploying MRI’s lease management and accounting solution to support continued business growth and simplify the task of meeting IFRS 16 requirements

London – 18 January – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions, announces that LloydsPharmacy, a leading UK high street brand, has selected MRI Horizon CRE to manage its lease portfolio and financial compliance, including International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS 16). In working with MRI, LloydsPharmacy will deploy Horizon CRE, a cloud-based lease management and accounting platform, to more easily handle their real estate challenges and complexities of IFRS 16. The accounting standard came into effect on 1 January 2019 and requires that all leases be recorded on balance sheets to increase the transparency of business exposure to costs.

LloydsPharmacy manages more than 1,200 leases for its sites across the UK. The company chose to move forward with Horizon CRE because the platform enables it to address a range of needs – including effectively managing their retail portfolio, from key events to transaction processes, whilst adhering to necessary accounting and reporting requirements unique to a large retail organisation, such as retail accounting periods.

“Whilst we were already using a property management system to manage our real estate portfolio, the continued evolution of our business and ongoing complexities in recent years required a more sophisticated tool like Horizon CRE to make the process more straightforward. The additional IFRS 16 functionality also means that the real estate and finance department can work collaboratively to hit our IFRS 16 requirements,” Richard Green, Head of Property and Development at LloydsPharmacy, said. “We needed a purpose-built solution to handle the intricacies and nuances of our lease portfolio and automate elements of lease management that would otherwise require manual input. Horizon unlocks a greater level of efficiency and scalability, and the quality and accuracy of the data now available to us will support better strategic decision-making.”

LloydsPharmacy’s implementation of Horizon CRE facilitates collaboration across multiple departments, including real estate and finance. The software can support the management of lease portfolios that include equipment and sublets, as well as property, while also handling retail-specific factors such as turnover-related rents.

Dermot Briody, Senior Vice President and Executive Managing Director for Europe, MRI Software, added: “Our comprehensive solution suite has consistently evolved to help clients meet the rigorous demands of accounting and financial reporting. The team at LloydsPharmacy recognises their responsibility to continue to meet today’s IFRS 16 lease accounting standards, and we’re excited to integrate Horizon CRE into their operations. LloydsPharmacy will be able to proactively manage its lease management requirements and related matters with a tool that allows for effective, clear and accurate information to be communicated to regulators, management, investors and other stakeholders.”

MRI Software’s Horizon CRE is utilised by the four largest supermarket brands in the UK and trusted by more than 1,000 property occupiers across finance, retail, aviation, telecoms, logistics and other sectors worldwide. Its comprehensive suite of functionality and features provides an easily accessible resource for lease information and documentation to make it easier for organisations to follow compliance guidelines and best practices.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:

(EMEA for MRI)

Platform Communications

Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)

or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)

mri@platformcomms.com

The post LloydsPharmacy chooses MRI Software’s Horizon CRE for lease management and accounting appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Latest acquisition further increases MRI’s presence, support and client base in the APAC region

Sydney, Australia – 13 January 2022 – Global PropTech leader MRI Software today announces its acquisition of LeaseEagle, an Australian-based leader in commercial property lease management solutions for tenants in corporate, retail, healthcare and other sectors. Founded in 2005, LeaseEagle’s software is used by clients to manage over 50,000 locations across Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

LeaseEagle delivers advanced software solutions designed to help commercial tenants effectively manage lease commitments across multiple real estate assets. In addition to ensuring compliance with IFRS 16/AASB 16 lease accounting standards, LeaseEagle’s cloud-based platform reduces the risk of missing critical lease dates and makes detailed occupancy analysis simple. It also provides data-driven reporting for better decision making, saves time and improves accuracy with automated invoicing and significantly increases business process efficiency.

MRI Software managing director and senior vice president (Asia Pacific), David Bowie, says adding LeaseEagle to MRI’s existing suite of integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) and unique AI-based lease abstraction and intelligence solutions is “timely and strategic.”

“Australian commercial property deals in 2021 were nearly double the value of 2020 investments amid the most extensive rewrite of property leases in history. That mix of fast growth and complex change represents very high risk, and I believe this acquisition gives MRI the right solutions and expertise to help clients reduce that risk.”

Mr. Bowie explains, “Very few tenants retained a simple monthly rental profile over the last 18 months. Many faced variable credits, floating deferments and conditional termination rights, all of which heighten the risk of manual error that can cost organisations dearly – in some cases, as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“For large tenants, the complexity and burden for compliance and accuracy with data-intensive lease accounting standards is significant. LeaseEagle provides those organisations with the ability to centralise all lease and franchise information, gain real-time reporting and integrate process automation, and we’re thrilled to welcome them to the MRI family,” Mr. Bowie says.

Lee Trevena, chief executive officer and founder of LeaseEagle, adds, “I had each one of our 185+ clients in mind when considering this transaction. Well-loved brands rely on LeaseEagle as a single source of truth for multi-site lease management, and MRI’s history of cultivating a client-centric culture and bringing in the right talent to deliver the best value to their customers makes this the perfect fit. I look forward to the LeaseEagle team adding to that legacy.

“My strong belief is that joining the global MRI family will provide our customers the best of both worlds by giving them access to some of the world’s best real estate expertise, innovation, client service and support resources while maintaining everything they know and love about LeaseEagle,” Mr. Trevena says.
IFRS 16/AASB 16 standard compliance

The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) mandated full compliance with new lease accounting standards known as IFRS 16 and AASB 16 from 1 January 2019. Since then, far more complex lease reporting data is required across entire lease and option periods.

For those companies impacted, non-compliance is simply not an option. LeaseEagle ensures clients have the reporting, analysis and data management needed to effectively maintain compliance while balancing their already demanding workload.

MRI’s latest acquisition of LeaseEagle also complements other recent acquisitions in the Asia Pacific region, including Box+Dice, Palace and WhosOnLocation in 2021, and Rockend in August 2019.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work as well as play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. MRI became one of the first real estate software providers to serve Australia and New Zealand in 1995 and further strengthened its commitment to the region with acquisitions of Rockend, WhosOnLocation, Palace, Box+Dice and LeaseEagle. For more information, visit mrisoftware.com

Media contacts
For more information, to arrange an interview and/or photography please contact the PR person listed below closest to you:

Australia & New Zealand for MRI
Heather Jones (+61 (0) 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

EMEA for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850) or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

North America for MRI
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Acquires Melbourne-based LeaseEagle to Help Tenants Navigate Changing Lease Accounting Compliance Requirements appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Leading global property software company builds on roots in the local community with launch of flexible working environment to support further growth.

9 December 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in property software, announced the formal opening of its office at the Hub in Sleaford, Lincolnshire on December 8, when a ceremony marking the event was held. The office is one of a number of MRI locations across the UK, including those in London and Newcastle, where the company develops and supports its innovative technology solutions.

The official opening of the office was attended by MRI Vice President and Executive Managing Director Europe Dermot Briody, Leader of North Kesteven District Council (NKDC), Cllr Richard Wright and Sleaford Town Council Mayor Robert Oates.

“We are thrilled to be formally opening the new facility, underlining our ongoing commitment to the town, the region and its people,” said Briody. “While UK workers are being encouraged to work from home from 13 December, we will, of course, ensure that the eventual full return of the local workforce will be managed carefully and safely in light of ongoing developments with the pandemic. We are offering a hybrid working environment in which, in the long term, employees will have the flexibility to come to the Sleaford office part of the time and work at home other times.”

MRI’s Sleaford team is a key part of the company’s UK operations, playing a crucial role in delivering property software to businesses in the region. The team at the office support some of the largest commercial and residential property owners and operators in the UK. MRI is a rapidly growing company that operates in the fast-moving PropTech sector, and it will continue to recruit in the area – with roles open now – while creating more opportunities for talent from local educational institutions such as the University of Lincoln.

The Hub is notably the home of the National Centre for Craft and Design and has recently undergone a £1.2 million pound refurbishment project, creating an enhanced, modernised space for both visitors and creatives across a range of arts and craft. The building features a ground floor gallery, an artist workshop, a children’s zone, a performing arts studio, conference facilities, a large indoor bistro and an outdoor seating area taking in views of the River Slea. It is owned and funded by North Kesteven District Council and operated on behalf of the Council by Lincolnshire-based charity Lincs Inspire Limited, and is also a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England.

Council Leader Cllr Wright said: “When an internationally recognised company such as MRI solidifies its roots in Sleaford, it reinforces the town and District’s position as a hub for creativity and business. It will be exciting to see MRI Software’s Sleaford team continue to settle into their new space and grow for the future, including through new employment opportunities.

“It’s especially fitting as MRI Software, in creating and innovating in the digital sector from this new space, joins the many varied streams of activities which continue to expand across the arts, craft and design also from within the Hub.”

The new Sleaford office is an environment designed to be COVID-safe, with MRI using its WhosOnLocation workplace safety and security platform to ensure it has full visibility of all employees, contractors, visitors and anyone else who might have a physical presence on its premises at all times. The company will also employ the MRI Workplace Central solution set to manage its workforce’s return to shared workspaces, scheduling the use of desks, meeting rooms and other facilities, while evaluating the use of space for future planning.

MRI has been one of the largest local employers for many years. The company acquired Qube Global Software in 2017, which had been in the town since 1982. The company originally occupied premises in Westgate and earlier in its history in Carre Street.

“MRI is proud to be building on the deep roots we have in the area,” said James Lavery, Marketing Director, MRI Software. “The refurbished development will provide a great new home for the team members working in the office on any given day and will also act as a great collaboration space for the organisation. As we move through and out of the pandemic, we will observe the highest safety standards in strict accordance with government guidelines.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
UK for MRI
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software announces opening of East Midlands, UK office at the Hub in Sleaford appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Foxes Property Management is one of the most established block managers on the south coast having been in operation nearly 80 years.  Foxes manage around 350 sites and offer services for clients across block and estate management, covering an area of the South Coast of England from Southampton to West Bay near Bridport.

Business Challenge

Having recently welcomed new directors to the business after a period of continued growth, the team at Foxes wanted to update their systems and processes to improve their service offering to tenants and landlords, capitalising on their recent success and building a strong foundation for continued growth. This meant overhauling their existing management solution in order to modernise and streamline their systems and to answer customer queries quickly and efficiently.

Solution

After taking time to review a range of solutions across the market, Foxes decided to implement the UK’s leading block management solution, MRI Qube PM.

“We spent a great deal of time searching for the best solution for our business needs”, said Managing Director Jordan Franklin. “After much deliberation and correspondence with Dan, we found MRI to be most fitting for our business and we are extremely excited to get started and discover the benefits MRI will have for us.”

Enhancing Service Delivery

MRI Qube PM is used by a significant share of the UK block management sector and supports over 600 clients for a range of property management and accounting-focused requirements.

Qube PM will help Foxes to improve on their key processing across a range of areas including property management, accounting, reporting and audit. With a single point of truth for all their data, Qube PM will ensure that the Foxes team have a central source of up-to-date information at their fingertips, maximising efficiency and driving strong board-level decision making.

With Qube PM’s automation features, Foxes will also be able to streamline a wide range of business processes, ensuring that they’re working as efficiently as possible and freeing up time previously spent on data input or admin to focus on building strong client relationships.

With tools for enhancing customer communications through portals and correspondence automation, Foxes will be able to ensure they engage effectively with landlords and tenants alike, to deliver the best service possible to key stakeholders as they continue to grow.

Malcolm Payton, Business Development Manager at MRI said “Having built a relationship with the new directors at Foxes, it is great to see them moving ahead with investing in Qube PM. Our market leading solution will help Foxes transform the service they deliver to their clients.”

The post Foxes Property Management choose MRI Qube PM appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Survey by MRI and CoreNet Global reveals firmer remote working policies; increased technology adoption to manage the workplace

Solon, Ohio – November 8, 2021 – The latest research from MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions, shows that commercial occupiers’ willingness to allow all employees the choice to work remotely fell dramatically from 39% to 26% between March and September 2021. Seventy percent of survey respondents planned to institute policies that tighten up remote work eligibility and onsite requirements – up from 60% in March. The research also showed that landlords’ apprehension over the rise of remote working increased significantly over the same period, with 43% concerned about its impact on their business compared to just 26% in March.

In carrying out the research, MRI partnered with CoreNet Global, the leading association for corporate real estate professionals, to survey a group of close to 200 tenants and landlords from a range of industries globally.

The findings offer insights into post-pandemic views on the future of the office, with analysis contained in a full report entitled MRI Software Market Insights: Views from Real Estate Occupiers and Landlords on the Return to Office. The results show that, overall, nearly 80% of responding commercial occupiers have increased the availability of remote work. It also shows that 69% of respondents said that the worldwide shift to remote working during the pandemic has fundamentally changed their long-term approach to space usage – only slightly down from 71% in March.

“Many companies already made remote work available before the pandemic, but the mass shift to home working demonstrated to most businesses that staff and executive teams could continue to be productive outside of the office,” notes Brian Zrimsek, Industry Principal at MRI Software and author of the research report. “Pandemic-driven technology adoption simplified the process of staying connected and collaborative, but organisations still recognise the benefit of bringing employees back to the office and offering hybrid work arrangements that support engagement, workplace culture and productivity.”

Occupiers project fuller offices in the new year
The report shows that, as more employees are expected to return to the office, commercial occupiers’ views on the future of work continue to evolve. In fact, 57% of corporate tenants expect to have more than half of their workforce back in the office by the end of Q1 2022, while landlords were more optimistic, with 67% expecting the majority of workers to be back onsite by the end of Q4 2021. Other key findings that show some change in thinking in recent months include:

• 49% of commercial occupiers are converting or expanding their use of hot-desking, slightly down from 54% in March
• 42% of corporate tenants indicated that they would require less space after the pandemic, down from 56% in March
• At the same time, 61% of landlords expected their tenants to lease the same or more space despite the prospect of more remote working in the future, but this figure was also down from March (67%)
• By September, 74% of landlords were seeing tenants negotiating new lease terms (up from 58% in March), while nearly double said tenants were letting leases lapse (48% versus 26% in March)

New technologies for new circumstances
Both occupiers and landlords see a strong need to adopt technologies to handle changing requirements as the pandemic abates. The survey showed that 70% of corporate occupiers plan to adopt new technologies to manage changes in space usage. The proportion of landlords that thought their existing technologies were sufficient to manage changes in space usage dropped from 61% to 45% between the two 2021 surveys. The most recent results reveal that 61% of landlords expect to adopt new technologies to handle changing space needs, compared to 55% in the previous survey. The top functions named by landlords planning to adopt new technologies going forward included:

• Track and manage who is onsite (employees, visitors, contractors) – 63%
• Strategically manage long-term space utilisation and layout – 53%
• Schedule and reserve desks – 47%
• Better enable hybrid meetings between onsite and virtual attendees – 42%
• Reserve and manage meeting space – 21%

“Tenants and landlords have an opportunity to partner on ways to return to the office safely and effectively,” concludes Zrimsek. “With more employees returning to the workplace, it is clear that both commercial occupiers and landlords realise that PropTech tools will be essential to planning and maximising space usage, meeting the requirements of a hybrid office, keeping the workforce safe, and developing the best real estate strategies for the future.”

MRI will present Leveraging Technology for Strategic Workplace Decisions at the CoreNet Global Summit in Seattle on Tuesday, November 9. MRI and CoreNet will discuss the report findings in a webinar for CoreNet members on November 18, 2021.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
UK for MRI
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

US for MRI
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

ANZ for MRI
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post New Research from MRI Software Provides Insights into Post-Pandemic Workplace appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Addition of global energy use specialist bolsters MRI’s facilities and real estate management solution set and empowers organisations to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs

London – 2 November, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, announces it has acquired eSight Energy Limited, a UK-based software development company that empowers property owners, operators and occupiers worldwide to better manage their energy consumption and environmental footprint. Deploying eSight Energy® solutions enables organisations to improve energy-related decision-making and savings through off-the-shelf and customisable reporting and analytics. The acquisition enhances MRI’s comprehensive facilities and real estate management capabilities by adding energy monitoring solutions that decrease operating costs, reduce environmental impact, improve facility performance, and help meet legislative and compliance standards.

“One of the foundations of a well-connected community is sustainability. With this acquisition, we’re excited to continue empowering organisations to take on the challenge by helping them meet their environmental, social and governance goals,” says Saurabh Abhyankar, MRI’s Chief Product Officer. “Improving sustainability and energy efficiency results in a rare win-win-win by reducing costs, improving occupant health and helping the planet. eSight Energy provides businesses with the tools they need to help ensure they are doing everything they can to achieve these goals.”

eSight Energy software integrates with a broad range of real estate data sources and delivers a unified view of a company’s energy footprint – whether via interactive dashboards or detailed, customisable reports. The result is to provide actionable insights that reduce costs and consumption, helping organisations raise the value of their real estate portfolios while contributing to a more sustainable environment. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with offices in the US, the company monitors more than 260,000 buildings and production sites across 60 countries, helping its customers realise up to 30% savings on their energy costs.

MRI continues to invest in solutions that drive efficiency in every part of the organisation – from space scheduling, planning and booking to facilities lifecycle management to best-practice energy usage. The acquisition reinforces the company’s commitment to helping clients produce better overall ESG outcomes now and in the future. In addition, the information generated by eSight Energy software can be used to meet financial reporting requirements, such as energy and carbon reporting required by some governments. The software also simplifies and automates the tenant billing process, enabling accurate invoicing and on-time payments: It reads consumption data from tenant meters, generating error-free invoices; for multi-tenant buildings, the system can track individual submeters.

Janie Jefferies-Freer, CEO at eSight notes: “As a global leader in real estate software solutions, MRI furthers our reach and ability to help organisations worldwide boost their energy performance and environmental impact. From retail stores to universities to office blocks, today’s buildings are powered by a multitude of energy sources that produce large amounts of data from various systems, sensors and monitors. Combining eSight’s ability to tap into that data with MRI’s facilities management capabilities enables more organisations, whether large or small, to track energy consumption, identify issues and quickly resolve them.”

Founded in 1998 with the goal of monitoring energy consumption and reducing associated costs, eSight enables organisations to centralise and analyse all types of data affecting the energy efficiency of their buildings and equipment regardless of the data’s source, system or format. MRI will continue to support eSight users without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
UK for MRI
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

US for MRI
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post MRI Software Addresses Real Estate Industry’s Sustainability Challenges With eSight Energy Acquisition appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Technology will help the University improve the leasing experience for students, tenants and Estates teams

London – 28 October, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced the University of Oxford has expanded its use of MRI Software solutions, further streamlining tenant leasing operations and improving the experience for staff and customers.

As one of the most famous institutions in Britain and the oldest university in the English-speaking world, the University of Oxford owns and manages a diverse property portfolio, including commercial, residential and student units, as well as land holdings. The University has been an MRI client for over ten years, successfully using MRI solutions for its core property management operations. The University will now implement MRI Horizon, a fully cloud-based property management and accounting platform to further enhance its operations in this area. The organisation will also implement MRI Sales & Lettings and the MRI Engage resident portal. These solutions are at the core of MRI Living, an end-to-end software suite that equips property owners/operators and agents with a comprehensive set of integrated residential management tools that provide leasing and management capabilities with customisable customer engagement portals.

Sarah Davies, Head of Finance, Estates Services at the University of Oxford said: “Estates Services’ working group undertook a rigorous evaluation process with several potential system providers. Throughout the process, the MRI team was responsive and agile in terms of our needs, and we are confident that working in partnership with them will provide us with a property management system that best fits the University’s operational and strategic requirements. The University envisages that implementation of MRI Horizon, MRI Sales & Lettings, and MRI Engage resident portal will deliver very considerable benefits to students, tenants and Estates teams by way of online engagement and streamlining of processes.”

A major aim of the project was to further improve the online leasing journey and provide a cutting-edge customer portal for students and staff. The University and MRI Software will be working in partnership to create the best possible onboarding process for students using the leasing portal.

Dan Foryszewski, Investor Solutions Team Manager at MRI Software said: “We are all excited to start the implementation with the University of Oxford team and build on our existing relationship. I am confident that MRI Living will allow the team to transform the way the University leases out properties, interacts with its customers and facilitates easy data sharing across its departments. We look forward to delivering a technology solution that will support a modern customer experience and strategic management of the University’s property portfolio.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
UK for MRI
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

US for MRI
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

ANZ for MRI
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post University of Oxford Chooses MRI Software to Transform Customer Service for Tenants appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Sydney, Australia – 13 September 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, today announces its acquisition of industry-leading customer relationship management (CRM) solution provider, Box+Dice. Melbourne-based Box+Dice adds a critical piece to MRI’s comprehensive PropTech portfolio, enabling real estate businesses to unify customer lifecycle visibility across both sales and rental property management.

For more than 15 years, Box+Dice has provided innovative CRM solutions to some of Australia’s biggest and most well-respected real estate companies. Just this year, the company was named the most innovative PropTech solution in the country by Proptech Association Australia. MRI’s commitment to an open and connected ethos means Box+Dice will continue working with alternative property management providers in addition to easily integrating with MRI PropertyTree, Australia’s leading cloud-based residential property management solution, and other MRI property technology offerings.

David Bowie, managing director and senior vice president (Asia Pacific) for MRI Software, said: “The acquisition of Box+Dice is a strategic piece of the puzzle for MRI and the progressive agencies we serve in this region. It means agency leaders are now empowered to make decisions that drive profitability and revenue for their entire business, while agents can know, anticipate and better serve the needs of a person throughout their property lifetime in one unified solution. It’s great knowing we can offer one comprehensive solution to help progressive agencies grow sustainably with best-in-class technology.”

Box+Dice also offers top-down reporting and insights across the entire sales operation. Whether agencies require visibility into vendor paid advertising, top sales performers or auction clearance rates, agency leaders are empowered to make decisions that drive profitability and revenue for their business.

Travis Williams, CEO and founder of Box+Dice, said: “I’m very proud of what Box+Dice has achieved in partnership with our customers over the last 15 years. Today’s news propels our innovation deeper and wider across the world. Our customers and team will benefit from MRI’s national and global resources and open and connected platform approach to PropTech, so I’m thrilled for Box+Dice to join the MRI family.”

MRI’s acquisition of Box+Dice further demonstrates its commitment to investing in Australia and New Zealand’s PropTech industry. It also complements previous acquisitions the company made in the region, including Rockend in August 2019 as well as Palace and WhosOnLocation earlier this year.

MRI will continue to support Box+Dice customers without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. MRI became one of the first real estate software providers to serve Australia and New Zealand in 1995 and further strengthened its commitment to the region with the acquisitions of Rockend, WhosOnLocation and Palace. For more information, visit mrisoftware.com

Media contacts
For more information, to arrange an interview and/or photography please contact the PR person listed below closest to you:

ANZ for MRI
Heather Jones (+61 (0) 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

EMEA for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850) or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

North America for MRI
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Acquires Box+Dice, Adding Sales CRM to Its Suite of PropTech Solutions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

UK social housing residents have spoken and they want to feel a greater sense of community and improved safety, as revealed in the Resident Voice Index report released today.

A nationwide survey of nearly 4,000 residents was designed in collaboration with social housing residents and providers. Participants shared their views on their sense of belonging to and caring about being involved in their community, perceptions of safety within their neighbourhood and the local services that matter most to them.

Key findings

• The level of respondents who feel a sense of belonging in their neighbourhood is low (around 3 in 10), but almost half want to feel part of their community.
• The most important amenities for respondents related to health and wellbeing. Results showed that currently 90% live within 15 minutes of a GP surgery and 89% within 15 minutes of green spaces, indicating that they are generally well provisioned.
• 40% of respondents feel safe in their neighbourhood while around three in ten do not.
• Those who feel safe are four times more likely to feel they belong to their community. Conversely, amongst those who don’t feel safe, only 12% feel that they belong.
• The four most common topics that emerged to improve residents’ feelings of safety were increases to policing, tackling drugs, and improved lighting and CCTV.
• 84% of survey respondents do not believe their housing provider improves their sense of community.
• Younger respondents generally held more negative views of their communities, with neighbourhoods appearing to be better suited to older generations.

Key takeaways

• Analysis revealed that targeted community interventions could increase the sense of belonging within neighbourhoods from one third to over one half of social housing residents.
• Policy makers, planners and providers can develop and implement strategies that foster a sense of community amongst residents. This, in conjunction with practical measures on streets around lighting, CCTV and crime could significantly improve feelings of safety.
• There is an opportunity for housing providers to open greater lines of communication, customised to their residents, who we found, often did not know what their provider did in the community.
• Investment and planning for communities of the future may benefit from more consultation and involvement from young residents.

About the project

Developed by MRI Social Housing, a leading UK technology provider for the local authority and housing association sector, the Resident Voice Index initiative aims to assess how social housing residents feel about their neighbourhoods and provide solutions to help policy makers, planners and providers of housing and local services improve the lives of social housing residents.

The Resident Voice Index is the product of collaborative work across numerous agencies and has been designed alongside social housing providers and residents. All responses to the survey are anonymous in order to build trust and ensure that answers are given openly and candidly. All results are published in a transparent fashion for anyone who wants to consume them.

Addressing the project, Dermot Briody, Executive Managing Director of Europe at MRI Software said:

“We fundamentally believe in the power of technology to improve the lives and experiences of social housing residents, and the launch of our Resident Voice Index initiative is a perfect demonstration.

 

“Not only will we be capturing the mood of residents across the UK, but we can develop a deeper understanding of the factors and trends behind the results – and they in turn can be used to elevate service provision.

 

“As an independent provider, we feel our platforms offer an ideal space for residents to express their views safely and freely. We are confident that their insights, qualified against the wealth of data captured in our own solutions, will create authoritative outputs.”

 

Download a copy of this report at residentvoiceindex.com  

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of web-based solutions for housing associations and local authorities in the UK and Ireland. Through the comprehensive suite of customer-focused products and applications that form our MRI Social Housing offering, we deliver flexibility, choice and scale to more than 850 clients in the region. In total, our team serves more than 3,000 organisations in social, affordable, public and community housing worldwide. With deep domain knowledge, 50 years’ experience and world-class innovation as our platform, we believe in our ability to make a difference. We are committed to transforming residents’ lives and experiences, and it’s our goal to become the trusted technology partner of choice for the sector.

The post Ground-breaking new UK social housing survey reveals the sentiments of residents appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Scalable FM software enables real estate owners, operators and occupiers to improve building sustainability, data visibility and mobile connectivity

Solon, Ohio – August 16, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, announces it has acquired FSI, a UK-based provider of enterprise-class facilities management (FM) software solutions. The addition of FSI’s cloud-based platform bolsters MRI’s overall solution portfolio and enhances the company’s ability to better serve owners, occupiers and contractors by delivering cutting-edge technology to effectively manage and maintain their facilities.

“Facilities management teams play a critical role in making sure offices are running safely and efficiently as people begin returning to workplaces around the globe,” notes Dermot Briody, MRI’s Senior Vice President and Executive Managing Director of EMEA and Occupier Solutions. “This latest acquisition significantly enhances our facilities management capabilities with a comprehensive, modern software solution that helps clients ensure their buildings and campuses are clean, properly equipped and well-maintained for their visitors and employees.”

FSI complements MRI’s globally recognized Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) solution and strengthens the company’s position as a PropTech provider that powers the entire workplace. The comprehensive solution will benefit clients in several ways:

• Delivers end-to-end data visibility and IoT connectivity: Connects systems from every part of a building, enabling facilities managers to centralize operational control and gain actionable insights that improve performance, proactively pre-empt costly failures and power smarter buildings.
• Enables a connected, digital-first experience: Offers mobile applications that allow providers to easily manage an on-the-go workforce from anywhere in the world, while also giving occupiers a better experience by being able to input and track service requests.
• Improves sustainability and energy-efficiency: Promotes sustainability by empowering FM teams with the tools to accurately monitor energy consumption across properties and make data-driven adjustments that cut carbon emissions, improve equipment life expectancy and at the same time reduce costs.

John Moriarty, FSI’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, comments: “MRI offers a scale and global reach that will enable us to accelerate growth in our existing markets and new territories. We share MRI’s vision of an open and connected solution set that will empower our clients to speed up digital transformation – the importance of which has become abundantly clear as the COVID-19 crisis has evolved. Becoming part of MRI also means our customers have the opportunity to tap into its broad range of innovative IWMS and property management solutions, which enable organisations of all types to more effectively manage their real estate portfolios and meet today’s business challenges.”

FSI has more than 300 clients around the world, including Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The company, which was founded in 1990, serves multiple asset classes and industries, including retail, healthcare, education, office, government, logistics and manufacturing. MRI will continue to support FSI users without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(North America for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Acquires FSI, a Cloud-Based Facilities Management Solution appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Euroterra Capital is one of London’s leading real estate development and operations companies, and after rigorous research into suitable operational systems, it has selected MRI Sales & Lettings, and MRI Engage Portal, to support its new London residential development company, EC Homes, and its new sales and lettings business, EC Residential.

Specialising in developing and operating luxury homes, luxury serviced residences, co-living and serviced apartments, as well as student accommodation, Euroterra Capital manages the whole property process, from initial development through to sales, lettings and operational management. Initially focusing around London’s Hyde Park area, the company is now expanding to include the whole of London through EC Homes and EC Residential.

Euroterra Capital has chosen to implement MRI Sales & Lettings, alongside the Engage Landlord and Tenant Portal solution, to streamline its business process and enhance its customer service provision to its portfolio of landlords and tenants. The solution will also allow EC Residential to market its properties on multiple websites, find applicants, progress sales and tenancies, manage properties and run its client accounting. The MRI Engage Portal, integrated with MRI Sales & Lettings, will digitalise EC Residential’s customer journey and provide extra clarity from initial application, throughout the tenancy, to the end of the lease. The direct integration with MRI Sales & Lettings will additionally generate time efficiencies for Euroterra Capital, EC Homes and EC Residential.

MRI Sales & Lettings is one of the markets leading integrated sales and lettings management software. Used by over 150 clients, the solution sits on an open and connected platform called Agency Home, enabling integrations to numerous additional MRI and third-party solutions and adding further value to its core capabilities. MRI Engage Portal is a comprehensive portal solution for landlords and tenants, providing an area to view important documents, make payments and raise maintenance requests.

Gavin Cohen, Managing Director of EC Homes, said: “We are really pleased to embark on this partnership with MRI Software and are confident the solution will help us achieve our business goals now and in the future as we expand.”

Phuong Thi Kieu, Agency Solutions Account Executive at MRI, said: “I’m excited to welcome Euroterra Capital to MRI Software. The Sales and Lettings, and Engage Portal solution, will offer a robust and future proofed agency solution.”

The post Helping EuroTerra Capital deliver excellent customer experiences appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Toronto-Based Business Augments Lead-to-Lease Offerings for Commercial Property Managers

Solon, OH – July 7, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate technology, has acquired Findspace, an intuitive marketing and leasing platform for commercial real estate. Based in Toronto and founded in 2009, Findspace Inc. has a marquee customer base that includes 40% of the top 25 owners and managers in the Canadian market.

Findspace enables clients with portfolios that range from 250,000 to over 45 million square feet to fill open space faster and differentiate their businesses through a modern and easy-to-deploy platform. The solution provides real-time, integrated space listings for websites while supporting marketing efforts with visually appealing branded content and collateral.

“This acquisition significantly enhances our lead-to-lease solution for commercial property managers,” says Saurabh Abhyankar, MRI Software’s chief product officer. “It’s especially timely, given the end of lockdowns and an upswing in leasing activity as businesses reassess their space needs. By adding Findspace to our product offering, we can give our clients immediate access to a robust marketing solution that allows them to address increased demand while standing out in a crowded marketplace.”

MRI’s flagship property management solution in North America, Property Management X, already integrates with Findspace, allowing clients to easily publish data about vacant spaces directly from their back-office system into their property listing website. This tight integration is now available to MRI’s large commercial client base that manages over 20 billion square feet of space across North America.

This latest addition to MRI’s solution portfolio is integral to the company’s vision to help clients in the commercial real estate sector grow and market their business. MRI will leverage its global development capabilities to expand and enhance Findspace’s innovative solutions for leasing and property management professionals.

“In 2020, we joined MRI’s Partner Connect program because the two companies shared an open-and-connected approach,” says Alain Cohen, president and CEO of Findspace. “Like MRI, Findspace has a ‘clients-first’ philosophy that prioritizes flexibility and choice. That philosophy has enabled our clients to create unique branded experiences through every step in the lead-to-lease process.”

He continues: “Now, as part of the MRI team, we can extend this approach to a larger pool of clients while expanding our geographic footprint.”

MRI will continue to provide uninterrupted support to the owners and property managers that use Findspace.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts

(North America for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post MRI Software Acquires Findspace, an Integrated Marketing Solution for the Commercial Real Estate Market appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

One of Belfast’s leading estate agent and property consultants, Northern Property, have selected MRI Software Sales & Lettings solution to manage their Residential and Commercial Estate Agency and Lettings portfolio across the North of Ireland.  

Northern Property are a family business providing Residential & Commercial sales, lettings, and property management services across the North of Ireland with a strong focus on customer experience. They have chosen to implement MRI Sales and Lettings to leverage the advanced functionalities of the software to support their core business processes. In addition, the property management and client accounting modules of the software will provide significant time savings for Northern Property, freeing staff to concentrate on closing deals and delivering the best possible customer service.  

The comprehensive MRI Sales and Lettings solution will cover all key functions for Northern Property, from property marketing, applicant finding, sales and tenancy progression, property management and client accounting.  

MRI Sales and Lettings is one of the markets leading integrated sales and lettings management software. Used by over 150 clients, MRI Sales and Lettings sits on an open and connected platform called Agency Home, which enables integrations to numerous additional MRI and third-party solutions, adding further value to its core capabilities.  

Tony Donnelly managing partner said, “Northern Property is going through a period of growth and we need a robust Agency solution with strong client accounting functionalities to manage our increasing property portfolio. MRI Sales and Lettings came recommended and will be able to support us now and in the future as we expand our business.”  

Phuong Thi Kieu, Agency Solutions Account Executive at MRI, said: “It is really exciting to welcome Northern Property to MRI Software. I am confident MRI Sales and Lettings is the right solution to support the growth of Northern Property.” 

The post Northern Property puts technology at the heart of its estate and lettings operations appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Unified workplace management offering enables businesses to effectively manage the needs of a hybrid workforce while ensuring the safety of employees, visitors and contractors

Solon, Ohio – June 24, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions, announces the launch of MRI Workplace Central, a comprehensive solution that empowers businesses to manage the return of their workforce to the office and other workspaces. The workplace management offering allows property and facility managers to gain visibility across all facets of the commercial sites they operate to ensure they are well-run and safe.

“We are proud to bring MRI Workplace Central to market as a comprehensive solution to drive the successful return to work of organizations worldwide,” says Dermot Briody, MRI’s Senior Vice President of Occupier Solutions. “As businesses rethink the future of the workplace and take steps to bring employees back into the office, flexible technology will be required to manage new and changing work arrangements and expectations.”

MRI Workplace Central provides a wide-ranging set of applications to help organizations bring people together as a team while ensuring their wellbeing. Its components include:

• Space planning – to help organizations understand and prepare to meet evolving workspace needs as COVID restrictions are lifted;
• Scheduling/room and desk booking – emerging as a priority for businesses, with 54% of respondents indicating they will be converting to or expanding hot-desking, according to global research conducted by MRI and real estate professional association CoreNet Global;
• Space utilization – ongoing evaluation of space usage, allowing for strategic adjustment as needs change over time;
• Presence management – to track and control the flow of employees, visitors and service providers in and out of offices and other facilities with tools that provide a full view of who is on-site and who is working remotely.

MRI has conducted extensive research and gathered data on what tenants and landlords are doing to prepare for the hybrid office environment and look further into the future. The MRI-CoreNet survey revealed that close to 90% of respondents expect their organizations to allow remote working after the pandemic – a third more than before – while over 70% say the pandemic fundamentally changed their long-term approach to space usage.

Briody notes: “The office remains at the heart of workplace culture, collaboration and engagement, which are key to business results. But realizing the benefits requires balancing hybrid work schedules and adapting to changing regulations and health requirements over time, using the right technologies to do so. We have strategically grown our global workplace management offering in recent years, and MRI Workplace Central represents a milestone in our efforts to deliver flexible solutions to help organizations manage the future of work.”

The launch of MRI Workplace Central incorporates best-in-class technology from two recent acquisitions. Earlier this year, MRI acquired WhosOnLocation, the provider of an integrated cloud-based solution that empowers organizations to address workplace safety and security needs, and Manhattan, the real estate and workplace solutions business formerly owned by Trimble.

MRI will be running a webinar entitled “Create a safe and flexible work environment with MRI Workplace Central” on June 29. Click here to register.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:
(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post MRI Software Launches Workplace Central to Enable Safe, Flexible and Efficient Return to Work appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

At MRI we value long term relationships with our clients, which makes us proud to announce that Burns Hamilton has decided to recommit to MRI Qube PM on a 5 year agreement.

Burns Property Management is a leading South Coast based agent. The team offer services across block and estate management as well as lettings, estate agency and property management.

MRI Qube PM is a leading block management solution which is used to power Burns Hamilton’s block management, client accounting and resident engagement functions.

Caroline Kelleway, Managing Director of Burns Hamilton said “ Qube PM has allowed us to streamline our business resulting in a much improved client experience and the ability to grow our portfolio ”

Dan Foryszewski, Sales Manager at MRI said “Having worked with Burns Hamilton on the initial project to implement MRI solutions, it is great to see the team realising the benefit of their investment and looking to extend their relationship with us on a long term basis.”

The post Burns Hamilton agree long term contract extension with MRI Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Report by MRI Software and CoreNet Global shows tenants expect changes in space usage post-pandemic while landlords don’t – but both see need for new technology adoption

Solon, Ohio – May 25, 2021 – New research from MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions, reveals that 71% of commercial occupiers say the mass shift to remote working during the pandemic has fundamentally changed their long-term approach to space usage, and yet 69% of landlords expect no lasting impact from COVID-19. MRI partnered with CoreNet Global, the leading association for corporate real estate professionals, to survey 200 tenants and 50 landlords across a broad cross-section of industries worldwide. The findings offer insights into key post-pandemic views on the return to work and indicate critical differences in the expectations of commercial tenants and landlords.

The survey report, MRI Software Market Insights: Getting Back to the Office, shows that over half of business occupiers plan to lease less space after the pandemic, yet over half of landlords don’t see their tenants’ requirements changing:

• 56% of occupiers say they will need less space, with the vast majority expecting fewer employees onsite at any one time; whereas 60% of landlords see their tenants leasing the same amount of space, with only 33% projecting a decline;
• None of the tenants surveyed said they would seek more space to enable a lower workplace density, and just 3% anticipate leasing extra capacity to allow for additional collaborative areas once remote workers start coming back to the office.

“Many of the findings were expected but the differences in outlook between commercial occupiers and their landlords were particularly surprising,” says Brian Zrimsek, Industry Principal, MRI Software. “The good news is that both tenants and real estate owners see the benefits of bringing the workforce back into the office. Together, they now have an opportunity to align their approaches and partner to ensure that employees work even more effectively and safely as their companies adapt to new standards, practices and configurations.”

One area where both corporate occupiers and landlords are in clear agreement is on the need to adopt technologies to handle changing requirements as the pandemic abates, with even those confident in current capabilities planning to extend their existing set-ups and/or deploy new workplace management tools. The results show that 83% of occupiers and 64% of landlords plan to adopt new technologies, while 77% of tenants and 68% of building owners/operators intend to expand their current solutions.

Other significant findings include:

• The report confirms the scale of remote working, with 72% of occupiers having fewer than a quarter of their employees onsite during the crisis – and virtually all of those were deemed essential workers;
• Remote working has grown in acceptance, with roughly a third more companies expecting to allow remote working (89%) after the pandemic than before (66%) – a 23-point uptick;
• More remote working will mean different office set-ups for many employees, with 54% of occupiers either converting to or expanding their use of hot-desking and just 20% keeping assigned workstations;
• The impact of these changes is that occupiers are altering their lease strategies, with landlords seeing their tenants: negotiating new terms (63%), breaking leases (50%), seeking shorter renewal periods (44%), and/or letting leases lapse (29%).

Zrimsek concludes: “The pandemic has accelerated technology adoption trends that were already taking place. As employees return to work, both commercial occupiers and landlords realize that PropTech tools will be essential in rethinking workplace management strategies, reassessing lease portfolios, and managing flexible office requirements.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:
(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post New Survey Reveals Need for Commercial Occupiers and Landlords to Get More in Step on the Future of the Office appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Scalable, cloud-based solution manages lifecycle of c.200 property assets

Sydney, AUSTRALIA – 20 May 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces it has won a new contract with Centuria Capital Group, an ASX-300 listed investment property funds manager, to automate the full lifecycle management of about 200 real estate assets in the firm’s $10 billion property portfolio across Australia and New Zealand.

MRI Commercial and Investment Management solutions will be used by Centuria to automate lease administration and accounting and access large volumes of data from multiple sources, including non-financial information, to generate long-term forecasting, property valuations, and fund modelling.

Stephen Wilson, MRI Software Managing Director, Business Development, APAC, said: “2020 taught all of us the importance of being able to respond quickly and confidently to changing market conditions. It’s our privilege to be chosen by Centuria to manage the full lifecycle of their significant property portfolio, and help their executives and managers glean meaningful insights from the volume of data they already have and will continue to generate as they grow.”

Victor Georos, Centuria Head of Portfolio and Asset Management, said: “Centuria has grown exponentially in recent years. Total group assets under management have grown to more than $10 billion today. We now have more than 200 assets under management across our Trans-Tasman platform and we intend to continue growing. This means we require a system that enables us to scale quickly as we evolve. After undertaking an extensive market scan for a property management software solution that can cater for our growth – MRI ticked all the right boxes for us.”

“MRI’s longstanding history in the real estate industry, strong local roots in Australia and New Zealand and understanding of the regional market make it a trusted partner in the Commercial and Investment Management space – and the logical choice to support our business. We look forward to working with Stephen and his team as we expand our platform in 2021, and beyond,” he said.

MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem is used by more than 17,000 enterprise clients across 170 countries. For more information visit mrisoftware.com.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. MRI became one of the first real estate software providers to serve Australia and New Zealand in 1995 and further strengthened its commitment to the region with the acquisitions of Rockend, WhosOnLocation and Palace. For more information, visit mrisoftware.com.

About Centuria Capital Group
Centuria Capital Group (ASX:CNI) is a leading real estate fund manager with more than $10 billion of assets under management. It offers a range of investment opportunities including listed and unlisted real estate funds as well as tax-effective investment bonds. Its drive, allied with in-depth knowledge of these sectors and intimate understanding of its clients, allows Centuria to transform opportunities into meaningful investments. For more information, visit www.centuria.com.au.

Media Contacts

(ANZ)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

(EMEA)
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software wins Centuria Capital contract for its Property Management Software Solution appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

London – 6 May 2021 – Leading business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP has partnered with MRI Software to develop a unique capability that provides contract analytics and insights to the EMEA market.

The agreement means that Grant Thornton will act as a reseller and channel partner for MRI^TM Contract Intelligence powered by Leverton AI^TM, which uses pioneering artificial intelligence technology for data extraction and contract analytics for corporate and legal documents. The combined offering provides a scalable, efficient, and transparent capability that businesses can use to unlock value from existing contracts, either as a direct revenue increase or broader insight to drive process improvement.

The service is a flexible capability with broad potential across a range of industries, particularly affecting those with a high volume of business-to-business contracts that are substantial in value.

Commenting on the agreement, Paul Jefferies, Consulting Partner and Head of Telecommunications at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said:

“We are excited to announce this formal agreement with MRI Software as it will help to unlock the significant commercial value that many of our clients suspect is locked away in their legacy business contracts. We have been working with MRI’s Leverton AI platform for the last two years through several client engagements, and our experience is that we can consistently deliver strong return on investment for clients after a short proof of concept period. MRI Software’s deep learning technology coupled with Grant Thornton’s in-house analytics capability structures and simplifies an otherwise confusing data landscape and provides absolute clarity around contractual billing performance”.

“The market-place for contract analytics has rapidly evolved in the last few years with increased adoption of digital solutions for managing, analysing and assuring legal contracts. This agreement represents an exciting flexible and scalable digital capability that helps organisations unlock contract value.”

Saurabh Abhyankar, Chief Product Officer at MRI Software, added:

“The new agreement between MRI and Grant Thornton empowers organisations to take control of data and leverage it to reduce risk and maximise value for the business. AI-powered technology helps uncover revenue gaps, unnecessary spending and sources of lost revenue, which allows revenue assurance teams to verify that their billing processes match the contract pricing structures. This service will be essential for forward-thinking organisations to protect their business and move forward confidently while navigating change and driving operational efficiencies.”

About Grant Thornton UK LLP
Grant Thornton is one of the world’s leading organisations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms. Proactive teams use insights, experience and instinct to understand complex issues for privately owned, publicly listed and public sector clients – helping them to find sustainable solutions. More than 56,000 Grant Thornton people across 140 countries are focused on making a difference to clients, colleagues and the communities in which we live and work. We’ve got scale, combined with local market understanding. That means we’re everywhere our clients are, as well as where they want to be. The UK Grant Thornton member firm is led by 190 partners and employs over 4,500 of the profession’s brightest minds. We are a business adviser that helps organisations navigate today’s volatile markets, has a strong focus on quality and delivers insights to succeed. Find out more at www.grantthornton.co.uk @GrantThorntonUK
© 2021 Grant Thornton UK LLP. All rights reserved.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that drive innovation and maximize strategic and operational efficiencies. MRI’s AI-powered technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem empowers organizations of all types to leverage high volumes of data to gain insights and identify opportunities for cost savings and increased revenue. MRI has been a trailblazer in the technology industry for over five decades, helping more than two million users worldwide manage real estate, leases, contracts and other aspects of their business. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:
(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post Grant Thornton and MRI Software Combine Forces to Offer AI-powered Contract Analytics and Insights Service appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Leading health food retailer Holland & Barrett has selected MRI Software’s AI-powered platform for the management of its real estate lease portfolio.

With 1,300 stores across the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, China, Hong Kong, India, Saudi Arabia and UAE, Holland & Barrett requires technology to proactively manage international lease requirements and retail complexities. They have opted to move forward with MRI’s connected offering, which is proven across the sector and used by more than 100 retail brands.

The solution leverages the power of machine learning to digitalise lease information, and ensures clean, accurate and reliable data is incorporated into management and reporting processes – including compliance with IFRS 16 lease accounting standards.

Through the MRI Contract Intelligence application, Holland & Barrett can extract, aggregate and cleanse key information buried in hundreds of lease contracts across a variety of languages. The AI-enabled contract repository is then integrated with MRI Horizon, a comprehensive suite of functionality and reporting tools that support specific retail requirements such as retail accounting periods and turnover rent calculations Dashboard insights and sophisticated transaction management workflow also help to inform decision-making and track business processes.

Tom Price, EMEA Sales Manager – Occupier Solutions at MRI Software, said: “I’m delighted to announce the partnership between MRI Software and Holland & Barrett, and to be working with the team to support their strategic objectives. H&B recognises the benefit and criticality of having an end-to-end lease abstraction, lease management and lease accounting solution, with the opportunity to take advantage of other areas of MRI’s comprehensive occupier suite in the future.

“It’s also fantastic that such a reputable organisation has chosen to invest at such an uncertain and challenging time, emphasising the importance and value of a robust platform that delivers short and long-term benefit.”

Stephen Williams, Head of Estates at Holland & Barrett, said: “As our store estate has grown and lease structures become more complex, we have needed a solution to enable us to more efficiently manage our store portfolio. The combination of Contract Intelligence and Horizon provides us with the solution to fully capture all our property and lease information, providing the one version of the truth – and it enables the required detailed business and IFRS16 reporting.”

Learn more about MRI’s powerful AI capabilities for lease abstraction, here.

The post Holland & Barrett selects MRI Software’s AI-powered occupier management solution appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

LEVERAGING YOUR EXISTING TECHNOLOGY TO HELP YOU MANAGE ITS REQUIREMENTS
 

The Debt Respite Scheme (or Breathing Space Initiative) is active from May 4^th, 2021.  Its aim is to help those with problem debt find long term solutions to their financial issues by providing a period of legal protection from their creditors, alongside support in the form of debt advice.

Standard breathing space provides legal protection from action by creditors for up to 60 days and is available to anyone who has problem debt.

Mental health breathing space provides legal protection to those in mental health crisis for the duration of their treatment plus 30 days.

Qualifying debts under the legislation include rent arrears.

Once a creditor organisation has received notification of a breathing space it must take action immediately, including refraining from contacting the debtor to request repayment of the debt in most instances and halting enforcement action to recover the debt by themselves or an appointed agent.

Over the past year, many of our clients in social housing have already made changes to their arrears recovery processes, in response to the challenges their residents have faced during the pandemic. This capability to adapt processes and systems for such circumstances means our clients are well placed to review their processes further and make changes to assist in their organisation’s support of this new initiative.

MRI Software are happy to provide additional support and guidance to clients seeking to identify and implement measures to assist their organisation with its response to the Breathing Space initiative. You can arrange to contact our consultancy teams via your usual MRI account manager.

Find out more about the Breathing Space initiative

The post The Breathing Space Initiative appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Leading London-based property services group Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward (KFH) has deepened its technology partnership with MRI Software by implementing the MRI Living Professional solution to further optimise its operations in the Build-to-Rent space.

KFH is a long-term user of MRI’s software suite for residential lettings, property management and property accounting. The adoption of Living Professional means KFH will now leverage end-to-end technology geared towards the UK Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector, with comprehensive capabilities across lettings, operations, engagement and investor reporting. The solution also offers numerous Partner integrations, such as Fixflo Professional, providing a holistic property ecosystem that covers all stages of the residential life cycle.

Anna Macleod, Group Technology and Marketing Director, said: “At KFH, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional service and results. The MRI Living solution supports us in exceeding client expectations and delivering a seamless tenant experience.”

Tom Bryant, Head of IT Operations at KFH, said: “MRI Living is the market leading software in the Build-To-Rent sector, and I’m pleased to say that despite a tight timetable, the implementation has been very smooth. Thanks to all involved for a successful deployment.”

Dan Foryszewski, Sales Manager, Investor Solutions at MRI, said: “It’s has been a pleasure collaborating with the KFH team throughout implementation. They have worked pragmatically and communicatively, resulting in great success. Our solution, twinned with KFH’s expertise in London property, will no doubt allow them to make a significant impact in the BTR sector.”

James Foster, KFH Account Manager at MRI said “It is really exciting to see KFH using the MRI Living solution and I am sure this will help drive their BTR business forward. I have been the Account Manager for KFH across all MRI solutions for over 2 years now and it is always a pleasure working alongside such a forward thinking client.”

The post KFH selects MRI Living solution to support Build-to-Rent operations appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Close of deal bolsters MRI’s global workplace management offering for real estate owners, operators and occupiers

Solon, Ohio – April 14, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Manhattan, the real estate and workplace solutions business of Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB). The close of the deal bolsters MRI’s workplace management offering with robust space scheduling, booking and facilities management capabilities, complementing its comprehensive lease accounting and administration solutions for commercial real estate owners, operators and occupiers worldwide.

“We are excited to welcome Manhattan and its powerful range of Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) solutions to the MRI family,” says Dermot Briody, MRI’s Senior Vice President of Occupier Solutions. “With many companies rethinking the future of the workplace, flexible technology will be required to manage different ways of working – in some cases, balancing remote, in-office, or hybrid arrangements for employees – to maximize productivity and position the workplace as a driver of future success. MRI is committed to helping our clients keep buildings well-managed, secure and safe for anyone on the property, including landlords, tenants, visitors or service providers. It is more important than ever to offer solutions that promote the benefits of workplace culture and collaboration.”

The Manhattan acquisition extends MRI’s workplace capabilities at a time when many organizations around the world are focusing on returning to the office. As part of MRI, Manhattan clients will gain access to a broader array of applications to manage their lease portfolio, including MRI’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered lease abstraction technology and comprehensive workplace presence management software offered through its recent acquisition of WhosOnLocation.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, organizations across the globe see an increased need for agile workplaces and the ability of both owner/operators and corporate occupiers to work together to manage those effectively while ensuring health and safety standards,” Briody adds. “MRI’s recent acquisitions underline our strategy to support everyone involved in commercial property and expand our offering for the global workplace management market.”

In addition to strengthening MRI’s technological footprint, the Manhattan acquisition increases its client base in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific to include more than 3,000 corporate occupiers. Manhattan has employees in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India, New Zealand, and Australia. MRI will continue to support Manhattan clients without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:
(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post MRI Software Completes Acquisition of Manhattan Real Estate and Workplace Solutions from Trimble appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

The long-term agreement will provide enhanced resources to support the global real estate firm’s award-winning data management, visualization and analytics platform

NEW YORK (April 8, 2021) – Global real estate services firm Savills today announced that it has expanded its global partnership with MRI Software, a worldwide leader in real estate software.

As part of an extended agreement, Savills will expand its integration of MRI’s artificial intelligence-powered data abstraction tool, MRI Contract Intelligence powered by Leverton AI, to include MRI ProLease, a cloud-based solution for lease administration, lease accounting, lease analysis and workplace management. The integrated capabilities will deliver enhanced real estate management applications to clients utilizing Savills award-winning business intelligence platform Knowledge Cubed.

“Corporate occupiers require access to data historically locked away in leases to effectively manage and reevaluate their portfolios,” said Saurabh Abhyankar, MRI Software’s chief product officer. “The expanded integration of Leverton AI automates and simplifies the complex data extraction process, enabling Savills clients to easily access and analyze data from leases, contracts and legal documents.”

Savills and MRI will leverage a jointly developed data model to accelerate document abstraction and structuring for corporate occupiers. The proprietary machine learning algorithm will allow smaller teams to quickly setup digital applications within Knowledge Cubed and highlight actionable insights to enable better management of real estate portfolios.

“By integrating our algorithm within Knowledge Cubed applications, we are able to provide clients an unparalleled speed and scale advantage that helps analyze portfolios in real time with access to the source documents in one click,” said Patrick McGrath, Savills chief information officer and head of client technologies.

The MRI partnership continues Savills ongoing investment in innovative client technologies and data partnerships. Launched in 2016, Knowledge Cubed brings together key technologies (e.g., machine learning, cloud, IoT, big data, mobile apps, cybersecurity, and digital contracts) to help clients better understand and optimize global real estate and human capital investments.

During the last 12 months, Savills expanded and signed new partnerships with key partners such as Matterport, CoStar, and CompStak to further invest in the best-in-class technology and data platform designed for corporate occupiers.

About Savills Inc.
As one of the world’s leading property advisors, Savills services span the globe, with 39,000 experts working across 600 offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Sharply skilled and fiercely dedicated, the firm’s integrated teams of consultants and brokers are experts in better real estate. With services in tenant representation, workforce and incentives strategy, workplace strategy and occupant experience, project management, and capital markets, Savills has elevated the potential of workplaces around the corner, and around the world, for 160 years and counting.

For more information, please visit Savills.us and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Contacts:
(Savills)
Michael A. Lassiter (+1 202 624 8539)
mlassiter@savills.us

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

The post Savills, MRI Software Announce Expanded Partnership to Accelerate AI and Machine Learning Capabilities for Knowledge Cubed appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

In recent months, MRI software has hosted a series of breakfast briefings to bring together four leaders in social housing technology. In the first of these, they outlined the challenges facing the sector in relation to data and the pressing need for housing providers across the UK to adopt data-driven decision-making processes. The social and economic costs of making the wrong or sub-standard decisions can be high so mechanisms were discussed to place social housing providers in more confident decision-making environments through smart handling of their data.

The four presenters were:

Colin Sales, CEO of 3C Consultants

Michael McLaughlin, Social Insight Lead, HACT

Phil Brining, Operations Director, Data Protection People

Doug Sarney, Director, MRI Software

In much the same way that the miners and drillers of natural resources in bygone eras held the key to fuelling society’s progress, modern data miners and drillers find themselves in a similar position of influence. Ninety per cent of the total electronic data generated by humans have been created in the last two years and modern data pioneers are the ones who can extract value from this data.

The key to uncovering value from data and therefore one of the key features of The Data Revolution is to facilitate the conversion of data into actions via a data-value pathway. The decisions are taken at the end of this process then have an impact on individuals across all areas of human life.

Social Housing providers are no different regarding the vast amounts of data collected, held and available to them on which decisions about their businesses and the well-being of residents are based.

Smart providers are harnessing data correctly and efficiently and using it effectively to build and maintain robust social housing organisations and thriving communities. Conversely, from a service provision, regulation and governance perspective, the repercussions of getting it wrong are high. To give some examples, this can be in terms of reputational discredit; inefficiency; costing jobs and even costing lives as the tragic events of June 2017 have shown.  In the seminars, the ‘data revolutionaries’ revealed the challenges presented by data handling in social housing and the approaches that companies and social housing providers can embrace to deal with them.

Poorly organised data hinders long-term business transformation and seemingly harmless errors can have startling implications for forward planning. For example, Michael McLaughlin at HACT, told of a provider who found, “Twenty per cent of their tenants were 119 years old. This was back in 2019 and what had happened was someone did not have their date of birth when they logged them into the system, so they were given a birthday of January 1^st, 1900.”

This is an easily identifiable slip-up brought about by having no option for unavailable data. However, the consequences of this unrealistic number of centenarians could heavily influence the planning of housing provision for an ageing population.

Other data anomalies may be harder to spot and this creates doubt in the trustworthiness of the data. Shaky reliability of information garnered from data will create decision making hesitancy or result in poor decisions being made – ultimately resulting in substandard services for residents. There is also an efficiency hit associated with this resulting in housing providers not running as well as they can.

More seriously, the proven and quite public risks posed to housing providers who get it wrong were listed by speakers as ‘enormous inefficiency, poor service delivery, low customer satisfaction, data breaches, potentially being downgraded by the regulator, reputational risk, the competency of an organisation and potential job losses.’

“When it comes to good governance, the decision will be made based on your data not on expert reassurances. We are reaching a stage where hearing the words ‘prove it’ will be a frequent challenge to management teams.”

Colin Sales, CEO, 3C Consultants

The urgency felt by housing providers to enable their data to work for them as outlined by each of the speakers. Beyond risks, prescient leaders are looking forward to moving information from patchwork spreadsheets and legacy systems to integrated, responsive platforms that can model, test, and facilitate long-term transformation.

Some of the recommendations discussed for RPs to consider in their data revolution projects included: defining your mission; building a single version of the truth; mechanisms for cleaning up existing data; validating data at the point of entry; employing clear analytics and business intelligence and embedding residents’ feedback. The goal for each action is to turn data into decisions to add value.

“It has to be a sector-led process. What is key for that is that we as a sector have to advocate for how we handle our data.”

Michael McLaughlin, HACT

Establishing high standards for good data usage will take some time to implement, as careful and specific attention is needed for each of the facets of a housing provider’s service provision. The approach needs to be proactive, with organisations able to present how and why they collect data and what insights they gain from it, rather than purely implementing data practices reactively to regulation.

“Folks, the data revolution is not only here to stay, but it’s also gathering pace. You can collect all the data you want but if you can’t derive any value or benefit from it, what’s the point?”
Phil Brining, The Data Protection People

On the horizon, The Internet of Things, AI and machine learning have the capacity to transform housing providers. This adoption will have major implications in terms of organisations’ competency, ability to understand data ethics and adhere to standards. One example of this lies in the trading of data and metadata derived from IOT devices.

“Data on its own is actually no good. Data technically is 1s and 0s, numbers held in databases. What we need to do is move it into an arena where we can derive some value from it. Once we have insights, we can make confident and valuable decisions.”

Doug Sarney, MRI Software

To embed data-driven decision-making within the social housing sector, organisations will require a level of comfort with handling and analysing data to instil confidence that the best decisions are being made. Cultural change, assisted by digital competency including the provision of skills, knowledge and tools to all staff is necessary for effecting a vision to build thriving communities.

Now is the time for open conversation and investigation into what is needed to solve the challenges facing the sector and what the sector’s vision is for utilising the data it holds.

If you would like to get in contact to be part of this conversation and share your vision for the data revolution you can reach out to Doug Sarney via socialhousing@mrisoftware.com

This breakfast meeting was one of a series of webinars the data revolutionaries will be bringing to the sector during 2021, sign up for the next session here.

The post Managing your ‘Data Revolution’ appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Regency Real Estate, founded in 2019, is a London based, niche property and asset management service provider. In August 2020 they acquired the Property Management Department of Dron & Wright, significantly expanding their portfolio under management and service provision.

Due to this growth they identified the need to modernise their existing systems and have chosen to implement MRI Qube PM – a widely used solution in the UK proven to support real estate business to grow and scale their operations.

MRI Qube PM will cater for Regency’s core requirements of property management, accounting and reporting across commercial, mixed-use and residential properties.

Philip Dale, CEO of Regency Real Estate, said: “We researched and reviewed numerous options for our software modernisation, and it quickly became apparent that MRI Qube PM was the system for us. This software will allow us to provide our clients and stakeholders with up-to-date reports whilst logging all calls relating to the properties we manage via the Maintenance Management Module. This is essential for us to run the portfolio in a smooth and transparent manner.”

Dan Foryszewski, Sales Manager – Investor Solutions at MRI Software, said: “We are excited to be selected as the technology partner for Regency RE in this exciting phase of their growth. I am confident that MRI Qube PM will allow them to improve on their existing processes and efficiently manage their expanding portfolio.”

Learn more about Qube PM and its comprehensive capabilities across commercial and residential property management.

The post Regency Real Estate selects MRI Qube PM to support growing portfolio appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Global PropTech company extends its footprint in ANZ with addition of software for regional property managers and agencies

Auckland, New Zealand – 31 March, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, announces that it has acquired Palace, New Zealand’s market-leading provider of residential property management solutions. The acquisition extends MRI’s offering and market presence in New Zealand while giving Palace and its clients access to the innovation, scale and partnerships of a well-established industry leader.

“Our acquisition of Palace is part of MRI’s strategic global growth plan and a welcome addition to our Asia-Pacific business,” says David Bowie, MRI Software’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Asia-Pacific. “Bringing Palace into the MRI fold enhances our ability to serve the New Zealand market by empowering property managers and agencies with solutions that help them keep pace with local reporting and compliance requirements, including the healthy homes standards.”

Founded in 1999 and with offices in Auckland and Wellington, Palace has over 700 clients who use its solutions to manage more than 150,000 properties. Palace’s extensive partner program, which includes more than 40 partnerships and integrations, will offer expanded flexibility and choice for MRI clients in the region. MRI will continue to support, without interruption, the property managers and agents that use Palace.

Michael Abbott, Palace’s Chief Executive Officer, adds: “Palace and MRI are a great fit. Both companies are firmly committed to an open and connected approach that gives clients the flexibility to integrate the solutions that work best for their business. The deal strengthens MRI’s local expertise, while Palace and its clients gain access to additional property and workplace solutions as well as administrative and financial tools for managing wider property portfolios.”

The deal comes on the heels of MRI’s acquisition of Wellington-based WhosOnLocation, further extending MRI’s presence in New Zealand. Since MRI’s August 2019 acquisition of Rockend, the leading residential property management player in Australia, the company has grown its offering in the ANZ region to cover the full scope of solutions across the residential, commercial, investment and occupier sectors.

Clare Capital, a Wellington-based corporate finance advisory firm, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Palace.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contacts:
(ANZ for MRI)
Heather Jones (+61 400 394 669)
heather@hjconsulting.com.au

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212 362 5837)
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Acquires Palace, New Zealand’s Leading Property Management Solution Provider appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Technology will help Knight Frank RAM perform key management activities and improve tenant communications

London – 25 March, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that Knight Frank’s Residential Asset Management (RAM) department is now leveraging MRI’s widely used property management and accounting platform, MRI Qube PM – deepening the technology partnership between the two companies.

Qube PM will help Knight Frank RAM perform all key management activities and improve communications with tenants. It will also power the integrated MRI Engage resident portal, enabling tailored resident experiences for different clients.

After identifying the need to replace its existing solution, Knight Frank RAM surveyed the market and decided on MRI’s Qube PM application due to its rich functionality and proven performance, scale, and innovation.

Michael Toogood, Partner at Knight Frank, said: “Choosing a partner for such a mission-critical step for our business was always a decision that we would take after careful due diligence. I am delighted that we appear to have made a good decision.”

Responsible for the block and corporate client management of Knight Frank’s residential operation, the RAM business unit offers a full service, covering property accounting, property and maintenance management, and client portal engagement.

Daniel Foryszewski, Sales Manager for MRI’s residential solutions, said: “It is great to see the RAM team has selected a solution from MRI for this requirement, and that we have an opportunity to deepen an already strong partnership with Knight Frank, helping them support this established service line.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

UK for MRI
Platform Communications
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

US for MRI
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

The post Knight Frank Residential Asset Management implements integrated solution from MRI Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

HLM Property Management selects MRI Living solution to support its growing Private Rented Sector (PRS) and Build-to-Rent (BTR) portfolio.

HLM Property Management (part of Lambert Smith Hampton) is a leading residential managing agent offering services across the leasehold, PRS and BTR sectors. They have chosen to implement the MRI Living Professional suite to support key functions across a mixed portfolio, and further elevate service to their clients and residents.

Living Professional is a scalable multi-use residential management solution capable of handling the complete requirements for the UK BTR market, in addition to providing powerful block management functionality. It’s comprised of integrated lettings, resident, property and facility management modules, client and company accounting capabilities and a brand-able resident portal suite. The software will also allow HLM to utilise integrated Partner solutions such as Fixflo Professional for repairs and maintenance.

The end-to-end offering leverages proven and widely used technology across the Private Rented Sector – and is developed, implemented and supported by teams with the deepest levels of expertise in the industry, to meet the requirements of the modern investor, manager and resident.

Paul Noble, Head of PRS for HLM, said: “After an extensive review of the proptech available within the market, it became clear to us that MRI Living is by far the best solution for HLM. We are confident it will not only give us an improved integrated management solution as a business, but also allow us to provide a better and more user-friendly service to clients and residents alike.”

Dan Foryszewski, Manager of the Investor Solutions team at MRI Software, said: “It is great to see such an established residential agent choosing to implement Living Professional. I am confident that our breadth of functionality will enable HLM to deliver even better service, and support the next stage of their growth.”

Visit our solution page to find out more about MRI’s comprehensive capabilities for the PRS and BTR market.

The post HLM Property Management selects MRI Living appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

PropTech category founder bolsters its workplace management capabilities with addition of integrated set of employee, visitor and contractor management applications

Solon, Ohio – March 4, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, announces that it has acquired New Zealand-based WhosOnLocation, which provides an integrated solution that empowers organizations to address workplace safety and security needs. An enterprise-class, cloud-based platform with employee, visitor, contractor and emergency management applications, WhosOnLocation extends MRI’s workplace management offering to cover anyone who might have a physical presence on a commercial property, including industries such as manufacturing, services, and education.

“We are excited to welcome WhosOnLocation to the MRI family at a time when ensuring wellbeing and safety in the workplace is more critical than ever,” says Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “The acquisition enhances the comprehensive capabilities of our integrated workplace management solutions to enable the increased business agility organizations need to reimagine their workplaces. WhosOnLocation boosts our ability to support health and security measures, covering both landlords and tenants, as well as the wider community that engages with a property – reducing risk for everyone.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to an increased need for agile workplaces, WhosOnLocation enables organizations to manage presence by tracking who is onsite at a property – or across multiple locations – at any time. The solution brings additional automation and efficiency to workplace safety and security management with arrival notifications, access permissions, emergency and evacuation management, and more. WhosOnLocation’s global client base will benefit from the added resources and innovation that come with being part of a well-established industry leader.

Darren Whittaker-Barnett, WhosOnLocation’s Chief Executive Officer, notes: “MRI offers the scale and global reach we need to accelerate the growth of our business in both our existing markets and new territories. Becoming part of MRI also offers our customers the opportunity to tap into its broad range of innovative workplace management solutions, which enable organizations of all types to more effectively manage their real estate portfolios and meet today’s unique business challenges.”

Used by facilities management teams, property managers and others involved in building operations to manage visitor, employee and service provider presence, WhosOnLocation manages nearly 5,000 facilities for 1,600 customers across 46 countries. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, the company also operates in Australia, the UK, Europe, Canada and the US. MRI will continue to support WhosOnLocation users without interruption.

GrowthPoint Technology Partners, a Silicon Valley-based investment bank, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to WhosOnLocation.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
(ANZ for MRI)
Fiona Tipping (+61 414 764 762)

(EMEA for MRI)
Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Acquires WhosOnLocation, Adding Global Workplace Safety and Security Offering appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Resident Voice Index
Launch of UK’s most comprehensive resident voice initiative across social housing

The UK social housing sector is set to receive its most comprehensive and independent survey of resident perceptions and sentiment, thanks to a nationwide engagement campaign initiated by technology organisation MRI Software.

Launching in the spring of 2021, the Resident Voice Index will run year-round, capturing and measuring working data about the lives of social housing residents, collecting data surrounding their feelings about their housing and their communities.

MRI will gather self-reported user data through a series of opt-in surveys and polls, designed through prior engagement with resident groups. Residents who wish to participate will share their views anonymously, with data aggregated to uncover trends and key issues faced across the industry.

With the recent publication of the Charter for Social Housing Residents White Paper by MHCLG, the timely launch of this initiative provides the sector with invaluable and aligned insights.

MRI will be collaborating with housing associations, local authorities, media partners and regulatory bodies to inform and shape the Resident Voice Index. This includes Housing Quality Network (HQN), which is lending its expertise to help shape the research and share the findings.

Commenting on the initiative, Jon Land, Head of Networks and Events at HQN, said:

“HQN is delighted to be supporting MRI on the Resident Voice Index, an important and potentially game-changing project to capture what social housing residents think about their homes, communities, their landlords and the services they receive. As the White Paper seeks to change the dynamic of the landlord-resident relationship, this will become an essential barometer to check progress and establish whether warm words are being turned into positive actions that have a genuine impact on people’s lives.

 

“HQN will be helping MRI to bring together residents, landlords and other housing sector bodies in the coming months to ensure the Resident Voice Index delivers results that ultimately benefit everyone.”

Regular results will be published with a series of indices, and rich data-led insight that will investigate the underlying social, emotional and economic factors that impact a resident’s experience of social housing and their housing provider. In time, this will create the most definitive, relevant and real-time snapshot of UK social housing residents.

Addressing the campaign, Dermot Briody, Executive Managing Director of Europe at MRI Software, said:

“We fundamentally believe in the power of technology to improve the lives and experiences of social housing tenants, and the launch of our Resident Voice Index is a perfect demonstration. Not only will we be capturing the mood of residents across the UK, but we can develop a deeper understanding of the factors and trends behind the results – and they in-turn can be used to elevate service provision.

 

“As an independent provider, we feel our platforms offer an ideal space for residents to express their views safely and freely. We are confident that their insights, qualified against the wealth of data captured in our own solutions, will create authoritative outputs.”

In the interest of enhancing their own service delivery provisions, MRI will be using this initiative as an opportunity to capture feedback on their resident-facing service platforms. As this project comes to life and moves towards a first set of results in the spring, MRI is continuing to engage with pioneering providers who want to be at the forefront of this exciting project – and invites those interested to get in touch.

For further details contact: info.residentvoice@mrisoftware.com

© 2021 MRI Software LLC – All Rights Reserved.

The post Launch of UK’s most comprehensive Resident Voice Index across social housing appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Global PropTech provider boosts its workplace management offering, enhancing its unique position to serve real estate owners, operators and occupiers

Solon, Ohio – February 17, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Manhattan, the real estate and workplace solutions division of Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB), based in Sunnyvale, California. The acquisition will extend the range of MRI’s occupier solutions, providing a broader scope of offerings for commercial property owners, operators and tenants worldwide. The transaction is subject to a number of closing conditions and is expected to close in the first half of 2021.

“The world of work has changed fundamentally over the past year, and companies require innovative solutions that enable flexibility for their workplaces and leases,” says Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “The acquisition of Manhattan will bring a well-respected industry leader with a strong heritage into the MRI fold, and our combined workplace management capabilities uniquely position us to serve the needs of owners, operators and tenants across the real estate spectrum.”

The acquisition aligns with the ongoing strategic expansion of MRI’s corporate occupier business, giving clients a 360-degree view of their workplace and simplifying the complexities of managing diverse portfolios. Additionally, the acquisition enhances MRI’s Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) offering with robust workplace scheduling and facilities management capabilities, complementing its comprehensive lease accounting and administration offering. Manhattan clients gain access to a broader scope of applications to manage their lease portfolio, including MRI’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered lease abstraction platform. In addition to strengthening MRI’s technological footprint, the acquisition also bolsters its client base in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, and the combined company will serve 2,300 corporate occupiers. Manhattan has employees in the United States, United Kingdom, India and Australia.

Suresh Sundaram, General Manager of Trimble Real Estate Solutions, said: “There is a real synergy between Manhattan’s offering and MRI’s occupier solutions that will benefit the clients of both businesses – and indeed any corporate occupier. Manhattan will gain from joining a larger organization committed to investing in innovative real estate technology. Both companies have a tremendous commitment to enabling finance and real estate teams to better manage their lease portfolios while maintaining compliance with global lease accounting standards, including FASB, IASB, and GASB.”

The agreement to acquire Trimble’s real estate division follows the acquisition at the end of January of North Carolina-based AMTdirect, a provider of lease accounting, lease administration and facilities management solutions for corporate occupiers and lessees. Both moves underline MRI’s growth strategy to expand its offerings for the global workplace management market. MRI will continue to support Manhattan clients without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI’s comprehensive, flexible, open and connected platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than two million users worldwide. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(U.S. for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

(U.K.) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software Enters Agreement to Acquire Manhattan Real Estate and Workplace Solutions from Trimble appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Proptech Firm Broadens Market Footprint and Increases Scale of Offerings for Corporate Occupiers

Solon, Ohio – January 27, 2021 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate technology, has acquired AMTdirect (AMT), a North Carolina-based provider of lease accounting, lease administration and facilities management solutions for corporate occupiers and lessees. Clients across a wide range of industries use AMT’s technology to organize and manage their lease portfolios while ensuring compliance with global lease accounting standards, such as FASB, IASB, and GASB.

“Today’s businesses require technology to adapt to the changing nature of work,” says Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “Commercial tenants must efficiently manage their space to provide a safe, flexible experience for employees, while also strategically managing their leases to maintain compliance with new lease accounting standards.”

The acquisition further reinforces MRI’s commitment to the occupier sector and increases its market presence. MRI’s solutions serve the needs of all parties in a building, covering property owners, operators and tenants. The company now serves approximately 2,000 occupier clients worldwide.

Ghilani adds, “We’re excited to welcome AMTdirect to the MRI family. With this acquisition, we’re further increasing the depth of our offering for corporate tenants, while enabling AMT’s clients to take advantage of solutions that complement lease management, such as lease administration, space management, and AI-powered lease abstraction.”

“We are eager to begin this new chapter,” says Jeff Ralyea, CEO of AMTdirect. “MRI is a pioneer in the industry and has a stellar reputation for innovation. As part of MRI, we can give our clients access to a broader variety of tools that will fuel business growth.”

MRI will continue to support AMT users without interruption.

Kirkland & Ellis served as MRI’s legal advisor. AMTdirect was an investment held by Luminate Capital Partners.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(U.S. for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

(U.K.) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software Acquires AMTdirect, a Provider of Lease and Facilities Management Solutions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Software to support further growth alongside recent industry body membership status

Evolve Block & Estate Management is a rapidly growing south coast-based property manager. Over the last few years, the scale and reach of the business has expanded and as requirements across the portfolio have become more complex, the need for a step change in their technology has arisen.

Aligned is the company’s new membership of the major industry body for block managers, the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA). ARMA is an organisation that sets standards and guidance for its members and creates better customer and market practices in residential leasehold management.  

To support professionally delivered services and the next stage of their growth, Evolve has decided to upgrade its technology solution to the MRI Qube PM product.  The system is used by over 70 ARMA member agents to achieve the best practice guidance of the organisation. As part of its new membership, Evolve will use the software to support processes and work to ARMA guidance.

Specifically, MRI Qube PM will be used to further enhance Evolve’s property management and service charge accounting operations, providing major time-saving features such as report scheduling, efficient correspondence capabilities and better income processing routines.

Benjamin Hume, Owner of Evolve, said: “As our business and portfolio is expanding so quickly, taking on bigger and more complex blocks and estates, we need to ensure that our software management systems are up to the task to be able to allow us to continue our rapid expansion plans. Qube PM is an industry leader for a reason, it is built for speed, breadth and accessibility as well as working with a number of leading customer-friendly portal bolt-ons which allow us to compete on the national stage.”

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at MRI Software, said: “Having seen Ben’s business growing over the last four years, I am really excited that we will be able to help sustain the next stage of their expansion with the implementation of Qube PM. I am confident that our award-winning solution will allow Evolve to maintain a service that meets the robust standards of ARMA and will bring added benefit to their clients.”

Learn more about Qube PM and its deep capabilities for block managers, here.

The post Evolve Block Management selects MRI Qube PM appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Seasoned software product management executive with deep experience in analytics solutions joins global PropTech leader

Solon, Ohio – November 11, 2020 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the appointment of Saurabh Abhyankar as Chief Product Officer (CPO). In this role, Abhyankar will lead MRI’s global product strategy and drive the continued innovation and evolution of the company’s open and connected software platform for the real estate industry.

Abhyankar has a strong track record over the last 15 years of inventing and bringing new products to market, building and leading product management teams, and driving revenue and adoption. He was most recently at MicroStrategy, holding a number of leadership positions including Chief Product Officer and SVP of Product Management, managing a broad portfolio of analytics products. Previously, he held senior product management leadership roles at SAP, where he worked in the Paris office for 12 years.

“I’m very excited to welcome Saurabh to MRI’s executive team during a time when the strength of our global solutions and our growth are at record levels,” said Patrick Ghilani, CEO of MRI Software. “I’m confident that he will accelerate our industry-leading innovation and interoperability while bringing a renewed focus on easier access and use of smart data. Saurabh brings a strong multinational view, creativity with discipline, and an extremely user-centric mentality that our clients will quickly see in our go-forward product approach.”

Abhyankar added: “Ultimately, technology holds the potential to enrich people’s lives and make the communities in which we all live, work and play smarter and more efficient. By applying innovations in data analytics to MRI’s open and connected platform, we have the opportunity to help our clients around the world improve the financial performance of their business and create more value from their real estate assets.”

The announcement of Abhyankar’s appointment comes on the back of the MRI ‘Ascend Anywhere’ 2020 virtual users conference in October, when the company unveiled a number of key solution innovations and enhancements that empower its clients to transform the way communities live, work and play.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212-362-5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software Appoints Saurabh Abhyankar as Chief Product Officer appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Investment Expands the Reach and Scale of MRI Living Suite

Solon, Ohio – October 29, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate technology, has acquired residential property management software Jenark from CoreLogic, Inc. (NYSE: CLGX).

Jenark aligns with MRI’s existing product set for the management of residential property portfolios, addressing the unique needs of community and homeowner associations by facilitating processes, operations, transactions, communications, accounting, administration, and reporting. The solution is used by hundreds of management companies and large self-managed communities, representing half a million residential units within the U.S.

“We’re delighted to welcome Jenark to the family and further extend the footprint of our comprehensive, end-to-end MRI Living suite,” says Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “With this strategic expansion we now serve over 16 million residential units worldwide, and we look forward to bringing the benefits of our scale and innovation to the Jenark users.”

Ghilani adds: “We will continue to serve and support Jenark users without interruption, now and into the future. Furthermore, we will offer added value from the range of connected, complementary MRI and partner applications Jenark clients can leverage.”

The acquisition of Jenark is MRI’s eighth of 2020 to date. It follows the additions of CheckpointID, RentPayment and Lindsey Software to the MRI Living portfolio; lease administration services provider MacMunnis to MRI’s global occupier suite; and Housing Partners, Castleton Technology Plc and Orchard Information Systems, which form the new MRI Social Housing offering in the UK and Ireland.

For the acquisition of Jenark, Dickinson Wright PLLC served as MRI Software’s legal advisor.

Truist Securities served as CoreLogic’s financial advisor.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(U.S. for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

(U.K.) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software Acquires Jenark™ from CoreLogic appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Enhanced offerings and integrations for MRI @Work and MRI Living support market demand for flexible real estate software

Solon, Ohio – October 27, 2020 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced a series of key enhancements and innovations across its product portfolio at MRI ‘Ascend Anywhere’ 2020, the first virtual edition of its annual North American users conference, held October 19-21. With more than 1,700 registrants, the conference brought together professionals from across the real estate industry to attend virtual keynotes, presentations and panels by MRI and its technology partners – as well as celebrity guest appearances by TV chef and restauranteur Guy Fieri and Grammy and Academy Award winning artist Jennifer Hudson.

The event, which included the participation of nearly 50 companies from MRI’s extensive partner network, featured sessions across a full range of real estate sectors, covering developments in MRI technology, industry trends and the ways in which the company is working with its clients to address the changing needs of the market due to COVID-19.

“Now, more than ever, we believe that people thrive in well-connected communities,” Patrick Ghilani, MRI’s Chief Executive Officer, said at the event’s opening session. Ghilani noted that through MRI’s open and connected ecosystem, the company is able to provide its 45,000 clients worldwide with a “unified single experience,” giving them “the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play.” He added: “Our mission has never been more visible and more appropriately executed.”

Product enhancements unveiled at MRI Ascend Anywhere included expanded capabilities, improved integrations and other upgrades aimed at helping clients extend their digital services and successfully adapt to new business challenges that have resulted from the pandemic. The enhancements include:

New MRI @Work innovations that are critical for many companies today, allowing both commercial real estate owners and occupiers to increase business agility and flexibility:

• Full integration of MRI Lease Intelligence with MRI Property Management X to enable commercial landlords to gain insights and visibility into complex lease portfolios by abstracting data, using machine learning and artificial intelligence.
• Expanded managed services offering to meet end-to-end requirements of corporate real estate occupiers (enabled by the MacMunnis acquisition in August), providing lease administration services and lease auditing to enable more efficient management of ongoing lease transactions and optimize lease commitments.
• Tenant communications capabilities to facilitate digital collaboration and communication between commercial landlords and occupiers.

Enhanced MRI Living capabilities that streamline processes and help clients improve digital services for their residents, especially in light of an uptick in demand for these during the pandemic:

• Addition of RentPayment from MRI, which expands MRI’s payment capabilities through the acquisition of RentPayment in September, helping landlords meet increasing demand for flexible payment options – notably electronic payments, which have increased by 21% between January and September 2020 according to the MRI Software Market Insights report.
• Broadened ID verification and fraud prevention technology through CheckpointID, strengthening the multifamily lead-to-lease process with enhanced digital verification for lead management and applicant screening.

Additionally, MRI has seen rapid adoption of Application Gateway, the game-changing point of entry into the firm’s open and connected technology platform. Application Gateway provides streamlined user access between MRI solutions, partner products and other third-party applications to create a more unified single experience. It is available now at no additional cost to all clients using MRI’s Software-as-a-Service platform.

Session highlights at Ascend included: a panel on how MRI clients are using technology to adapt to the pandemic, led by MRI Industry Principal Brian Zrimsek; a retail insights panel examining the impact of COVID-19, emerging industry trends and relationships between landlords and tenants, moderated by Propmodo co-founder and editor Franco Faraudo; and a panel entitled The Future of the Office moderated by MRI Senior Director of Product Management Beth Schwartz and featuring a number of MRI clients and partners in the commercial property space discussing trends in the office sector.

On the lighter side, entertainment included an exclusive and enchanting performance by Hudson in support of the Julian D. King Gift Foundation, which provides stability, support and positive experiences for children of all backgrounds to help them grow to be productive, confident and happy adults. Hudson performed an intimate selection including Spotlight, Love You I Do (from Dreamgirls) and Saving All My Love for You (Tribute to Whitney Houston).

The other big entertainment highlight was a virtual cooking lesson with Fieri, who showed Ghilani how to make his famous Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese Burger – featuring both cooking outside from their respective outdoor grills. The cook-off was in aid of Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks providing hunger relief. Fieri not only endeavored to teach Ghilani how to make a delicious burger as the two chatted, but he also braved the elements as the smoke from the nearby wildfires invaded his California ranch, where he was conducting the cooking demonstration.

Donations to the charities from Ascend participants and MRI totaled $25,000, and MRI will match the full amount.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212-362-5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software Announces Key Solution Enhancements at Virtual Users Conference ‘Ascend Anywhere’ appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Technology Enables Residential Property Managers To Perform Real-Time Digital ID Checks

Solon, Ohio – October 13, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, has acquired CheckpointID, LLC, a Carrolton, Texas-based provider of ID verification and fraud prevention technology solutions to the multifamily industry.

The CheckpointID solution validates government-issued domestic and international IDs in real time to protect against rental fraud and increase safety in both guided and self-guided apartment tours. The solution allows leasing agents to quickly perform checks in person or online, and provides an efficient and secure alternative to the traditional paper-based process.

“CheckpointID is a perfect fit for our comprehensive MRI Living suite, which covers every component of the residential leasing cycle,” says Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “The impacts of COVID-19 have only accelerated the need for digitalization, and residential property managers are under increasing pressure to deliver a modern, online customer experience. Our strategic investment in CheckpointID broadens MRI’s digital-first offering, and adds to a growing range of innovative applications that bring greater efficiencies to the day-to-day activities of our users.”

The CheckpointID solution extends MRI’s capabilities for the multifamily market, in particular adding deeper functionality to applications for lead management and resident screening. Driven by increased demand for online services and the shift towards smart and connected communities, the technology also has the potential to support the wider markets and geographies that MRI serves, including public and affordable housing, short-term rentals and student accommodation.

“We’ve enjoyed significant growth since launching in 2017 and have become synonymous with ID verification in the industry,” says Terry Slattery, Chief Executive Officer of CheckpointID. “The investment, innovation and scale that MRI brings will only accelerate our development, and we’re looking forward to the next stages of our exciting journey as part of the MRI family.”

CheckpointID will continue to serve and support its clients without interruption and will continue to offer its ID verification and fraud prevention software solutions to users of all property management systems in the market.

Software Equity Group served as the exclusive financial advisor to CheckpointID.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(U.K.) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(U.S. for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Acquires CheckpointID, Adding ID Verification and Fraud Prevention to Multifamily Offering appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to report that MRI Software has successfully applied to become a member of the Innovation Collaboration Group (ICG), demonstrating and deepening our commitment as a pioneer of open and connected technology platforms for the property sector.

The ICG collective showcases best-in-class proptech solutions for sales and lettings agents, highlighting the features and benefits of the market’s leading software products – while facilitating integration and collaboration between supplier members. It also serves as a dynamic online hub for exciting and informative content including the latest webinars and case studies.

Trevor Youens, UK Residential Solutions Director at MRI Software, said: “The ICG is a fantastic initiative in our space, and we’re proud to be working with the team and our fellow innovators. As the first in our market to truly champion the benefits of interoperable software solutions, our product range is already integrated with several of the organisations involved. We look forward to further building on those collaborations, and to embarking on new relationships with other ICG members, all with the aim of adding value for our current and future users.”

Steve Meade, founding member of the ICG, said: “It’s tremendous news that MRI Software has joined the fold. Their collaborative approach and passion for integration aligns perfectly with our mission and we’re excited about what they’ll bring to the table.”
The ICG was created in March 2019 in a bid to help residential real estate agents better navigate the comprehensive range of software solutions available in the market. Learn more about the group, here and in the video below.

The post MRI Software joins the Innovation Collaboration Group for estate agency software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Under agreement, Priority to continue providing payment infrastructure and processing

Alpharetta, GA and Solon, OH – September 23, 2020 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, and Priority Technology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTH) (“Priority”), a leading provider of merchant acquiring, integrated payment software and commercial payment solutions, have completed the previously announced sale and acquisition of Priority’s RentPayment business, which is comprised of the RentPayment.com, StorageRentPayment.com and DuesPayment.com real estate payment brands. Going forward, Priority will provide ongoing payment infrastructure as a service and processing to the new platform at MRI.

“I am thrilled to welcome the pioneering RentPayment solution and team, which bring more than two decades of deep payments expertise and success to the MRI family,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “This acquisition will significantly scale and advance our global payments offering, allowing our MRI Living clients in the residential, affordable, and public housing sectors to benefit from broader payment options and channels. RentPayment will be the go-forward brand in all our global regions and submarkets.”

Founded in 1999, the RentPayment business pioneered real estate payments with the industry’s first comprehensive payment platform for consumer rent. Today, the RentPayment platform serves some 2,900 clients across the U.S. multi-family, single-family, storage and HOA markets. The RentPayment, DuesPayment, and StorageRentPayment brands provide a feature rich suite of payment solutions, including resident rent payments and security deposits via web and mobile to landlords and property managers.

Existing clients of the RentPayment platform will continue to receive uninterrupted service led by Copley Broer and Jamey Rosamond, who helped build the platform within Priority. MRI remains committed to providing and supporting payments solutions for all organizations, regardless of their property management software. Similarly, MRI remains committed to providing choice and flexibility for its clients through an open and connected ecosystem that includes multiple payments partners.

“We are excited to expand our RentPayment partnership with MRI as its payment operations and processing engine,” said Tom Priore, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Priority. “The RentPayment business and its investment in renter engagement is a great fit for MRI’s open and flexible platform, and we are eager to focus our resources to drive adoption of the expanding MRI payment offering in the US and globally,” added Priore.”

Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as MRI Software’s legal counsel for the transaction.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About Priority Technology Holdings, Inc.
Priority is a leading provider of merchant acquiring, integrated payment software and corporate payment solutions, offering unique product and service capabilities to its merchant network and distribution partners. Priority’s enterprise operates from a purpose-built payments infrastructure that includes tailored customer service offerings and bespoke technology development, allowing the Company to provide end-to-end solutions for payment and payment-adjacent software. Additional information can be found at www.PRTH.com.

MRI Software Media Inquiries:
Rachel Antman
212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

Priority Investor and Media Inquiries:
Chris Kettmann
773-497-7575
ckettmann@lincolnchurchilladvisors.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial and operating results, our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services, and other statements identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “future,” “intends,” “could,” “estimate,” “predict,” “projects,” “targeting,” “potential” or “contingent,” “guidance,” “anticipates,” “outlook” or words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our 2020 outlook and statements regarding our market and growth opportunities. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, expressed, or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our revenues and financial operating results. Our actual results could differ materially, and potentially adversely, from those discussed or implied herein.

We caution that it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and it is impossible for us to anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this press release in the context of the risks and uncertainties disclosed in our SEC filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on March 30, 2020 and August 14, 2020, respectively. These filings are available online at www.sec.gov or www.PRTH.com.

We caution you that the important factors referenced above may not contain all of the factors that are important to you. In addition, we cannot assure you that we will realize the results or developments we expect or anticipate or, even if substantially realized, that they will result in the consequences we anticipate or affect us or our operations in the way we expect. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

The post MRI Software Completes Acquisition of RentPayment™ Business from Priority Technology Holdings, Inc. appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Lee Baron, a specialist property management firm operating nationwide, has selected the AI-powered MRI Lease Intelligence solution as a risk mitigation tool – adding to a business software suite that already includes MRI Qube PM as a core back-office operations and accounting system. Lee Baron’s decision to move forward represents its emphasis on innovation, its position as a clear thought leader in the space and marks the first deal of its kind between the MRI Lease Intelligence module and Qube Property Management.

The new lease abstraction capabilities offered by the software will provide Lee Baron with a cost-efficient method to extract data from leases and store it in a smart, centralised repository. It also allows them to offer its client base access to the platform, providing invaluable insight into key data and documentation, with an audit trail between the two.

Richard Belgrave, Sales Director at MRI Software, said: “We are immensely excited that Lee Baron is building on our relationship by leveraging MRI Lease Intelligence, and we look forward to working together to drive operational efficiencies across its business. More and more real estate organisations are assessing how digital transformation projects can help optimise their business processes – and Lee Baron is a clear thought leader in the space with a well thought out strategy regarding the use of artificial intelligence. We can’t wait to get going.”

Tim Love, CTO at Lee Baron, said: “With pre-trained algorithms and a rigorous approach to document review, the Lease Intelligence solution will deliver immense value to us and our clients. We are so pleased to be working even more closely with MRI, and are excited about the opportunity to help shape additional features and product developments in the future.”

MRI Lease Intelligence was officially launched at the MRI Ascend Anaheim users conference in October 2019. It comes following MRI’s acquisition of Leverton – the award-winning AI-powered data extraction and contract analysis platform for corporate and legal documents.

The post Lee Baron deepens relationship with MRI Software, signing multi-year deal for MRI Lease Intelligence appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MacMunnis managed services help occupiers automate manual tasks, reduce costs and accelerate time to value from software investments

Solon, Ohio – August 6, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, has acquired MacMunnis, Inc., an established provider of lease administration solutions to enterprise businesses managing complex lease portfolios. MacMunnis’ services and software expand the MRI @Work suite, broadening and deepening MRI’s ability to serve the end-to-end requirements of commercial real estate occupiers and helping them reduce the time to value from their software investments.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and working with a number of well-known multinational companies, MacMunnis offers comprehensive cloud-based software for lease administration, as well as related managed services for payment processing, financial audits and lease abstraction. For nearly 30 years, MacMunnis has helped clients more quickly realize the value of their software, improve real estate decision-making and replace burdensome manual processes.

“MacMunnis is a terrific addition to the MRI @Work offering, and we are excited to welcome their experience and expertise into the family,” says Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “Our combined client groups will benefit from even deeper industry knowledge and a world-class services infrastructure that can help CRE leaders drive digital transformation and innovation in their organizations. Together, we look forward to helping real estate occupiers put technology at the heart of their businesses as they take on and overcome today’s market challenges.”

Whether to meet a specific business need or deployed as an Integrated Workplace Management System, the MRI @Work occupier solution set incorporates deep functionality that enables corporate occupiers to more effectively manage their global real estate. It is also leveraged by hundreds of global brands to comply with new lease accounting standards – ASC 842, GASB-87, IFRS 16, and AASB 16. MacMunnis’ clients will have greater access to these capabilities, including AI-powered document analytics, space and workplace solutions, facilities management software and multi-currency lease accounting and lease management systems.

“Being part of MRI will lead to greater scale, development and penetration of our purpose-built solutions for real estate occupiers,” says Brice Weeks, Principal of MacMunnis. “This new platform will be of great benefit to our clients, helping them realize greater value from their current digital investment and adopt new innovations that support their strategic business goals.”

MacMunnis will continue to serve and support its clients without interruption.

American Discovery Capital was the exclusive advisor to MacMunnis in connection with the transaction.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Acquires MacMunnis to Expand Offering For Corporate Occupiers appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition complements MRI’s social housing solution set with innovative technologies that enhance tenant well-being, satisfaction and safety

London – 5 August, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the acquisition of Housing Partners, a specialist technology provider for the social housing sector in the UK and Ireland. The strategic acquisition strengthens MRI’s suite of residential property management technology options, MRI Living, adding capabilities from Housing Partners’ Housing Jigsaw, Streetwise, TAIM and HomeSwapper product brands.

Housing Partners’ solutions are used by social housing providers, local authorities and directly by tenants. Its expertise and technology will deepen MRI’s ability to provide people-focused digital solutions, with emphasis on mission-critical issues such as homelessness and tenant safety. As part of the MRI Living offering, these capabilities will drive increased innovation for the benefit of tenants and make it easier for providers to comply with regulation, identify trends and improve services.

“We are proud to welcome Housing Partners to the MRI family, adding an exciting and innovative range of digital solutions to our powerful and interoperable MRI Living residential portfolio,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “This acquisition expands MRI’s ability to facilitate the delivery of front-line services, helping social housing providers bring increased flexibility, mobility, safety and security to communities – building on our commitment to improving the lives and experiences of social housing tenants through the power of technology.”

Housing Partners’ range of solutions includes:

• Housing Jigsaw – a suite of solutions and practical support that enables more effective execution of services by local authorities and housing providers – such as compliance with the Homelessness Reduction Act, case management and accommodation enquiries;
• Streetwise – an incident management system that tracks and monitors anti-social behaviour and other tenant breaches by identifying patterns of escalating behaviours and prioritising risk;
• TAIM – an end-to-end tenancy and income management services solution that can automatically aggregate and manipulate internal and external data to identify residency anomalies and fraud, opportunities for intervention and support, and track and trace tenant debt;
• HomeSwapper – a widely used social housing exchange service providing a platform for tenants to find and enquire about potential relocations – giving greater flexibility and choice to those who, for example, need more space, have a new job or are possibly in crisis and looking for a new start. Over 260,000 homes have already been swapped by tenants wanting to move – saving landlords more than £200 million in voids.

Jonathan Prew, Chief Executive Officer of Housing Partners, said: “Becoming part of MRI Software brings the potential for far greater scalability. MRI’s global experience and technology will enable us to bring the benefits of software to many more people. It will also support our clients in their desire to speed up digital transformation, the need for which has been heightened by the COVID-19 crisis as the social housing sector strives to deliver effective and efficient services remotely.”

Housing Partners will continue to serve its clients without interruption. MRI will continue to support and evolve existing solutions and products.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com 

The post MRI Software acquires Housing Partners to broaden front-line digital services for social housing tenants appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Company’s first virtual users conference showcases the value of MRI Living and MRI @Work for the APAC region, capping a year of major business growth, innovation and acquisitions

Sydney, 30 July 2020 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the Asia-Pacific launch of key solutions and product innovations on the heels of its record-setting MRI Ascend APAC users conference last week, rounding off a year of strong business momentum. Ascend APAC was the company’s first ever virtual users conference, drawing more than 900 registrants and marking its largest event in the region to date. Attendees watched keynotes, presentations and panels by MRI and its technology partners.

The users conference marked the APAC launch of MRI Living and MRI @Work, which encompass the company’s comprehensive solutions for residential and commercial property management. The event took place one year after MRI acquired Rockend, the market-leading provider of residential property and strata management solutions in the Australia-New Zealand PropTech sector, expanding its overall offering and residential footprint in ANZ. Since the acquisition, the number of properties managed using the company’s cloud-based residential software has risen by 34%, representing increased use of the application by new users and existing clients that have grown their portfolios. MRI further bolstered its suite of residential solutions for the region last month when it acquired Castleton Technology, a leading provider of technology solutions for community and social housing providers in Australia.

David Bowie, MRI’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific, commented: “This has been an exciting year for everyone at MRI in APAC. We have seen record growth and innovation as we have extended our range of solutions and market reach. Having a hugely successful virtual Ascend APAC conference underlined the tremendous momentum the business is generating in the region and provided an opportunity for us to share insights and collaborate with clients and partners to shape the future of PropTech throughout the region.”

The APAC product launches and enhancements unveiled by MRI include:

• MRI Lease Intelligence – an AI-powered lease abstraction solution that enables commercial landlords and occupiers to analyse lease documents to gain insights while increasing accuracy, transparency and auditability of lease data;
• MRI ProLease – a suite of workplace management and lease administration, accounting and analysis solutions that enable corporate occupiers to manage property and equipment leases efficiently while meeting new global lease accounting standards;
• MRI Property Connect – a new product in the MRI Living suite of residential solutions that allows tenants to view invoices, payments, inspection schedules and more through a self-service app, while enabling property managers to more effectively manage maintenance requests and communicate with residents;
• MRI Maintenance Plus – an integrated maintenance application that brings all information in the maintenance workflow to one place, so that essential information is never lost and all communication can be conducted through the platform;
• MRI Property Tree – the leading cloud-based residential property management solution in ANZ now offers an enhanced user experience and expanded functionality, including:
• • new Profile Summary pages to speed up the use of critical data,
  • electronic signature capabilities through MRI Secure Sign,
  • and Partner Gateway, which gives Property Tree users access to the MRI Partner ecosystem with just a few clicks;
• Strata Master – enhanced Strata Owner and Committee Member portal to enable 24/7 access to information on finances, meetings, maintenance and more online.

During Ascend APAC, the company also revealed that it is bringing together the MRI commercial and investment solutions in the region with the residential solutions from Rockend and unifying them under the MRI brand. The combined offering is now used to manage more than 90,000 commercial lease units, 50% of all professionally managed residential rental properties and 35% of all strata lots in ANZ.

MRI was also named this month the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Large Computer Software Company of the Year category in the seventh annual Stevies in Asia Pacific. The Stevie Awards are considered to be the world’s premier business awards, conferring recognition for achievement in programs such as The International Business Awards® for 18 years.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212-362-5837)
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Launches New Residential and Commercial Solutions for APAC as it Announces Record Ascend Users Conference appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Multi-disciplinary managing agent Carr & Priddle has chosen to implement the MRI Qube PM solution to support its management and accounting functions across a portfolio of commercial and residential properties.

Based in Brighton, the organisation offers a complete property service to its clients including commercial disposals, sales and lettings, acquisitions and management, residential lettings management, valuations, transit locations, portfolio management, rent reviews, lease renewals, ratings, building surveys, schedules of dilapidations and wants of repair.

Michael Barber, Director at Carr & Priddle, said: “As a leading property management, agency and surveying and valuation firm, we need software system that can cope with the many aspects of our business. It has to be easy to use and adaptable, with good customer service behind the scenes. We reviewed several solutions and were extremely impressed with MRI’s approach and the adaptability of our demands to get the application installed. Are we pleased with the purchase? A definite yes!”

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at MRI Software, said: “We are looking forward to helping Carr & Priddle realise the value of consolidating from its two existing systems to one single, integrated platform which will support its varied business requirements going forward.”

MRI Qube PM is the most widely used property management solution in the UK and Ireland, and will benefit Carr & Priddle through its deep capability to manage all asset classes and property types.

The post Carr & Priddle selects MRI Qube PM to support management and accounting functions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Names Scott Bartlett as VP of Occupier Solutions and Sean Slack as VP of Partnerships

Solon, Ohio – July 6, 2020 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, has appointed two technology veterans to lead key initiatives at the firm: The new joiners are Scott Bartlett, Vice President of Occupier Solutions; and Sean Slack, Vice President of Partnerships.

Bartlett is responsible for developing and managing the company’s suite of integrated workplace management solutions (IWMS), which help corporate occupiers manage their real estate leases and optimize their workplace. Slack is refining MRI’s global partner strategy and leading the team that manages the firm’s extensive partner ecosystem, which encompasses technology, solutions, product, consulting, and channel relationships.

Both executives have extensive experience in technology. Bartlett has held leadership positions in high-profile SaaS companies, including Microsoft, Oracle, Autodesk, and Accruent. Over the course of his career, he has lived and worked in Brazil, Venezuela, and Switzerland, in addition to the U.S.

Most recently, Slack served as the Vice President of Global Alliances and Channels for Teradata Corporation, a cloud data and analytics company based in Dayton, Ohio. He has also held senior roles at Wire One Communications and NCR Corporation.

“Scott and Sean have joined us during a period of major expansion,” says Patrick Ghilani, CEO of MRI Software. “Our division of Occupier Services has been growing rapidly since our 2019 acquisition of ProLease. At this time, we already have 1,200 occupier clients and we are working hard to address rising customer demand. Workplace management, Scott’s focus, has never been more critical than today, when businesses are evaluating their changing needs and use of space as a result of COVID-19.

“Our partnership program has long been an integral component of our open-and-connected strategy,” Ghilani continues. “Under Sean’s direction, we will extend the program’s reach into new geographies and expand our offerings to provide even greater freedom and flexibility to our clients. The ability to select the solutions that work best for their business and use them in a single experience allows clients to remain agile and rapidly adapt to change in an uncertain economic environment.

“We feel fortunate to have Scott and Sean on the team,” he concludes. “We think our clients will see tremendous benefit as well.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212-362-5837)
rachel@saygency.com

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
PJ Chou (+44 20 3219 5837)
Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
or Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software Appoints Technology Veterans to Address Demand for Occupier Solutions and to Expand Partnership Program appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

London – 18 June, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that CLS Holdings plc (CLS), a FTSE 250 commercial property investment company, will deploy MRI’s property management technology platform across its operations in the UK, Germany and France.

CLS will leverage the MRI solution to rationalise its property and finance processes and systems to improve business agility and overall efficiency, and to enable its business growth strategy to be achieved in a cost-effective manner.

“MRI was our preferred choice for a single property management solution across the Group to help us continue building up our operations and ultimately provide an even better service to our tenants,” said Andrew Kirkman, CFO at CLS. “MRI takes a consultative approach and we see them as becoming a trusted partner, enabling us to meet our business needs. The cross-border capability of the software will allow us to deploy one system across the organisation while simplifying and automating processes – and its flexible nature means that, if necessary, we will be able to integrate complementary technologies as CLS continues to grow.”

The core functions that MRI will deliver, and support CLS with, include:

• Property management;
• Lease administration;
• Service charge;
• Property accounting; and
• Business intelligence and reporting

“Having consistent, accurate and accessible data is vital for real estate organisations such as CLS,” said Dermot Briody, MRI’s Executive Managing Director, Europe. “MRI empowers CLS to bring its diverse European portfolio into one cohesive platform that will generate business insights from data and enable more informed decisions. It is becoming increasingly challenging for property investors to navigate the sheer amount of data available from their extensive property portfolios – particularly when they are spread across multiple countries. However, with the right tools they can turn big data into smart data and gain actionable insights that help them maximise their assets and better serve tenants.”

About CLS Holdings plc
CLS Holdings plc is FTSE 250 commercial property investment company with a £2.1bn portfolio. It specialises in high-quality, cost effective office space in non-prime locations. Its current assets comprise 6.6m sq ft (over 668,000 sq m) future-focused workspace in the UK, Germany and France. Through geographical diversification, local expertise and an active management approach, CLS transforms office properties into sustainable, modern spaces that help businesses to grow.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses and organisations – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

The post MRI Software’s open platform selected by CLS Holdings plc to manage operations across entire European property portfolio appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition of social housing technology specialist extends MRI’s residential market capabilities, complementing the company’s global solution set

London – 8 June, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, has completed its acquisition of Castleton Technology Plc, a leading provider of specialist software and services for the social housing sector, after receiving shareholder approval. MRI’s acquisition of Castleton, along with that of Orchard Information Systems in March, extends its offering in the social housing market in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. The combination boosts MRI’s ability to empower social housing providers to adopt digital innovations and customer-centric technologies, while accelerating the development of cloud-based solutions for the sector.

“The acquisition of Castleton is an important step in our drive to deliver greater scale and broaden our offering in the UK housing sector,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “The combination of Castleton and Orchard also extends our comprehensive residential market proposition, MRI Living, and brings together invaluable industry experience and expertise to drive further innovation and accelerate the delivery of new advancements to social/affordable housing operators and residential property managers in multiple regions across the globe.”

Social housing providers in the UK, Ireland and Australia employ Castleton’s solutions to enhance customer service and business management – from building repairs and document management to customer relationship management and payment collection. As a PropTech category pioneer, MRI is constantly looking for ways to promote and deliver web-based capabilities and innovative technologies that enable its clients to keep pace with real estate market trends, such as today’s increasing focus on the resident experience in property management.

The acquisition enhances MRI’s ability to provide solutions across a range of asset classes and portfolios, both residential and mixed use – covering everything from back-office elements that include property management, facilities management and accounting to front-end functions such as customer engagement, self-service maintenance requests and automated payments. MRI’s ecosystem of integrated products and applications enables residential operators to select the best option for their unique business requirements and better manage every aspect of the resident life cycle.

“Joining the MRI family is a great opportunity for Castleton and our clients, providing us with the breadth and global expertise to move to the next stage in our growth and evolution,” said Dean Dickinson, Castleton Technology’s Chief Executive Officer. “MRI will build on Castleton’s capabilities and we’ll be able to leverage our combined resources to continue addressing the varying needs of the social housing sector in the regions we serve.”

The acquisition was unanimously approved by the boards of MRI and Castleton before receiving shareholder approval. Castleton will continue to serve its clients, as usual, without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software completes acquisition of Castleton Technology Plc to expand social housing offering in the UK and beyond appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are pleased to announce a collaboration between MRI Software and Viewber, providing sales agents, lettings agents and property managers with direct access to a national network of professionals that can be booked for a range of last-mile residential property services as and when they are required.

Viewber’s intuitive online platform unlocks access to thousands of vetted ‘Viewbers’ across every UK postcode, with these individuals able to provide viewings, open houses, inspections, reports, 360 tours, meet and greets, house sittings and more. Appointments can be made from 30 minutes to the whole day and are priced per engagement. In the current climate, users can also specify instructions related to social distancing restrictions.

Trevor Youens, UK Residential Solutions Director at MRI, said: “As the industry starts to come back online following the COVID-19 lockdown, agencies will undoubtedly encounter gaps in resources due to furloughs or cutbacks. Viewber can help our users address that challenge and fill their service gaps without the burden of ongoing fixed costs. Initially, we’ll be linking to the Viewber solution directly from within the MRI Sales & Lettings application. But the relationship will continue to grow in the coming months, and we’ll be working closely together on initiatives to help the market address the significant impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Ed Mead, Co-Founder at Viewber, said: “Our increasing range of services, available across every UK postcode, are already being leveraged daily by thousands of the country’s leading agency groups, property managers, auctioneers and more. We hope to be able to provide even more organisations with flexible and cost-effective solutions as they return gradually to full capacity. The combination of Viewber and MRI is a natural and obvious next step and gives MRI’s agency clients unique access to options that other software suppliers simply cannot.”

For further information on Viewber’s history and offering, visit viewber.co.uk.

The post MRI Software collaborating with Viewber to provide flexible estate agency services appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

PropTech pioneer introduces key capabilities to enhance its comprehensive MRI Living, MRI @Work and Financials suites in face of emerging challenges

Solon, Ohio – April 28, 2020 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the launch of key new and updated features for its residential, commercial and financials solutions that will better equip its clients to navigate the emerging challenges of the COVID-19 crisis. The company has introduced enhancements to its comprehensive MRI Living, MRI @Work and Financials suites that will empower owners and operators of both residential and commercial properties to adapt to changing behaviors and market conditions resulting from the pandemic.

“COVID-19, both the pandemic and the necessary response, slammed the brakes on the global economy. This rapid change created a new set of operational and living conditions to which real estate owners and operators had to adjust. We are seeing rapid adoption of new features as well as more mature features that enable socially distant business practices,” says Patrick Ghilani, CEO of MRI Software.

Brian Zrimsek, Industry Principal, MRI Software, adds: “Looking forward, we expect to see real estate organizations continue to leverage newly implemented technology tools throughout the recovery period and into the new normal. Companies that undergo digital transformation during this time will continue to rely on innovation and technology adoption in the future.”

MRI added several product enhancements to provide landlords and property managers with access to digital tools and services that address rent payment concerns, ensure effective communication with residential and commercial tenants, and help manage the impact on assets and portfolios:

Deferred payment agreements – As tenants and residents seek rent relief due to the economic fallout of the crisis, commercial and residential operators may need to account for deferred payment agreements to accommodate partial payments and delayed payments. The ability to manage and account for these, where balances due are spread over future periods, is now available to MRI Living and MRI @Work clients.

Outbound Call Routing for Automated Communications – A new Outbound Call Routing feature in MRI’s Callmax Automated Communications suite allows users to make calls to prospects and residents as if they are coming from the property’s office phone. With most agents working remotely during the crisis, this feature ensures that properties can stay connected while displaying the proper callback information. These calls are tracked and stored in Callmax so that activity is monitored and available for future reference.

Enhanced Service requests submittal features in Resident Connect – With many properties only handling emergencies and deploying maintenance staff where absolutely necessary, a new feature of MRI’s resident portal helps set expectations as to what qualifies as an emergency. The capability to gather additional information, such as insight into internal unit conditions, is now available, allowing for enhanced data capture during service request submittal.

Calculate Adjusted Depreciation in Fixed Asset Accounting – COVID-19 relief measures bring a significant US federal tax change affecting the management of physical assets. The CARES Act recently enacted in the US impacts fixed asset adjusted depreciation and designates “qualified improvement property” as 15-year Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery Systems property and assigns a 20-year life if an Alternative Depreciation System is elected or required. The amendment is retroactive to 2018. MRI Fixed Asset Accounting software provides users with the flexibility to comply with federal tax changes and easily set up the updated depreciation method with a few clicks.

Advanced Retail Insights and Accounts Receivable Insights – With operating income and cash flow being more essential than ever, two new interactive dashboards powered by MRI’s Analytix suite ensure visibility into key metrics to help organizations navigate these difficult times. The Advanced Retail dashboards provide insights into occupancy and retail metrics, allowing users to visualize exposure by tenant category, region, and asset across the entire portfolio. The Accounts Receivable dashboard provides critical trending information for paid and outstanding receivables, also by asset and geographic attributes across the portfolio. Both solutions benefit from minimal implementation needs, allowing clients to take advantage of them rapidly.

“We are seeing an increasing need for property managers and tenants to rely on digital services as the more rapid shift to a contactless society is being driven by the COVID-19 crisis,” notes Zrimsek. “At MRI, we are doing everything we can to preserve business continuity in the face of remote work scenarios and economic slowdown. Making full use of the technology at their disposal is the best option property owners and managers can take to ensure that important work still gets done, while observing social distancing requirements and other restrictions.”

Supporting Resources

• MRI Software COVID-19 Resource Center
• Blog: Calculate Fixed Asset Adjusted Depreciation to Comply with Federal Tax Changes
• Blog: New PropTech Features to Combat the Uncertainty Created by COVID-19

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
PJ Chou (+44 20 3219 5837)
Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
or Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman (+1 212-362-5837)
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software Launches New Features to Help Real Estate Companies Meet Challenges of COVID-19 Crisis appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Squared recently signed a 5-year contract with Castleton Technology which will see a complete re-fit of their existing systems to a fully hosted, integrated set of solutions.

Castleton Community was first launched in 2019 and is a direct response to smaller social housing providers struggling to find software products that fully cater to their size and budget. Community is a cloud-based housing management system, ideal for HAs under 1,000 properties. It delivers ‘out-of-the-box’ modules from three core solutions: Castleton’s Housing Management with full reporting capability, Agile for staff mobile working and Castleton EDRM. The re-design of these solutions into a ‘lighter’ set of essential modules will help drive business efficiency and workforce mobility for the Luton based housing provider.  

The organisation’s current software portfolio is made-up of several systems that have been acquired over time. Paul McCalvey, Head of New Business at Castleton commented

“We have come across this a number of times particularly amongst smaller HAs – separate systems being purchased by different department heads over time and therefore operating in silos. It is hard to walk-away from these systems because of the investment and sometimes the reluctancy for change. Talking to the team at Squared, there is a real sense of commitment from all areas of the business to use better technology solutions to drive change for the better – and this is half the battle”.

Squared need to overcome back-office inefficiency issues across the organisation so they can better serve their customers. One of the challenges has been the repetition of data entry across the organisation which has caused inconsistencies. It is a time-consuming manual process for staff to process data, which is a major distraction from service delivery. Squared therefore require instant access to the right data, to avoid having to go through two or three people within the organisation to get a query resolved.

Rob Robinson, Commercial and IT Manager at Squared, was asked to review the marketplace for a suitable integrated solution that could support their budgets as well as being scalable to support the future growth of the organisation. Rob first came across Castleton at a Digital Breakfast Briefing hosted by Grand Union.  Rob was impressed by Castleton’s complete solution – one software package with minimal external integration and manual integrations between several packages. Rob commented

“The bonus for us is that Castleton Community is a) cloud based and b) obviously written for housing associations. Castleton talk the language of housing associations which was missing from other generic solutions. We need to ensure that our IT can support the future growth of Squared and for us, the software must be cloud-based. This subsequently places less pressure on our small IT team.”    

When reviewing other software packages including low code app-based solutions, it became apparent to Rob and his team that because they were more generic, they were aimed at large organisations and therefore the investment required for small to medium housing associations were not realistic. Rob continued

“When looking at the total cost of all our existing standalone packages against Castleton’s offering, including the project delivery cost and time-savings we can expect to achieve; the investment makes a lot of sense and the costs are within the reach of organisations such as Squared.”

In addition to Castleton Community, Squared will kick off the project with a data cleanse, to ensure only up-to-date and accurate data is being migrated onto the new systems. This is being supported by Castleton’s data partners Sagacity Solutions. The housing provider has also chosen Castleton Financials to complete the overhaul of improved back-office solutions.

Enhancing digital engagement with customers is not being overlooked either, as Squared plan to use a tenant portal platform (Castleton.Digital) and SMS technology (Communications Manager) to drive instant, real-time customer communications.

The post Squared choose Castleton’s Community Housing Management solution appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Global real estate solutions provider promotes longtime finance VP to Chief Financial Officer and brings in experienced software industry leader as SVP and Managing Director for Asia Pacific

Solon, Ohio – April 23, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that it has strengthened its leadership team, promoting Roman Telerman to Chief Financial Officer from Vice President of Finance and appointing experienced software executive David Bowie as its Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific. Telerman provides invaluable organizational and financial leadership experience as the company continues its strong growth trajectory through organic development and acquisition, while Bowie brings more than 25 years’ experience in the APAC software space where MRI is expanding rapidly and now has an extensive client base.

“Roman has played an instrumental role at MRI through a period of significant growth and transformation,” said Patrick Ghilani, MRI Software’s Chief Executive Officer. “During his tenure, the company has grown topline revenue more than 6x and total employees tenfold to nearly 1,700 globally. Roman played an instrumental role in securing all of MRI’s acquisitions to date and has been the backbone around which the Finance team is currently structured. I am thrilled to congratulate him on becoming MRI Software’s Chief Financial Officer.”

With MRI since 2010, Telerman has seen the company expand its global presence from 35 countries to more than 170. Responsible for managing global financial strategy, operations and forecasting, he will continue to support MRI’s growth, scalability and financial health. He says: “I’m excited to further contribute to MRI’s growth strategy and execution as CFO. It has been a great journey so far and promises to offer new opportunities as we continue to grow into new real estate subsectors and extend our global reach.”

Based in Sydney, Bowie joins MRI from AI and analytics industry leader SAS, where he was Vice President and Managing Director for its Australia and New Zealand division, after holding leadership roles at IBM and Dimension Data. Bowie says: “I am eager to take up this new role to help steer further growth and support MRI’s expanding client base in APAC, where we have significant opportunity to bring continued innovations to the PropTech sector in the region.”

Ghilani says: “David brings critical experience in leading product innovation and ensuring top-caliber client support in APAC. He will be a huge asset to the executive team and is a proven industry leader who has spearheaded significant growth and transformation.”

Last year MRI acquired Rockend, the market-leading provider of residential property and strata management solutions in the ANZ PropTech sector, significantly expanding its offering in the region and bringing the largest residential footprint in Australia into the MRI fold. The company now has close to 6,000 clients and over 200 employees in the APAC region.

Telerman replaces Bruce Duner, MRI’s outgoing CFO, who joined in early 2019 and saw the company through a number of key acquisitions, as well as helping bring Harvest Partners onboard as an investor. Ghilani notes: “The contributions Bruce made to MRI will have a lasting impact on our future success, and we greatly appreciate his dedication and leadership. We wish him great success as he moves onto his next endeavor.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

US for MRI
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

The post MRI Software announces two key executive appointments to support global growth appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that MRI Software has become a Gold Member of the UK PropTech Association (UKPA), further driving the digital transformation of the property industry.

This builds on MRI’s long-standing commitment to furthering innovation in the sector – and on its position as a pioneer of open technology and open system architecture that enables interoperability between providers, and therefore greater flexibility for clients.

James Lavery, Marketing Director at MRI, said: “We’re proud to be part of and helping to create an environment where proptech innovation is thriving. In partnership with the UKPA, we are committed to helping real estate organisations overcome barriers and leverage the support of a professional network that represents the interests of the industry.”

The UKPA is a not-for-profit membership organisation that advances engagement with proptech and businesses in the property industry.

MRI Software provides a comprehensive suite of applications and hosted solutions for the real estate market covering capabilities for investors, owners, operators, managers, occupiers and agents.

The post MRI Software joins the UK PropTech Association as a Gold Member appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Property services company Kinleigh Folkard & Hawyards (KFH) has selected the MRI Engage portal solution to enhance its client and customer service.

The web-based Resident Portal will be deployed to offer such features as self-service online payments and maintenance requests, amenity booking and community forums for more than 13,000 residential tenants – while all of the 11,000-plus landlords currently working with KFH will be able to access the Engage Landlord Portal for 24/7 management of their portfolios. The tech will also be utilised for KFH’s expanding Build-to-Rent management service with bespoke portals created for each development.

Huw George, Business Development Manager at MRI Software, said: “We are delighted to have extended our partnership with KFH to deliver MRI Engage to both their clients and customers. Thanks to deep integrations between our portal technology and the existing MRI back-office solution in place at KFH, they will not only be able to elevate their service offering but also realise the efficiencies of an end-to-end residential management platform.”

Anna Macleod, Director at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, said: “It has been an unexpectedly challenging few months. However, exceptional client and customer experience remains at the forefront of our strategy and we are delighted to be launching the Engage platform to our landlords and tenants over the summer.”

KFH is one of London’s largest independently owned property services companies. Founded in 1977, they now have more than 60 branches across London, offering sales, lettings, property management, financial services, legal services, surveying and professional services, block and portfolio management, Build-to-Rent management, commercial sales, lettings and management and corporate relocation services.

MRI Engage is a suite of dynamic customer portals, built for the unique demands of the property industry. Whether adopted as a standalone solution, or integrated into existing IT and property systems, the innovative tools allow users to automate customer-centric processes while implementing new strategies to deliver the highest levels of engagement.

The post Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward to leverage customer portal technology from MRI Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition of social housing technology provider to extend MRI’s residential market capabilities

London – April 15th, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Castleton Technology Plc, a leading provider of specialist software and services to the social housing sector. MRI expects that, upon close, the acquisition will extend its residential market offering and accelerate the development of Castleton’s cloud-based technologies to serve the needs of social housing providers.

“The acquisition of Castleton is a significant development for our business, delivering us scale in the UK real estate market and social housing sector in particular – providing a platform to further accelerate our growth globally,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “A combined MRI and Castleton will be extremely well equipped to address the varying needs and evolving business models of the UK and Australian social housing sectors, with a comprehensive and flexible product portfolio. We are excited to work with the management team and employees of Castleton, to build upon their strong position in the social housing sector, utilising MRI’s complementary experience, capabilities, network and resources.”

Castleton’s cloud-based technology is used by social housing providers in the UK, Republic of Ireland and Australia to enhance every aspect of customer service and business management, from building repairs to document management and payment collection. MRI plans to build on Castleton’s capabilities, providing investment and access to global expertise that will accelerate growth.

“Castleton has performed well since embarking on the strategy in 2013 to build a public sector-focused software and managed service business, growing organically as well as through a series of acquisitions. The competitive landscape is changing and as such I welcome the opportunity for Castleton shareholders to realise their investment at a premium of 42.9% to yesterday’s Closing Price. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the employees of Castleton for all their hard work and support. The Castleton Directors believe that MRI Software will be an excellent partner to Castleton and its management and employees. We believe the acquisition is in the best interests of all our stakeholders and unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the resolutions relating to the acquisition,” said David Payne, Non-Executive Chairman of Castleton.

The acquisition has been unanimously approved by the boards of MRI and Castleton and is pending shareholder approval. Castleton will continue to serve its clients, as usual, without interruption.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

(UK) Platform Communications for MRI
Hugh Filman (+44 7905 044850)
or Zoe Mumba (+44 7725 832393)
mri@platformcomms.com

(US for MRI)
Rachel Antman
+1 212-362-5837
rachel@saygency.com

For full details of the offer please see the Rule 2.7 Announcement at: https://www.castletonplc.com/investors/

The post MRI Software enters agreement to acquire Castleton Technology PLC appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Block Management UK Ltd has selected MRI’s Qube Property Management software and Engage portal – both elements of the comprehensive MRI Living suite – to improve its digital offering to clients.

Operating across several UK offices, the rapidly growing block management service has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. It led them to them reviewing their current solutions and going to market for an effective software partner to support the next phase of expansion. The team will implement MRI Qube PM to deal with all property management and client accounting requirements, and the MRI Engage portal to deliver an astounding experience to leaseholders and residents, allowing for improved levels of online engagement.

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at MRI Software, said: “In these unprecedented times of forced remote working and business disruption, it is great to see Block Management UK deciding to use this time to move forward with our innovative MRI Living offering. We’re confident that our robust delivery infrastructure will enable our highly experienced Professional Services team to implement the solution remotely. MRI looks forward to getting BMUK live so their stakeholders can benefit from the improvements that the MRI Living solution will offer as soon as possible.”

David Collinson, Director at Block Management UK Ltd, said: “We’ve grown to become a national brand by looking for better ways to serve customers. We found that customers wanted an online account that had more details, more features and direct communication with our services. MRI Living allows us to offer all of these and more.”

The MRI Living suite of software provides the flexibility for residential property managers to create the digital offering that best suits their requirements. It includes flexible portal technology to connect resident communities and improve customer service, underpinned by property management and accounting tools that have enabled some of the leading names in the industry to grow from small enterprises into national brands.

The post Block Management UK Ltd to implement an MRI Living solution appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Addition of specialist social housing management software provider broadens coverage for the growing UK housing sector

London – March 31, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the acquisition of Orchard Information Systems, a specialist provider of software solutions for the UK social housing sector. The acquisition adds to MRI’s offering for the UK residential market and provides innovation and scale to extend the reach of Orchard’s solutions to better serve the growing social housing sector.

“We are excited to welcome Orchard into the MRI family,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “By uniting Orchard’s expertise in social housing with MRI’s solutions for managing residential, build-to-rent, leasehold block management and mixed-use properties, we are now extremely well equipped to address the varying needs and evolving business models of the UK residential market with a comprehensive and flexible product portfolio. Together, MRI and Orchard provide important tools for our clients to positively impact their communities and support the increased need for social housing in the UK.”

With locations in Newcastle, UK and Donegal, Ireland, Orchard is a leading provider of social housing property management solutions and services to UK housing organisations and councils. As a result of the acquisition, Orchard clients can now benefit from MRI’s additional cloud software offerings, resident portal and component accounting capabilities to help manage and grow diverse portfolios.

Pat Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of Orchard Information Systems, says: “As part of MRI Software, Orchard will gain access to additional resources, technology and expertise to further strengthen our support for UK social housing. The acquisition brings together two companies with a shared commitment to innovation and a strong alignment of culture and values, paving the way for us to better serve the changing needs of the UK social housing sector.”

Orchard will continue to serve its clients without interruption and remains committed to supporting all organisations.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou

mri@platformcomms.com

+44 20-7486-4900

Rachel Antman

rachel@saygency.com

+1 212-362-5837

The post MRI Software broadens capabilities with Orchard Information Systems acquisition appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are here to help…

To support you and any IT enquiries you may have during this unprecedented time, and to help you manage the challenges you are facing with new ways of working, we are offering all Social Housing providers additional support.

Our specialist team of IT consultants will provide you with some Free Advice and Guidance, to help you with any queries you may have around collaborative working, including:

• Using Microsoft Office 365E1 & Teams Free 6-month trial*
• Best practice and hints and tips for remote working
• Web-based communication tools, connectivity, bandwidth, and security

If you need advice or want to talk through your challenges, please contact your Account Manager, click the link below or email info@castletonplc.com.

*Microsoft terms & conditions apply

The post Castleton Consultants help Social Housing with remote working appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Enabling LDAP Channel Binding and LDAP Signing!

Castleton takes the security of your services and data very seriously. We wish to bring to your attention a potentially high severity vulnerability recently announced by Microsoft.

“LDAP channel binding and LDAP signing provide ways to increase the security for communications between LDAP clients and Active Directory domain controllers. A set of unsafe default configurations for LDAP channel binding and LDAP signing exist on Active Directory domain controllers that let LDAP clients communicate with them without enforcing LDAP channel binding and LDAP signing. This can open Active Directory domain controllers to an elevation of privilege vulnerability”.

On March 10, 2020, Microsoft addressed this vulnerability by providing options for administrators to harden the configurations for LDAP channel binding on Active Directory domain controllers.

To guarantee protection against this vulnerability, Castleton recommends that if you have any related Servers or Devices you should update them as soon as possible.
If you require any assistance or have any questions or concerns, please contact your Account Manager.

The post Important Bulletin – LDAP Hardening appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

As COVID-19 continues to have a major impact world-wide, MRI Software has business continuity plans in place to minimise disruption to our customers. We understand how business critical our systems are to your organisation and to your customers. The health and safety of our employees, customers and communities is our number one priority.

Mitigating the risk of COVID-19

We are committed to making sure that our business continues to operate effectively whilst the situation evolves. We have taken the following measures to ensure business continuity:

• Travel restrictions – We are working with our customers to offer remote based consultancy and meetings.
• Working from home – To minimise the risk of infection and therefore loss of service, employees are all enabled to work from home. Customers can continue to contact us in the same way as normal.
• Virtual meetings – We are making the best use of our technology to conduct virtual meetings internally and with our customers and suppliers.
• Extensive knowledge / expertise – Many of the MRI team are able to work in multiple roles across departments, should the need arise. All of our support desks will continue to function and MRI will endeavour to ensure all customers are fully supported in the normal way across all our systems.

We are well prepared to provide the high-quality service you expect from MRI Software.

We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and keep our customers updated. We understand that you will also have your own business continuity plans in place and our teams will follow your guidance as appropriate.

If you require any additional information, please speak to your Regional or Internal Account Manager.

Get in touch

The post COVID-19 – Business Continuity Plans appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Discover capacity needs, operational expenditure and performance requirements, before you start your journey to the Cloud.

Why Cloud-Readiness Assessments are crucial:

If you are you thinking about moving to the Cloud, but need to understand how ready your business is, MRI’s consultants will help you identify the options, risks & benefits of moving to Cloud, so you can pinpoint the direction for your cloud journey.

Recent UK public sector research reveals some of the challenges in migrating to the Cloud.

• 81% view Cloud as an enabler for broader transformation but aren’t sure how to get there
• 83% have a lack of Cloud skills & resource
• 61% struggle to recruit the right people
• 79% have no defined Cloud policy/strategy

What’s included in the Cloud-Readiness Assessment?
Our expert Cloud Consultants will complete a short engagement with key stakeholders in your organisation, focusing on the impact on Users, Applications, Data and Infrastructure. A Cloud-Readiness Report will be prepared to identify the current system, network and server topology and Cloud-Migration Road map to guide you through your Digital Transformation.

• Strategy Assessment
  Our Consultants will evaluate your overall business drivers, goals, objectives and the current state of your IT – outlining the organisational benefits once migration to the Cloud is complete.
• Capability Assessment
  A review of your in-house technology, tool-sets, and systems to determine application feasibility in the Cloud.
• Application, Infrastructure & Network Assessment
  Assessing your corporate infrastructure to provide an overview of your organisation’s hardware, applications, and network infrastructure.

Optional Strategic Consultancy services:

Our Consultants and Cloud-Architects can then help you transform your organisation’s ideas into a Cloud migration strategy; avoiding lock-in to a single Cloud and delivering you better value and innovation, without compromise.
Working with you, we can recommend which Cloud platform fits your overall Cloud adoption strategy and can, if required architect a high-level design that also reflects your security and risk requirements.
Total cost of ownership models can be produced to compare overall costs between your current IT spend and future estimated spend. Our consultants can assist in the design of an optimal Cloud strategy, prioritising workloads and applications for cloud migration.
Detailed project & deployment plans can be produced for all the features/applications/databases to migrate to the Cloud, and the steps needed to develop/migrate/implement. This can also include developing a post-production support process.

If you want to discover more about our Cloud Readiness Assessment Services, MRI Cloud Assessments and contact us today.
Email: socialhousing@mrisoftware.com
Tel: 0845 643 0642

The post MRI Cloud Readiness Assessments appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Leading affordable housing maintenance provider, Wates Living Space, has introduced a new repairs and maintenance tracking system for residents, in a move to enhance customer service and operational efficiency.

The ‘Find my Engineer’ system, developed by Localz, will enable residents to track their operative’s estimated time of arrival in real-time, and follow their approach using a live map. The technology enables residents to receive automated SMS messages notifying them when their engineer is due, plus view a real-time tracking map of the operative’s location. Residents can manage bookings via the new system, minimising missed appointments and improving communication around repairs and maintenance jobs.

‘Find my Engineer’ operates using geofencing technology, picking up the operative’s location to within a few meters but enabling Wates to strictly control the location data that is shared to protect operative and resident privacy.  Once the operative arrives the tracking map instantly disappears.

The service is currently being piloted across a number of homes in Birmingham, through Wates Living Space’s major repairs and maintenance contract with Birmingham City Council.

David Morgan, Managing Director of Wates Property Services, commented: “The introduction of the ‘Find my Engineer’ service has been designed to improve the customer journey for residents and overall customer satisfaction.

“We are very proud to be one of the first service providers within the repairs and maintenance industry to have implemented the new technology. It was vital that the introduction of the new service was a seamless integration both for residents and internally. We look forward to developing this service further and implementing across more of our contracts.”

The new technology has been integrated through Wates’ current repairs and maintenance software, Castleton Maintain.

Dean Dickinson, CEO, Castleton Technology, commented: “From a working partnership of over 5 years, we know first-hand that Wates Living Space strives for high standards of customer service. We are immensely proud that the Castleton Maintain platform has been a key technology enabler to support their ambitions to deliver service excellence.

“Find my Engineer continues to elevate services for social housing provider’s and their tenants by reducing no access visits. We look forward to the roll-out and we will continue to support Wates with the development of the solution, focused on the needs of tenants.”     

Wates Living Space currently delivers repairs and maintenance for approximately 13,000 properties in west central Birmingham, including Perry Barr and Ladywood districts, and 18,000 properties in east Birmingham, including Hodge Hill, Yardley and Hall Green districts.

The post Wates Living Space Introduces Innovative New Engineer Tracking Service appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Event demonstrates the value of PropTech solutions MRI Living and MRI @Work for the EMEA market and honours clients with the MRI Innovation Awards

London, February 19, 2020 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced the European launch of MRI Living and MRI @Work at Ascend London, the organisation’s largest-ever event in the region, held on February 12-13. The comprehensive residential and commercial property management solutions expand on MRI’s existing technologies for the European market, offering clients additional flexibility to meet the shifting demands of the property industry with an innovative PropTech platform.

The MRI Living suite of residential solutions includes flexible portal technology to connect resident communities and improve customer service, while streamlining operations for landlords and property managers. MRI @Work provides an integrated suite of commercial solutions including Lease Intelligence, MRI’s lease abstraction and analysis solution powered by artificial intelligence, enabling clients to save time, improve data quality and gain portfolio insights.

MRI Living and MRI @Work were officially unveiled to over 550 Ascend London attendees – including delegates, technology partners and industry professionals – gathered at etc.venues 133 Houndsditch for two days of keynotes, presentations, seminars, workshops, networking events and exhibits from MRI and its technology partners.

“Ascend provides an opportunity for us to share insights and collaborate with clients and partners to continue shaping the future of PropTech in the UK and the broader European market,” says Dermot Briody, MRI’s Executive Managing Director, Europe. “MRI Living and MRI @Work offer property owners, occupiers and managers a broad set of integrated solutions that help them optimise the efficiency of their entire property portfolios so they can enhance customer service and better navigate the evolving market.”

MRI also revealed that its asset management solution, Investment Central, will be launched in Europe at MIPIM 2020 March 10-13 in Cannes, France, where visitors to its stand (R7.C13) can view a live demonstration or book a private meeting. Investment Central enables developers, syndicators and investors to manage real estate investments and create more informed portfolio strategies – allowing users to consolidate disparate investment data and documents to support comprehensive risk management and efficient reporting to stakeholders.

The European winners of the MRI Innovation Awards were also announced at Ascend London. These awards recognised six clients and one partner for their achievements and success in leveraging the company’s open and connected software solutions. The MRI Innovation awards are presented at MRI users conferences around the world to honour the innovation of its clients globally.

2020 MRI Innovation Award recipients in Europe:

• Flexibility: Recognising clients who best utilise MRI tools and the Partner Connect ecosystem to create a single experience of software excellence for their business – Winners: Knight Frank; and Legal & General Investment Management
• Ambassador of the Year: Recognising individuals who embrace their membership in the MRI community by providing guidance, support, and/or ideas to their colleagues and the industry as a whole – Winners: Cecilia Crump, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust; and Nathan Spitzer, Alliance Managing Agents
• Community: Recognising clients who help the wider user community by working alongside MRI on new developments and service offerings – Winner: Grosvenor Estate
• Project of the Year: Recognising a major project with a significant impact on the client’s operations and strategy, as well as the range of functionality and services being delivered by the MRI Professional Services team – Winner: The Arch Co & Network Rail
• Partner of the Year: Recognising partners who use their partnership with MRI Software to go above and beyond in reaching new audiences, creating new integration points, and generating more demand from clients – Winner: Fixflo

Ascend London follows a highly successful North American MRI Ascend users conference in Anaheim, California in October, which saw a range of new solution launches. MRI Ascend APAC will take place in Sydney, Australia on 13-14 May and MRI Ascend Africa will follow in Johannesburg, South Africa on 10 June.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

The post MRI Software Exhibits Residential and Commercial Solution Suites at Ascend Users Conference in London appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Rent Arrears Management is now a necessity for any Social Housing Provider. The number of people on Universal Credit has now reached 2.3 million* – with tenants now expected to manage their own rent payments to their housing providers. The key concerns for Social Housing Providers is managing the increased rate of arrears which has been brought on by the roll out of Universal Credit.

Our 2 minute video takes you through some of the key solutions that can help proactively handle arrears

Don’t miss: forthcoming Solutions webinars on Rent Arrears Management 

The post Rent Arrears Management appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Castleton takes the security of your services and data very seriously. We wish to bring to your attention a potentially high severity vulnerability and security update which has recently been disclosed and a patch released by Microsoft. This vulnerability can potentially affect Windows 2016 and 2019 Servers as well as Windows 10 devices.

To guarantee protection against this vulnerability, Castleton recommends that if you have any related Servers or Devices you should update them as soon as possible.

• More information can be found here.
• An example news article covering the severity of the vulnerability can be found here.
• The NSA report on the vulnerability can be found here.

The security update has been issued by Microsoft within the January Security updates release.

If you require any assistance in doing so or have any questions or concerns, please contact your Castleton Account Manager or email us.

The post Windows 10 Security Vulnerability Update! appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Harvest Partners joins GI Partners and TA Associates in backing MRI’s mission to help real estate companies improve operations and maximize portfolio value through an open PropTech ecosystem

Solon, Ohio – January 15, 2020 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that funds managed by Harvest Partners, LP, a leading private equity firm, are making a substantial strategic investment in the company. Harvest Partners joins existing investors TA Associates and GI Partners as institutional shareholders in MRI. At the same time, TA Associates is also making a significant new investment in the business. These investments will enable MRI to bolster innovation across its end-to-end offering, accelerate growth, extend its global footprint and deliver on its mission to create an open technology environment for the real estate industry.

Patrick Ghilani, MRI’s Chief Executive Officer, comments: “Harvest is an experienced investor with a long-term perspective that will help MRI continue to meet the growing and evolving needs of our clients, innovate our software portfolio and provide world-class global service. We believe the added capital will further the development of our comprehensive software portfolio and allow for strategic add-on acquisitions to meet the needs of a rapidly changing market. Our management team is invigorated to continue our mission in this new decade with the support of these three experienced investors.”

Today, MRI has more than 8,500 enterprise clients, representing over two million users, who rely on the company’s applications to run their daily real estate operations. MRI has experienced unprecedented growth over the last three years, both organically and through strategic acquisitions, resulting in a more than tripling of the size of the business. Over the same timeframe, the number of MRI employees has more than doubled to 1,450.

MRI has significantly expanded its global footprint with major strategic acquisitions in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. The company has also made key acquisitions that strengthen its product offering and capacity for future innovation, including Leverton, a pioneer in artificial intelligence for the real estate sector, and ProLease, which enhanced capabilities aimed at helping corporate occupiers manage lease administration and analysis while meeting new global accounting standards. MRI now serves clients in more than 170 countries from 30 locations around the world, including Cleveland, Atlanta, Boston, Toronto, London, Cape Town, Singapore, and Sydney.

Hythem T. El-Nazer, Managing Director of TA Associates, says: “Since making our investment in MRI in June 2017, the business has accelerated its growth via continued innovation in new applications and through strategic acquisitions that have extended its global footprint. We are excited about making a further investment in MRI alongside Harvest and are thrilled to continue to back Patrick Ghilani and his leadership team.”

Travis Pearson, Managing Director of GI Partners, adds: “Since GI Partners first invested in MRI in June 2015, the company has demonstrated the ability to capitalize on new investment and deliver innovation, accelerated organic growth and a compelling global competitive position. We appreciate the outstanding leadership that Patrick and the rest of the MRI executive team have delivered and look forward to the company’s next stage of growth.”

Andrew Schoenthal, Partner at Harvest Partners, notes: “We could not be more excited to support MRI on the next phase of their journey. We have watched MRI’s success over the years and are pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of it. We look forward to partnering with management, TA Associates and GI Partners to continue to build the leading provider of real estate software solutions globally.”

TA Associates, GI Partners and Harvest Partners will have equal representation on the MRI Board of Directors. UBS is acting as the exclusive financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis and Goodwin Procter are acting as legal advisors to MRI Software, GI Partners and TA Associates during the transaction. White & Case is acting as legal advisor to Harvest Partners.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About Harvest Partners
Founded in 1981, Harvest Partners is a leading New York-based private equity investment firm that focuses on investments in middle-market companies in the business services & consumer, healthcare, industrial services and manufacturing & distribution sectors. This strategy leverages Harvest Partners’ 35+ years of experience in financing organic and acquisition-oriented growth companies. For more information, please visit harvestpartners.com.

About GI Partners
Founded in 2001, GI Partners is a private investment firm based in San Francisco, California. The firm has raised $20 billion in capital from leading institutional investors around the world to invest in private equity, real estate, and data infrastructure strategies. The private equity team invests primarily in companies in the Healthcare, IT Infrastructure, Services, and Software sectors. The real estate team invests across a broad range of platforms and strategies. The data infrastructure team invests primarily in hard asset infrastructure businesses underpinning the digital economy. For more information on GI Partners and its entire portfolio, please visit www.gipartners.com.

About TA Associates
TA Associates is a leading global growth private equity firm. Focused on targeted sectors within five industries – technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and business services – TA invests in profitable, growing companies with opportunities for sustained growth, and has invested in more than 500 companies around the world. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its strategic resources to help management teams build lasting value in high quality growth companies. TA has raised $33.5 billion in capital since its founding in 1968 and is committing to new investments at the pace of over $2 billion per year. The firm’s more than 85 investment professionals are based in Boston, Menlo Park, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA Associates can be found at www.ta.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

The post MRI Software Receives Investment to Accelerate Innovation And Global Growth appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Vision Express, a leading UK optical retailer, has chosen MRI Horizon as its long-term solution for a central database to support property and lease management.

Horizon will enable Vision Express to proactively manage its lease events and utilise dashboards for in-depth insight into its occupied portfolio, as well as acting as the master payment management solution, integrating with the internal ecosystem.

Tom Price, Business Development Manager at MRI Software, said: “We’re delighted Vision Express has formed a long-term partnership with MRI, recognising the benefit and importance of having an end-to-end property and lease management data solution to best manage its UK portfolio. We are excited to have Vision Express join the extensive retail customer base and look forward to working with the team to bring increased efficiency to its operations.”

Mike Flint, JV & Property Director at Vision Express, said: “We needed a more efficient, fully integrated data solution enabling us to increase our efficiency in managing our property portfolio.”

MRI Horizon is a specialist CRE system, purpose-built for occupiers of both leased and freehold property portfolios. It is used by leading companies both in the UK and globally – delivering functionality for property management, lease management, lease accounting, facilities management and more. It’s particularly renowned for its capabilities in managing requirements under the new IFRS 16 standards. Read more here.

The post Vision Express selects MRI Software for property management appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI’s in-house, experienced consultancy team can offer in-depth infrastructure audits for your organisation. Working in partnership with your internal I.T. staff, our Technical Services audit can be used to help inform investment and technology path decisions. By basing recommendations firmly on tangible data, we can help mitigate the risks of wastage and solutions becoming unfit-for-purpose in the longer term.  We can also provide the benefit of the wider viewpoint and experience.

Our Assessment objectives:

• Conduct a non-invasive server and local network review (including environment topology, network switch configuration, physical cabling, local area and wide area networks, firewalls and general security).
• Perform monitoring of current infrastructure loading (including server capacity, Storage Area Network capacity/performance, virtual/physical environment load and network bandwidth)
• Detailed server and storage analysis (including configuration, average and peak metrics of server CPU, Memory, Disk, NUMA core allocation, along with I/O performance analysis of the disparate storage)
• Perform a detailed network discovery (including the use of software tools and physical tracing to create an accurate and authoritative network diagram)
• Review the Virtual Infrastructure (including topology, storage provisioning, virtual network configuration, hypervisor security, versioning, feature use, resource policies and resilience)
• Perform a review of the Active Directory (including topology, resilience, role placement, Federation/authentication and Group Policies)
• A review of the Citrix Server estate (including capacity, utilisation, configuration, software consistency across servers, Citrix policies and security)
• Perform a review of Exchange email subsystems (including configuration, but with an emphasis on capacity, growth, and security)
• Review the current WAN (including capacities, scalability, and type of Internet and inter-site data connections/routing)
• Review current backup provision (checking that there are no changes required from the original specifications)

Key deliverables from your assessment:

• Provide a view of the current server, storage, Virtual Server Environment, LAN / WAN networking, Perimeter Security and associated infrastructure.  (Including diagrams, role identification and configuration details as appropriate.)
• Comment and advise on any short-term recommendations for the existing environment to increase performance and/or resilience.
• Provide an analysis of the current infrastructure load/resource utilisation.
• Identify/advise on current bottlenecks and causes of performance/stability issues.
• Identify highly critical/significant/potential improvement issues using an easy to understand RAG system
• Inform on technology/feature options that may be appropriate and report how existing investments in software could be better

For more information on our Technical Assessment services or to arrange a quote, please contact your MRI Account Manager or click here

The post Technical Audit Services appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

‘MySBHA’ is fully-integrated to Housing CRM, Housing and Mobile solutions: working towards better customer service for tenants

Scottish Borders Housing Association has recently gone live with its new Mobile customer App, ‘MySBHA’, which enables people to carry out transactions through their mobile devices.

The launch was celebrated recently at a special ‘lunch and learn’ event at SBHA’s Head Office in Selkirk, with a group of Tenants who have been trialing the App. Supported by Castleton, MySBHA empowers Tenants to carry out simple transactions themselves such as raising repairs, paying their rent and changing their account or personal details.

SBHA Chief Executive Julia Mulloy commented: “We are very grateful to our Tenant testers for their feedback. While some members of the group are quite digitally savvy, others are less confident  – but all have been very keen to try the new solution. The response at the lunch event was encouraging, with a good range of queries that Castleton was able to answer. We are delighted to be making the App available now to all of our Tenants.”

Dean Dickinson CEO at Castleton commented “As long-standing IT partners with Scottish Borders Housing Association, it’s great to see first-hand the Tenants’ reaction to the App. Integration is key to what Castleton does and deliver and we are pleased to see SBHA go live with a fully integrated set of back-office and mobilisation solutions. Our Housing CRM and Housing Mobile (customer and staff app) solutions are now fully integrated into SBHA’s existing Northgate Housing system. Castleton’s ability to seamlessly integrate not only to our own but to third party systems offers great flexibility to the sector, showing you can advance your business transformation goals by building on and enhancing existing systems”.

With SBHA customers now gaining instantly accessible, 24/7 self-service, the Association sees this is as a huge step towards their own business transformation goals.  Julia Mulloy commented: “The launch of MySBHA is part of our commitment to ensuring that we continue to offer accessible services for all. Empowering our Tenants to carry out simple transactions through self-service will free up time for our teams, allowing us to spend more time helping people who have more complex queries or needs.”

She went on: “Along with our CRM system which enables us to track the customer journey and diagnose issues more accurately, and our Agile working solutions which maximise efficiency by allowing our Teams to tap into our systems while out and about with our Tenants in the areas we serve, we are modernising the way we work and transforming how it feels to interact with SBHA.”

Captioned: Left to right: Julia Mulloy – Chief Executive at SBHA, Dean Dickinson – Chief Executive at Castleton, Maria Lyle – Director of Business Support at SBHA and Mark Wood – Sales & Marketing Director at Castleton

For more information about Castleton mobile solutions please click here: Housing Mobile or Housing CRM.

The post Scottish Borders Housing Association Customer App goes live appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Ensinger Group, a world leader in the field of engineering plastics, has chosen MRI Software’s (MRI) software to ensure that auditors are satisfied with the quality of fixed asset information at year-end. The company has recognised the need for greater control over processes throughout the group and selected MRI to assist with the task.

Ensinger specialises in the manufacturing of stock shapes and profiles as well as in the fabrication of plastic materials. Its customers include major manufacturing corporations in such industries as aerospace, electronics, oil, food and renewable energy. The group was founded by Wilfried Ensinger in 1966 and established its first UK branch in December 1987 when it opened in Llantrisant, South Wales. It currently employs over 2000 people in more than 20 locations worldwide.

We wanted software that could handle the basics of fixed asset management within a complex arrangement of group companies and divisions

The group decided to replace its spreadsheet-based system with MRI’s specialist fixed asset software to benefit from the increased visibility of information and the enhanced audit trail on offer through the deployment of a dedicated asset register. James Cole, finance manager at Ensinger comments, “The Excel system that we were using previously worked adequately but was open to the manual altering of figures. We needed more control and to remove any risk of data manipulation. The software will provide us with a complete transaction history for all records which will make it easy for us to ensure that reported information is accurate.

“The new system’s reporting suite is extremely comprehensive and easy to use”, continued Cole. “One of the key objectives we established was to improve the efficiency of our asset management team at month-end and having all pertinent information readily extractable will prove crucial in achieving that goal. The software will also allow us to produce more accurate depreciation figures with the advanced calculation capabilities.

“We wanted software that could handle the basics of fixed asset management within a complex arrangement of group companies and divisions”, declared Cole. “MRI’s system covered all the requirements we originally outlined as well as offering plenty of additional functionality. We evaluated various products and company offerings on the market and found that not only was MRI competitive price-wise, it was also the most professional to work with – a testament to its dedication to top quality customer service.

“Our working relationship with MRI has been excellent,” Cole concluded. “We have found communication to be quick and efficient and feel that the team there has demonstrated a flexible approach to each specific request we have made. Having a free, no obligation demonstration on-site was greatly appreciated, answered all our questions and made it an incredibly easy decision to proceed”.

The post Ensinger Praises MRI for its Fixed Asset Management Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

The CT Group, Harbor Group Management, Urban Edge Properties and insightsoftware are presented with awards at MRI’s Ascend users conference in Anaheim

Solon, Ohio – October 18, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced the recipients of the second annual MRI Innovation Awards at its Ascend users conference, which was held in Anaheim on October 13-16. The awards, which were presented in the general session on the second day of Ascend, address four categories: Community, Flexibility, Ambassador of the Year and Partner of the Year. They honor MRI clients and partners that have leveraged the company’s open and connected software and extensive partner network to elevate their business and gain a competitive advantage.

“This is the second year in which we are honoring our community of clients and partners – who are at the core of everything we do – for their outstanding work and dedication to leveraging innovation to provide value to their customers,” said MRI Software Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ghilani, who presented the awards along with Chuck McDowell, Senior Vice President of Commercial and Financial Solutions. “This year’s award winners have been champions of the open and connected approach to software, dedicated to pushing industry boundaries and getting the most out of technology to gain insight, efficiency and a competitive edge.”

2019 MRI Innovation Award recipients:

Community: The CT Group
The CT Group, which provides asset and property management services for owners of affordable/moderate income rental housing, has been instrumental in providing ideas and feedback to MRI that support the development of advanced Affordable Housing solutions. In working with MRI, the CT Group has participated in beta testing and helped shape MRI training procedures to better meet the needs of the industry.

Flexibility: Harbor Group Management
Harbor Group Management Co., LLC (Harbor Group Management), a leading property management company in the multifamily and commercial sector, has made innovative use of MRI’s flexibility and openness to create a unique software ecosystem for its business. Harbor Group Management has successfully streamlined workflow across the business through real-time integrations between MRI and multiple partner and non-partner solutions. The team also provides valuable user feedback on ways MRI can evolve and enhance its products, helping contribute to future innovations for real estate technology.

Ambassador of the Year: Cecilia Li, Urban Edge Properties
Cecilia Li is Senior Vice President of Information Technology at Urban Edge Properties, a real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, owns, manages and improves shopping centers in and on the edge of urban communities. She has helped her company implement and harness a unique retail technology infrastructure, allowing it to make huge strides towards fulfilling the company goal of complete efficiency. A leading industry influencer, Li shares MRI’s commitment to a flexible and open ecosystem, seeing it as integral to her approach to technology.

Partner of the Year: insightsoftware
insightsoftware, a global leader in enterprise resource planning (ERP) and enterprise performance management (EPM) reporting solutions, was recognized as an outstanding member of MRI’s Partner Connect program. The partnership has resulted in commercial success through close collaboration and shared commitment to providing flexibility and choice for mutual clients. The integration between insightsoftware’s Spreadsheet Server and MRI allows users of the two technologies to easily view real-time data and improve reporting efficiency. The company has demonstrated strong dedication to working with MRI to develop deep integrations that help clients gain insights and transparency.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as MRI’s 2019 Partner of the year,” said Tonya Cannady, Senior VP of Partnerships for insightsoftware. “Continued collaboration with MRI enables insightsoftware to deliver increased value and drive successful business outcomes for MRI’s customers.”

The MRI Innovation Awards and MRI Ascend took place in the Anaheim Convention Center. Ascend has brought together 1,300 MRI staff and users – including representatives of more than 60 technology partners – for four days of keynotes, presentations, networking events, seminars, workshops and exhibits on MRI and its real estate ecosystem. The US conference will be followed by sister events in the UK, Australia and South Africa in 2020.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

The post MRI Software Honors Leading-Edge Real Estate Technology Players with 2019 MRI Innovation Awards appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

As part of its ambitious strategy, Navana offers a unique property management solution which enables it to manage and activate complex mixed-use estates more efficiently and effectively.  The organisation has selected MRI Qube PM to achieve this aim, and is currently finalising integration with MRI’s open and connected ecosystem to deliver innovative new app-based platforms, providing an unrivalled level of transparency and service.

Claire Savill, Associate Director at Navana, said: “We are unburdened by legacy systems and were seeking a turn-key property management solution that could grow with us. MRI Qube PM is, by some margin, the most agile and configurable operational platform that we reviewed in the property management space. We’re also excited about how the software will integrate with the new app-based platforms we are developing to help us better serve our clients and customers”.

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at MRI, said: “I am delighted that the dynamic team at Navana has chosen to implement MRI Qube PM. We look forward to working with them on this project and helping them to deliver a new and innovative property management ecosystem.”

MRI Qube PM is the most widely used property management solution in the UK and Ireland, utilised by more than 500 clients across the residential, commercial and retail sectors.

Navana offers a diversified suite of property and asset management, development, placemaking and consultancy services, and will work with its client partners across sectors including residential, commercial, leisure and mixed-use.

The post Navana Property Group Selects MRI Software Platform for Property Management Division appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Announces innovations that further optimize the user experience for both clients and their customers and enhance integrations, workflow and access to MRI and third-party apps

Anaheim, California – October 14, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced a range of key new solutions during the opening general session of MRI Ascend, its North American users conference, held in Anaheim on October 13th through 16th. The announcement underlines MRI’s continuing commitment to both innovation and an open and connected approach to real estate software. The announced products bring new payment, lead management, lease intelligence and secure signature capabilities to MRI’s comprehensive portfolio, while offering a more modern, consumer-oriented user experience (UX) for both clients and their customers – along with greater choice and flexibility than ever.

The new solutions were unveiled live during the general session of the Ascend users conference at the Anaheim Convention Centre, where some 1,300 attendees – including representatives of more than 60 technology partners – have converged for four days of keynotes, presentations, seminars, workshops, networking events and exhibits from MRI and its real estate ecosystem. The North American conference, which will be followed by sister events in the UK, Australia and South Africa in 2020, comes as MRI continues to enjoy rapid growth, with revenues rising by 27% in the first half of 2019 compared to the same period last year and bookings (sales for future business) up by 37% year over year.

“Ascend creates a unique atmosphere where we can listen, learn and collaborate with clients and partners and define what it means to succeed in the ever-changing real estate technology landscape,” says Patrick Ghilani, MRI’s Chief Executive Officer, who addressed the event’s general session. “The record number of innovations we’re launching at Ascend is indicative of the growing global momentum of proptech as well as the increased adoption of and demand for flexibility and choice in real estate tech.”

The announced solutions promise to further empower MRI clients to create a software ecosystem that suits their needs and preferences, while providing a range of benefits that boost efficiency, streamline processes and equip real estate players to meet future changes in the industry.

MRI Application Gateway is the new consumer-friendly, app-based homepage for all MRI and third-party solutions to which a user has access, providing:

• icons on the homepage that give the MRI user interface the familiar look and feel of a smartphone or tablet;
• a launch screen that can be tailored to make any and all applications available to users via a click, creating a singular user experience;
• a unified point of entry for all MRI-related applications through secure, single sign-on access
• the ability to add new applications from MRI’s own portfolio or its vast partner network.

MRI Payments is a comprehensive payment-processing solution that supports online and check payments for residential properties, offering:

• a robust digital payments platform that simplifies the experience for site managers, prospects and residents;
• complete visibility into all transactions with a dashboard that tracks payment trends as well as alerts and notifications;
• the ability for all transactions to be processed via a fully integrated solution, making it easier to ensure on-time payments, reduce workload and errors, and simplify the approval and onboarding process;
• support for more traditional check and money order payments as well as cash-based payments;
• a new option in an array of easy-to-integrate payment systems available in the MRI ecosystem.

MRI Lead Management integrates and extends the capabilities of Dynamic Lead Solutions, which was acquired by MRI in June, and brings leading-edge technology for tracking and engaging potential residents into the MRI Living suite of residential solutions in order to:

• give owners and operators a comprehensive set of tools to manage prospects from lead to lease;
• inform strategic decisions in marketing, leasing, staffing and operations;
• offer a road-tested solution that supports a customer-centric approach, helping improve the renter experience and maximize occupancy.

MRI Lease Intelligence brings AI-powered lease abstraction into the MRI @ Work suite of commercial solutions through the integration of Leverton and MRI. Acquired by MRI in July, Leverton enables commercial property owners, operators and occupiers to:

• efficiently extract lease data and analyze it to gain insights;
• ensure data accuracy by directly integrating MRI Lease Intelligence with MRI property management solutions;
• increase transparency and auditability of extracted lease data.

MRI Secure Sign leverages the capabilities of CTM Software, acquired by MRI in February, and enables clients to create and send their real estate documents for signature easily and efficiently with purpose-built integrations from within the MRI platform, providing:

• the ability to generate a document workflow and a dynamic document template, enabling documents to be sent to multiple recipients in a specific order from a single send;
• an integrated user experience for initial document flow and signing and for managing these so that contractual agreements are stored effectively within the system for future reference.

Ghilani concludes: “As the real estate industry continues to evolve, our innovative suite of open and connected solutions will give MRI clients the flexibility to stay ahead of the curve. Bringing together MRI, partner and other third-party solutions into a single user experience enables clients to directly access the exact mix of applications they want, making it easier than ever to create the unique ecosystem that works best for their business.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

The post MRI Software Unveils New Solutions at Ascend Users Conference That Extend Capabilities and Offer More Choice Than Ever appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Download our latest newsletter here:

Keeping Up with Castleton May 2020

Previous issues:

Keeping up with Castleton Jan 2020

Keeping Up with Castleton Oct 2019

The post Latest newsletter now available to download appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Caledonia Housing Association (CHA) has moved from a spreadsheet-based component accounting process to MRI Software’s (MRI) specialist software. It made the decision in order to facilitate the growth of the association’s asset base and improve the quality of component information available to authorised users. CHA will also benefit from the system’s detailed depreciation calculating capabilities.

CHA is one of the leading suppliers of high quality and affordable homes in Scotland. It owns and manages around 4,000 properties across Tayside, Fife and the Highlands. It has two subsidiaries in Cordale Housing Association and Bellsmyre Housing Association that manage and maintain 1100 rented properties and 600 factored houses in West Dunbartonshire. It is a Registered Social Landlord and Scottish Charity and supplies a range of housing and related services.

CHA required a system where it can hold all of its property details, including component information and life spans, in one database. MRI’s product will provide this service.

The Association had found that managing its ever-growing asset base using spreadsheets had become difficult. Angela Murphy, Finance Manager at CHA comments, “As the organisation has grown significantly, it was time to move to specialist software to improve component accounting processes. The team is looking forward to making time efficiencies by having easy access to the details collated in the system.

“CHA required a system where it can hold all of its property details, including component information and life spans, in one database. MRI’s product will provide this service,” Murphy continues. “We will benefit from the depreciation forecasting functionality within the software, having accurate calculations for each component to ensure that all reported data is accurate and automating what would normally be quite an arduous manual task when using Excel spreadsheets.”

CHA selected the software after evaluating a number of available products. MRI supplies solutions to over 180 housing associations and enables organisations to comply with all financial regulations, including FRS 102, IFRS 16 and the latest SORP requirements. “After looking at the options on the market, MRI’s software best suited our needs.”

The post Caledonia Housing Association improves Component Accounting appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Rural Housing Association (RHA) has implemented MRI Software’s (MRI) proven component accounting solution to improve fixed asset management processes at the association. It has moved from the spreadsheet based system it had in place and will benefit from the software’s in-built suite of reports, bespoke report creation capabilities, refined depreciation calculation functionality and the automated posting of journal entries into RHA’s finance system.

RHA was established in 1992 with the objective of providing affordable accommodation for people in rural areas, aiming to help maintain and regenerate those neighbourhoods. The association works closely with its local communities to assess needs and deliver appropriate housing solutions.

We are looking forward to saving a lot of time, particularly when preparing monthly management accounts. Being able to immediately run in-depth depreciation reports is going to prove immensely beneficial.

Before selecting MRI’s software, the association was maintaining its asset base manually using Microsoft Excel. Elaine McGonigle, Finance Manager at Rural Housing Association comments, “Previously, all components were recorded and depreciated using spreadsheets. As we continued to grow, it became increasingly difficult to maintain the amount of detail that we needed. Producing reports on the properties was also a challenging task and moving to a specialist system will make this easier.”

The association will also benefit from MRI’s extensive experience within the housing sector, especially when it comes to fully complying with financial regulations. McGonigle states, “When we were investigating the options, MRI’s offering came highly recommended. Its software encompasses all component accounting rules, including FRS 102 and SORP 2014. The integration with our financial system is also a huge benefit and being able to automatically post journal entries to our accounts software will save us a significant amount of time.

“When it came to calculating depreciation using spreadsheets, it was a very manual process that was subject to human error,” McGonigle continues. “MRI’s software will eradicate the risk of such issues whilst also providing us with a user-friendly reporting mechanism. This is something that the previous system lacked. We are looking forward to saving a lot of time, particularly when preparing monthly management accounts. Being able to immediately run in-depth depreciation reports is going to prove immensely beneficial. It will ensure that the finance team no longer has to compile the required information manually and can focus on other crucial tasks.

“MRI has been incredibly supportive at every step of the implementation process,” McGonigle concludes. “Our account manager was helpful throughout and the initial webinar was a great way of having the product demonstrated to us. Speaking with other associations that had used the software and achieved great results gave us confidence that moving forward with MRI was the right decision.”

The post Rural Housing Selects MRI’s Component Accounting Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that Castleton has been chosen as the National Housing Federation’s preferred supplier for Housing Management Solutions. We will be working closely alongside the Federation in a long term partnership; that has developed in response to their member’s operational challenges and demands.

The National Housing Federation discovered that members were struggling to find fit-for-purpose, integrated, housing management technology solutions to help combat the operational challenges they were facing such as budget restraints, secure mobile working and Universal Credit.

The Federation decided to appoint a preferred Housing Management Solution supplier to help meet their members’ demands.

Their research highlighted that Smaller Housing Associations in particular were unable to find an affordable Housing Management Solution that met all their requirements, this is where the Federation felt that Castleton’s offering was particularly strong, as our Castleton Community solution has been specifically developed for Housing Associations’ with less than 1000 properties but with the scalability to meet future growth.

We are pleased to have received this recognition from the National Housing Federation, which is testament to Castleton’s dedication and sound understanding of the sector, our collaborative approach to working with customers and our staff expertise.

Carolyn Brown, Chief Technology Officer, National Housing Federation

“The National Housing Federation’s three-year Preferred Supplier partnership with Castleton was developed in response to our housing association members telling us they are struggling with the lack of integrated, fit-for-purpose housing management systems in the market place.

Housing associations are clearly looking for housing management systems that are customer-centric, intuitive and can help them to future-proof their housing offer. We are confident our partnership with Castleton will help housing associations to address these challenges.” 

Jimmy Rogers, Sales & Marketing Director, Castleton

“Castleton are delighted to be selected by the National Housing Federation as their preferred supplier for Housing. We see this partnership as a great opportunity to work closely with the Federation to understand the changing requirements of their members so that we can align our solutions more closely.

Castleton have always worked closely with their customers to enhance their existing products and also build new modules or solutions. The partnership with the National Housing Federation will be a natural extension to this.”

We look forward to working alongside the Federation; meeting with members to better understand their requirements and sharing our knowledge and experience with members across several platforms, including upcoming Federation events.

This partnership gives Federation members an exclusive 10% saving if they buy any of Castleton’s housing management and related cloud management solutions.

Find out more about how Castleton are working with housing associations to resolve housing management challenges.

The post Castleton chosen as National Housing Federation’s preferred supplier for Housing Management Solutions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition extends MRI footprint in ANZ while adding new solutions for the rental and multi-owner, multifamily property management space

Solon, Ohio – August 1, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that it has acquired Rockend, the market-leading provider of residential property and strata management solutions for the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) PropTech sector. The acquisition significantly expands MRI’s offering in the ANZ market and brings the largest residential footprint in Australia into the MRI fold, bolstering the company’s established presence as a real estate technology trailblazer.

Rockend is the leading real estate technology provider in the ANZ residential property management rental and strata sector with close to 6,000 clients. The company’s solutions are used by real estate agencies in ANZ to manage more than 1.5 million rental properties and by strata businesses to manage 750,000 strata lots in the region. Strata lots are multi-owner, multifamily residential communities that use Rockend technology for the management and upkeep of each property complex, including strictly regulated funds earmarked for ongoing maintenance, insurance and other common costs.

“Acquiring Rockend represents a milestone in our global growth strategy, and it substantially extends MRI’s footprint in ANZ while paving the way for enhanced innovation and future expansion,” says Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “The acquisition fits perfectly within our area of expertise and gives MRI clients in the region access to even more local resources across our comprehensive range of solutions. Rockend clients will likewise benefit from being part of a global provider with a broader set of offerings.”

MRI became the first major real estate software provider to serve ANZ when it entered the market in 1995, and today its commercial, residential and real estate investment software is used to manage more than 90,000 commercial lease units and over 62 million square meters of property.

“Acquiring Rockend greatly extends our capabilities in the multi-owner, multi-family and residential property management space, enhancing and extending the MRI residential solutions suite,” notes John Ensign, President and head of international operations at MRI Software. “What’s more, going forward Rockend’s expertise and technology in the strata and community management marketplace can be applied to other geographies with similar needs – such as managing condominiums.”

Headquartered in Sydney, Rockend is a proven innovator in residential property management software, launching ANZ’s first online solution for this marketplace, Property Tree, a cloud-based property management application, covering operations, communications and accounting – allowing anywhere, anytime access with intuitive functionality. Other Rockend solutions include Rest Professional, its server-based property management application, and Strata Master, its software for owner associations to manage accounts, maintenance and board/owner meetings – automating everyday tasks, simplifying compliance and improving customer service.

Alister Maple-Brown, Rockend’s Chief Executive Officer, says: “Demand for property and strata management solutions has surged as housing construction has boomed in Australia and New Zealand, particularly in the major cities. Joining an established global player with the scalability to meet that demand, take our technology to new markets and provide access to a broad range of related PropTech innovations to our local customers will help strongly position Rockend for continued growth. Additionally, MRI’s commitment to innovation and the industry is very much in line with the Rockend values.”

By bolstering MRI’s market presence in ANZ, increasing staff as well as expanding its offering, the acquisition of Rockend will enable the combined companies to serve clients in the region even more effectively.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

The post MRI Software Acquires Rockend, a Leading Provider of Property and Strata Management Software in Australia and New Zealand appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Addition of ProLease and ProCalc software bolsters MRI’s expertise in corporate occupier market and expands property and equipment lease administration capabilities

Solon, Ohio – July 31, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that it has acquired ProLease, a leading provider of lease administration, lease accounting, lease analysis and workplace management applications. ProLease’s intuitive and comprehensive software suite extends MRI’s corporate occupier and integrated workplace management offering, providing easy-to-implement solutions that enable real estate, facilities and accounting departments to manage both property and equipment leases while meeting new global accounting standards.

MRI has seen significant growth of its occupier solutions globally, particularly in the EMEA region. The acquisition of ProLease will support continued growth across all geographic markets and add a sizeable install base of marquee occupier clients in North America. The ProLease solution enables corporate occupiers and lessees to address their wider workplace, maintenance, and even project management needs.

Chuck McDowell, MRI’s Senior Vice President of Commercial and Financial Solutions, comments: “ProLease perfectly complements and enhances our strengths and capabilities within our financial and accounting solutions. This easy-to-use solution is designed for accountants by accountants, and it further enhances MRI’s ability to provide a broad range of organizations with the financial tools to meet the new lease accounting standards. Additionally, it expands our robust financial suite by adding capabilities that will benefit clients outside the corporate occupier sector.”

MRI’s acquisition of Stamford, Connecticut-based ProLease comes on the heels of MRI acquiring LEVERTON, a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data extraction solution for leases and corporate documents. Taken together, these acquisitions reinforce MRI’s commitment to empowering real estate occupiers, owners, and operators to save time and money and make better business decisions.

The ProLease acquisition will also bolster MRI’s capacity to help clients manage leases for equipment such as vehicle fleets, copiers, forklifts, and industrial machinery. The new accounting rules have a major impact on the management of equipment leases, which can be complex and difficult to track. ProLease was one of the first solutions updated to address the new global Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) lease accounting standards (ASC-842 and IFRS 16). The company has worked closely with the FASB and IASB to ensure its software enables compliance.

“The change in accounting standards has driven public and private companies to reexamine their current processes and identify more efficient solutions for managing their lease portfolios,” says Alan Bushell, ProLease’s Chairman and Chief Software Architect. “We are pleased to become part of an organization like MRI that shares our commitment to innovation, which will empower our team to continue making advancements around effective lease management and accounting technology.”

ProLease serves more than 700 clients across 40 industries, including real estate, retail, healthcare, government and education. Clients, which include 3M, Citrix, Clear Channel, Del Monte, Penske and Yale New Haven Health, enjoy the ability to create lease capitalization schedules, run disclosure reports, and generate journal entries, which can be integrated with an organization’s general ledger. They can easily track real estate leases, manage all types of assets, automate maintenance workflow, manage projects, and analyze and compare leases. MRI’s acquisition of ProLease encompasses all six of the company’s modules: real estate, equipment, lease accounting, workplace, maintenance, project, as well as ProCalc lease analysis software. ProCalc is used by Newmark Knight Frank, Jones Lang LaSalle, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers International, CBRE and more.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

The post MRI Software acquires ProLease to help corporate occupiers meet new global lease accounting standards and boost workplace management appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition of global PropTech innovator with market-leading lease abstraction solution strengthens MRI’s end-to-end offering, while saving clients time and money

Solon, Ohio – July 31, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that it has acquired LEVERTON, a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data extraction solution for real estate and corporate documents. The acquisition bolsters MRI’s comprehensive and flexible offering and gives property owners, service providers, and corporate occupiers broader access to LEVERTON’s market-leading automated lease abstraction application. With LEVERTON, organizations are able to more quickly and efficiently turn unstructured information in leases and other corporate and legal documents into data sets that can be mined for actionable insights, leading to better business decisions and improved operational efficiencies.

“The acquisition of LEVERTON brings a true innovator and global PropTech leader into the MRI family, with expertise in the application of AI to real estate data collection, management, and analytics,” says Patrick Ghilani, MRI’s Chief Executive Officer. “Going forward, we will incorporate AI-driven ‘LEVERTON intelligence’ into the very fabric of MRI’s DNA, enhancing our singular customer experience by enabling clients throughout the world to tap into data across the MRI ecosystem. The result: smarter business solutions that generate fresh and powerful insights.”

Using proprietary optical character recognition technology and AI-based, deep learning algorithms to “read” and capture thousands of data points from multiple sources in up to 25 languages – which can include scanned paper, PDFs, and processable documents with inconsistent standards – LEVERTON creates searchable, structured data sets that provide a clear and accurate picture of a business’ real estate assets. The cloud-based AI engine positions real estate owners, operators, and occupiers to optimize their handling of contracts, run operational teams more efficiently and process transactions faster – enabling them to more effectively manage revenue and expense streams across property portfolios. The ability to create transparent, accurate and auditable lease portfolios has become critical for companies with real estate assets working to comply with global accounting standards such as IFRS 16 and ASC 842.

“LEVERTON leverages AI to successfully tackle the problem of virtual – and even real – filing cabinets full of leases and other key documents trapped as unstructured and unsearchable data,” says Russ Butler, MRI’s Chief Technology Officer. “Put simply, it provides easy access to difficult data, saving companies time and money.”

As it scans leases and related documents, the LEVERTON AI engine “learns” to spot key data points such as start and end dates, critical options and renewals, and rates per square foot. The AI can also take in variables such as whether utilities are included or excluded, property tax, and common area costs such as general maintenance, security and landscaping – and it self-adjusts as it applies new learnings. Once extracted, lease and other data can then be analyzed for trends and patterns to uncover hidden insights that guide negotiation strategies, reduce administration costs, boost efficiencies and uncover revenue opportunities such as rent-roll comparisons and anomaly detection of key lease terms.

“Artificial intelligence and machine learning are among an array of innovations driving both disruption and opportunity in PropTech,” Butler adds. “MRI has already been utilizing AI-based automation within our Data Management Services for financial and investment data processing. This acquisition adds another dimension to our capabilities and, looking ahead, MRI’s open architecture will support a tightened integration with the lease abstraction solution while enabling us to leverage LEVERTON intelligence across other use cases to deliver new efficiencies and value for clients.”

Abhinav Somani, LEVERTON’s Chief Executive Officer sees bringing its AI solution into MRI’s broader application suite as a logical next stage in its evolution: “Demand for data intelligence has surged within the real estate sector and joining a PropTech category founder with a market-leading end-to-end offering gives us the scalability we need to extend our global reach. What’s more, MRI’s open and connected approach fosters innovation from all sources and empowers companies to solve complex problems in their own way, making it the perfect strategic and cultural fit for LEVERTON intelligence. We’re just beginning to scratch the surface of what AI can do for companies all over the world and being part of the MRI family will allow us to take our solutions and offerings to the next level.”

Prior to the acquisition, LEVERTON was an MRI partner for more than two years and is already used by several MRI clients as part of their integrated property management system. One of these clients, Derwent London, a leading office investor and regenerator, estimates that the use of LEVERTON intelligence has resulted in 60% to 70% savings of time previously spent in document review. Says Jennifer Whybrow, Head of Financial Planning and Analysis at Derwent London: “We are pleased to be working with LEVERTON to speed up and improve the way we capture key commercial lease terms. We are always looking for ways to improve our business through innovation and leveraging the power of AI to achieve operational efficiencies fits with that ethos.”

Founded in 2012 with offices in New York, London and New Delhi, LEVERTON has more than 100 global corporate and investor clients, including JLL, Savills, RSM, Zurich Alternative Asset Management, and Danaher. LEVERTON’s Software as a Service (SaaS) solution has an easy-to-use, web-based interface, with more than 5,000 users around the world and roughly 500,000 documents processed to date. In addition, LEVERTON offers its technology as an engine through its advanced APIs and AI as a Service (AIaaS) offering.

For LEVERTON clients, it will be business as usual. The company will continue to support customers in its other industries such as healthcare, insurance, legal, financial, as well as real estate. MRI champions an open and connected ecosystem enabled by its extensive and growing global partner network; it remains committed to offering choice in terms of integrating LEVERTON with third-party enterprise resource planning and property management technology solutions.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as MRI Software’s legal counsel for the transaction. Canaccord Genuity acted as LEVERTON’S financial advisor for the transaction.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

The post MRI Software Acquires AI Real Estate Pioneer LEVERTON to Turn Unstructured Data into Business Insights appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

The adoption of public cloud technology in the housing sector has been slower than initially predicted, largely due to concerns around security, latency, vendor lock-in, and cost control.

The emergence of multi-cloud is set to combat these barriers by offering housing providers the ability to balance workload across edge, private cloud and public cloud environments, delivering better RoI from IT spend, enhancing IT performance and mitigating the risks associated with individual clouds.

Looking at what is driving IT disruption this year, there are four key areas – multi-cloud, AI capabilities, storage, and cybersecurity.

Multi-cloud is the latest trend in cloud adoption and differs from a more traditional hybrid cloud environment. Where a hybrid solution offers a pairing of private cloud, such as Castleton Technology’s cloud with public clouds such as Microsoft Office 365, multi-cloud uses more than one public cloud to perform different tasks. A multi-cloud environment may also combine software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) solutions or make use of several private and public cloud solutions.

Multi-cloud reduces supplier risk

Simply by leveraging multiple cloud providers, you can ‘mix and match’, selecting the best services from several providers, while reducing the financial risks associated with being dependent on a single provider and vendor lock-in.
Organisations are also moving towards multi-cloud to mitigate the risk of localised hardware failure, such as a single datacentre going offline. It’s therefore imperative that when evaluating cloud providers, you evaluate their cloud credentials. Castleton’s investment into a cloud provision from Europe’s largest datacentre, located here in the UK ensures our customers get the security, power and network connectivity they need. As one of only four datacentres in the UK on Microsoft Azure’s premium ‘FastPath’, we can not only move workloads rapidly between our own internal datacentres but also between Castleton and other public cloud providers.

Micro-service architectures & software containerisation

A multi-cloud strategy also demands a multi-cloud IT security policy for the many software vendors you may be using. While organisations usually have only two or three key software providers, when it comes to security, they may have up to 30 different vendors. Therefore, software providers will need to architect their applications in such a way that security can be applied to their products at an infrastructural level.
Using ‘container’ technology such as Kubernetes, solutions can be wrapped into a micro-service architecture so that at any one time a single aspect of the software can be worked on and tested without affecting the entire software package.
A micro-service architecture also enables security to be applied at the network or infrastructure level, so whether your software product is migrated from on-premise to private or public cloud, it doesn’t matter because you’ve wrapped it into its own ‘container’. This means the software, including your security, is portable and can move seamlessly between multiple clouds without being affected by their individual security protocols.
The security of business-critical data is increasingly important, and this is where working with cloud providers is beneficial. While most on-premise customers don’t have the technical know-how to develop a robust cyber security and response policy, cloud providers’ SOC (security operations centre) teams manage these situations day in, day out.

The 5G & IoT revolution

AI and machine learning are also major disrupters in housing and are already delivering clear benefits. AI can reduce call centre and customer service costs, increase productivity and improve the service experience for tenants.
Currently, one of our customers is deploying the use of devices like Amazon Alexa which enable tenants to enquire about rent balances, pay rent, report repairs and raise queries. It is anticipated that this will reduce call centre costs by up to 30 percent while also expediting service. While AI is still very much an emerging concept in housing, we are seeing early adopters embracing this digital channel and we will see more and more AI-driven solutions come to the market because it will play an essential part in building smart homes for the future.
Alongside AI and machine learning is the big rollout of 5G across the UK this year. EE has already enabled many of its cell towers in the major cities while Vodafone, Three, and O2 are set to follow. The fast data speeds enabled by 5G, combined with the proliferation of industrial IoT, will impact the social housing sector, particularly around maintenance and repairs.
For example, sensors that can detect fault and predict failure in boilers or identify moisture in the loft in advance of a leak can capture data and automatically report back before any damage occurs. The benefits of this kind of ‘fix before fail’ technology is profound, especially in terms of potential cost savings, but it will also impact the planning of smart housing for the future and revolutionise the way
housing providers manage and maintain their estates.

Storage is a critical issue

With developments in AI, IoT and machine learning comes a huge increase in data gathering and data storage requirements. Data is going to be one of the key currencies moving forward, yet research
suggests businesses currently only actually use two percent of the data they’ve gathered for intelligence purposes and decision-making. At Castleton, as we bring together more information through our various solutions, we can put the data through our business intelligence solutions and identify trends. Increasingly, this will help us support our customers in making better business decisions, such as determining the optimum way to interact with tenants or identifying new opportunities for generating revenue. Storage is key because the amount of data will exponentially increase. In addition to
the data already harvested from a direct tenant interaction such as a phone call, IoT devices are now collecting data by the second and loading it into databases for trend analysis. As storage requirements
increase, so will storage costs, therefore having the right underlying infrastructure and storage solution, capable of scaling with the data generated, will be vital.

Planning ahead

At Castleton, we have already geared up for these changes. Our multi-million-pound investment in the latest data technologies, NVMe extreme performance storage, SSD solid-state storage, cold storage and,
importantly, our multi-cloud capability means we can interact with different multi-clouds as required. Castleton can make sure customers’ storage and data is where it needs to be and can seamlessly
transition from one environment to another, to and between clouds. Housing providers need to prepare too.  It’s important to think about a multi-cloud strategy and multi-service architecture to build in the flexibility you will need, together with a security policy that can be adopted by service providers and third-party suppliers to ensure that your technology stacks are secure and future-proofed.

Paul Sexton is the chief technology officer of Castleton Technology.

© Copyright 2019 The Intelligent Business Company, publisher of Housing Technology magazine  Click here <link: www.housing-technology.com> to read the latest edition of Housing Technology

The post Housing Technology: Trends Driving IT Disruption appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Amber Valley Borough Council has selected MRI Software’s (MRI) fixed asset accounting module to expedite its year-end process and replace the spreadsheet system that it had in place. The council decided that due to the deadline for completion of its annual accounts being earlier than in previous years, it needed a specialist system to reduce the manual work involved with finalising the financial year.

Amber Valley Borough Council operates in Derbyshire, East Midlands. Its constituency encompasses a number of small towns, with a combined population that exceeds 120,000. It provides council services, including the supply of refuse collection, managing planning applications for building works, providing businesses with licenses for street trading and offering support on health and safety matters for its residents.

Based on a detailed evaluation, the system was clearly the most user-friendly and professional.

The council had been using spreadsheets to manage its fixed assets but decided that it could save time and improve the quality of asset information by implementing a specialist system. Lee Finnesey, Principal Accountant at Amber Valley Borough Council states, “It had become extremely time-consuming to maintain our register. We also found that the data was difficult to understand for anybody other than the author and the person responsible for updating it. We decided to move to a system that allows all authorised users to log in and access any information that they might need.”

Amber Valley Borough Council selected MRI’s offering ahead of its competitors because of its extensive experience in the sector, amongst other reasons. Finnesey comments, “Based on a detailed evaluation, the system was clearly the most userfriendly and professional. It was also recommended to us by contacts within the local authority sector that had experience of MRI’s software and had enjoyed the benefits.”

The main objectives of implementing a specialist fixed asset system was to save employees time and improve the quality of information available at year-end. Finnesey explains, “The main users of the software will be the accountancy team, though it is anticipated that the reports generated will prove beneficial to other areas of the council. We decided to move to the system to free up staff time, especially at year-end. The deadline for the completion of the annual accounts is now earlier and implementing the solution will help us with the stricter time constraints. We will also benefit from the in-depth reports that we are able to generate from the system.

“To date, the relationship with MRI has been excellent,” Finnesey concludes. “Its experience in the local government sector has been invaluable throughout the implementation process and everybody we have dealt with there has been helpful and professional.”

“I have found everybody I’ve dealt with at MRI to be helpful and extremely knowledgeable about its product and accounting for components, grants and fixed assets in general. I was introduced to the system at a Housing Finance conference where it was recommended to me by two other Associations. Its pedigree in the sector made it an easy choice”.

The post Amber Valley Borough Council Accelerates Year-End with MRI appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Digital Transformation with Cloud in Social Housing.

In June, Castleton alongside some specially invited partners, customers and consultants hosted a number of Digital and Cloud Discovery Days across the UK. These events were the ideal environment for us to showcase our latest solutions and for housing professionals to receive exclusive updates and 1-to-1 meetings with Castleton staff.

For our Digital Discovery Day in Leeds, we were joined by Connect Housing, who presented their Digital Transformation project with Castleton and Housing Solutions, who presented their exciting new AI project with Castleton. Castleton showcased our digital engagement solutions including Castleton.DIGITAL and our new Find My Engineer solution.

The Digital Discovery Day in London was a similar event but with the addition of an exclusive preview of our new Gas Safety Compliance solution offering in partnership with Gas Tag.

Our partner Dell EMC, hosted our London Cloud Discovery event and also presented a great session on future technologies. Our partner, Zerto, also shared their expertise on IT resilience and Castleton showcased customer cloud technology projects, including Grand Union and DGHP. Housing Solutions joined us to share the results of their cloud and digital technology projects alongside Castleton as part of their Digital Services strategy.

Our second Cloud Discovery day was hosted at the home of the Castleton cloud, in the UK’s first super-powered IL3 datacentre, in Newport. This was a unique opportunity to experience first-hand how the cloud can enhance your digital services, by hosting your IT infrastructure in a powerful, super connected and super secure datacentre facility. John Volanthen, CEO of Hub Network Services (HNS) hosted a session, as well as Phil Riley, Lead Consultant for Alysium Consulting, who hosted on ‘Transforming Service Delivery in Housing’. Zerto also joined us to share their IT resilience solutions and we finished with a tour of the data centre.

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the events as well as our guest speakers and hosts for their time and support.

If you are interested in any of the sessions mentioned above and would like to receive any of the presentations, please get in touch with us.

Keep up to date with and register for our upcoming events here.

The post Castleton’s Digital Transformation & Cloud Discovery events appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Purchase of New York technology company strengthens MRI’s customer-focused residential offering with software for tracking and engaging prospects and measuring marketing effectiveness

Solon, Ohio – June 20, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the acquisition of Dynamic Lead Solutions (“DLS”), a provider of technology for tracking and engaging potential residents and analyzing marketing returns. The acquisition enhances MRI Living, the company’s comprehensive and flexible range of residential real estate solutions, by giving multifamily owners and operators more tools for managing prospects – from initial inquiries and apartment viewings through to lease signature.

“In today’s omnichannel marketing environment, multifamily leasing offices require robust tracking and automation capabilities to more efficiently convert leads into leases,” says Brian Zrimsek, Industry Principal at MRI Software. “With DLS’s lead tracking and prospect management capabilities, leasing agents are better equipped to ensure that all leads are captured and followed up on, freeing them to focus on managing relationships, not data.”

DLS Chief Executive Officer Mark Goldberg, who cofounded the company in 2007, says: “Our priority from day one has been to empower companies in the multifamily sector to keep on top of all leads and make better use of their data – all while providing a complete, professional customer experience. Through our membership in MRI’s Partner Connect program, several multifamily operators already use our software in conjunction with MRI’s residential solutions. Joining the MRI family will result in tighter integration of DLS into the MRI Living suite of solutions and deliver more powerful customer relationship management capabilities to clients.”

New York-based DLS employs dashboards, data analysis, automation and customer relationship management functionality to ensure 24/7 management of viewing appointments and 100% follow-up and tracking of all leads that come in. Specifically, the solution:

• Streamlines all rental inquiries into one user-friendly, centralized system
• Provides time-management display of daily tasks and appointments
• Ensures real-time notification of all phone and email leads
• Enables analysis of return on investment (ROI) on advertising and staff performance
• Generates professional email responses including photos, floorplans and attachments with just a couple of clicks

Zrimsek notes: “We see the residential market moving from a lease focus to a customer-centric approach that puts client relationships at the core of each owner or property manager’s business, and, as such, we continue to invest in technologies that are geared for this consumer-driven approach. MRI and DLS together will deliver new ways to improve the lead management experience for both leasing agents and prospective residents.”

Tina Frankenburger, Corporate Marketing Director of JCM Living, which uses DLS and MRI to manage properties across several states, calls it the best lead tracking solution she has used in her 35 years in the multifamily industry. She says using DLS in conjunction with MRI has helped JCM’s productivity reach its highest levels ever, with income lost due to vacancies reduced beyond expectations.

“It simply puts us in a better position to close the deal and lease to a larger percentage of prospects, with follow-ups made much easier,” Frankenburger says. “What’s more, marketing reports show where dollars are working and where they are not, so informed decisions can be made on how to budget. Reports indicate why prospects are not renting, so recommendations can be made to Regional Property Managers for possible changes at the communities to make them more attractive. The result is increased traffic, occupancy and income.”

The DLS acquisition reinforces MRI’s established position in the US residential space, where its clients include industry leaders such as AvalonBay Communities, Harbor Group Management and Olympus Property. The deal follows the recent acquisition of Engage Property Technology, a leading UK-based provider of self-service online portals for the residential space, bringing additional expertise in user experience and consumer-facing apps that benefits MRI globally.

MRI champions an open and connected ecosystem enabled by its extensive and growing global partner network. It remains committed to offering choice in terms of integrating both DLS with other property management software applications and other lead management solutions with MRI’s own range of real estate solutions.

MRI will be exhibiting its MRI Living suite, including Dynamic Lead Solutions, in booth 1439 at the NAA Apartmentalize conference in Denver June 27th and 28th.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20-7486-4900

The post MRI Software Acquires Dynamic Lead Solutions to Help Multifamily Real Estate Players Manage Customer Relationships appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

We are pleased to announce our existing customer Grand Union Housing Group has taken on a significant four-year managed service project with Castleton, valued at £1.0 million. Castleton will provide a number of multi-cloud hosting and unified communications services to drive strengthened operations within the organisation, all to ensure Grand Union remain on track to deliver their customer 2020 vision. 

 Simon Penaluna, IT Director for GUHG comments “Grand Union Housing Group are excited to be working with Castleton to deliver their IT and network infrastructure in a way that sets us up for the future.  This will enable GUHG to deliver further ambitions and our “Customer 2020” strategy by allowing staff to work in an agile way on a platform of efficient, robust, and resilient systems.”

Grand Union opted to tender the project to ensure they were getting sight of the best possible services and solutions in the market. The flexibility and choice that Castleton’s multi-cloud has to offer means that GUHG will benefit from Edge systems refresh, Private cloud hosting in Castleton’s Tier 4 next-generation data centre facility, Public cloud hosting of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Unified Communications system.

Castleton CTO comments “With concerns around security, latency, vendor lock-in, and cost-control, there is a desire for organisations to have a more balanced distributed workload across Edge, Private cloud and Public cloud environments through a multi-cloud deployment. This ensures the greatest ROI from their IT spend and mitigates the risks associated with individual clouds. We are pleased to be working with Grand Union, who recognise our cloud services can deliver on these benefits.”

To ensure a robust infrastructure, all these services are secured with Castleton’s market-leading backup and disaster recovery platform, all fully connected via a new Software-Defined Wide Area Network and Wireless Local Area Network. As part of the organisations move to a more modern working environment, staff hardware is being refreshed with around 200 state of the art Dell laptops, managed by Castleton’s mobile device and user environment management solutions, providing simple ongoing control of the client estate. The contract is for an initial four years with an option for three annual extensions thereafter.

Castleton CEO commented: “With our recent £1.0m investment to develop our data centre facilities, we are in a great position to fulfil our customer’s demands for robust, flexible, and scalable multi-cloud platforms. This new project with GUHG absolutely demonstrates this capability and we benefit from a strengthened ongoing relationship with this forward-thinking organisation.”

Work is now underway with completion expected in August 2019.
Find out more about Grand Union Housing Group

The post Multi-cloud: the best fit for Grand Union Housing Group appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Solon, Ohio – June 19, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that its Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Ghilani, has received the Julie Devine Digital Impact Award in honor of his contributions to the real estate industry at the 2019 Realcomm Digie Awards. The awards took place on June 13 at Realcomm 2019 in Nashville, a conference that celebrates the intersection of technology, innovation and real estate operations.

The Julie Devine Digital Impact Award, named after a late partner of Realcomm, is given to the most innovative thought-leaders in the commercial real estate industry each year. “This award is designed to acknowledge those individuals who saw things ahead of their associates, had the courage to leave the mainstream and the tenacity to keep standing up after many failed attempts,” said Jim Young, co-founder and CEO of Realcomm. “History proves that we cannot accomplish major change without these innovators.”

Ghilani said after receiving the award: “I want to thank Realcomm for this great honor and for recognizing the MRI vision, which encompasses an open and connected approach that fosters innovation and provides flexibility and choice for commercial real estate players. Groundbreaking innovations don’t just come from a few dominant players but from a range of sources that include established technology pioneers and new startups that are honing specialist solutions. I also want to thank the MRI team for making this revolution in openness and interoperability a reality.”

The Realcomm Digie Awards recognize companies, real estate projects, technologies and individuals that have positively impacted the Real Estate industry through their intelligent and effective use of automation and innovation.

Ghilani’s Digital Impact Award came on a night when an MRI client, Urban Edge Properties, also received a Digie for Best Use of Automation in Property/Facility Management.

“It is great to see clients being recognized for making the most of technology,” Ghilani notes. “It is vital for the real estate industry to embrace new advances. There’s a real change occurring as more and more businesses see leveraging technology as a way to run more efficient businesses and even gain a competitive advantage.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com

About Realcomm
Realcomm Conference Group, LLC is a worldwide event and media company at the intersection of technology, innovation and Commercial and Corporate Real Estate. Through our annual conferences, CIO forums, webinars, workshops, weekly advisory, marketplace and other strategic services, Realcomm provides networking and collaboration opportunities, while educating industry professionals about the latest business solutions and technologies to improve Commercial and Corporate Real Estate design, construction, leasing, operations, transactions and use.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rachel Antman
rachel@saygency.com
+1 212-362-5837

Zoe Mumba
Zoe@platformcomms.com
+44 20 7486 4900

The post MRI Software Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ghilani Wins a Digital Impact Award at Realcomm Digies appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Leading UK tile specialist Topps Tiles has adopted MRI Software’s Horizon solution for property management and IFRS 16 across more than 350 stores.

The software provides the retailer with a specialist platform for IFRS 16 lease accounting calculations, and will also be utilised for end-to-end property management processes across the nationwide portfolio.

Tom Price, Business Development Manager at MRI Software, said: “We are delighted that Topps Tiles has chosen Horizon as its go-forward property management and IFRS 16 solution. This is an exciting project, and we look forward to working with the organisation to bring increased efficiency and accuracy to its operations.”

MRI Horizon is a specialist CRE system, purpose-built for occupiers of large property portfolios. It is used by a number of large, leading retailers in the UK and Europe – delivering functionality for property management, lease management, lease accounting, facilities management and more. It’s particularly renowned for its capabilities in managing the calculations required under the new IFRS 16 standards. Read more here.

The post Topps Tiles selects MRI’s Horizon for IFRS 16 and Property Management appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Purchase of London-based company deepens MRI’s portal technology capabilities and enhances its digital and customer-focused residential proptech offering

London, United Kingdom – May 23, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the acquisition of Engage Property Technology, a leading UK-based provider of self-service online portals used by property organisations of all sizes. The acquisition strengthens MRI’s end-to-end offering for the residential sector and furthers its aim of delivering the industry’s most comprehensive and flexible range of real estate technology solutions.

Online resident portals are at the core of Engage’s offering, which includes applications for concierge, community, leaseholder, landlord and lettings requirements. Engage is an established partner of MRI, first integrating with the company’s Qube Property Management solution more than two years ago, and joint clients include several leading UK residential players. The acquisition enables MRI to bolster existing integrations between its back-office solutions and Engage’s online portals and provide more holistic support for owners and agents servicing residents in Build-to-Rent developments and other largescale properties.

“Residents today expect the highest levels of service and to be treated less like mere renters and more like community members,” says Dermot Briody, MRI’s Executive Managing Director, Europe. “Engage’s portals are designed with consumers in mind – vital in a rental market moving away from a lease focus to a customer-centric approach that puts resident relationships at the heart of each landlord’s business. This acquisition enhances our offering to UK clients and brings additional expertise in user experience and consumer-facing apps that will benefit MRI globally.”

Mitesh Patel, Engage’s Chief Executive, adds: “It will now be even easier for residential landlords and housing associations to deploy Engage portals integrated with MRI’s property management and accounting solutions, linking data from both ends and delivering more effective customer service to residents. Our user-friendly approach adds tangible value, as residents keep returning to the portal instead of making phone calls to busy property management teams – helping reduce staffing needs and drive down costs, while enabling landlords to boost customer engagement.”

London-based Engage addresses the unique needs of the UK residential sector where Build-to-Rent properties are emerging as an asset class with a new level of professionalised property management. A December 2018 MRI survey of top executives and managers across the UK property industry showed that 82% see more growth in Build-to-Rent development beyond the next 12-18 months. The trend to more professionalised property management is also being driven on the consumer end by ‘Generation Rent’, young renters priced out of the home purchase market. The research revealed that four out of five property professionals believe Generation Rent in the UK is here to stay and raising rental expectations.

With Engage, MRI is giving developers, landlords and agents the digital tools they need to meet the growing demand for better properties and services that Generation Rent is driving. Engage resident portals act as a layer on top of MRI’s back-end systems, allowing landlords to access data and display important residential information to users while automating business processes – from managing payments and simple enquiries, to handling amenity bookings and ensuring maintenance requests are fulfilled.

“The nature of the UK rental market is changing, and landlords and property managers need to be able to evolve with it,” Briody notes. “What most need today is a scalable solution that meets the needs of both those just entering the Build-to-Rent market and those that already own and manage extensive multi-unit rental holdings – allowing them to build stronger relationships with tech-savvy Generation Rent, more of whom are looking to live, work and play within their communities.”

The Engage acquisition reinforces MRI’s established reputation in the UK residential space and follows the launch of MRI Agency Solutions in March, which brought together the company’s sales and lettings technology brands in the UK into one combined offering, following a series of key acquisitions.

MRI champions an open and connected ecosystem enabled by its extensive and growing global partner network. It remains committed to offering choice in terms of integrating both Engage portals with other property management software applications and other resident portals with MRI’s own range of real estate solutions.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com

MEDIA CONTACT:
Hugh Filman, Zoe Mumba or PJ Chou
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20 7486 4900

The post MRI Software Acquires Engage Property Technology to Help Landlords Meet the Evolving Needs of Renters appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Metaldyne, a world leading supplier of parts for industrial and marine applications, has been using MRI Software’s (MRI) best of breed fixed asset accounting solution for over 18 years. The software helps towards compliance with financial regulations, whilst enabling the organisation to monitor the effects of depreciation charges and allowing it to maintain a completely up to date record of each company-owned item.

The company was founded in 1997 with its headquarters located in West Yorkshire. Since Metaldyne’s creation, it has continued to grow and is now a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of metal components to engine markets. The UK branch of the organisation specialises in supplying low volume requirements, offering repair and servicing to its worldwide customer base.

The flexibility of the software ensures that our records are entirely accurate and that costs are always calculated correctly

In its formative years, Metaldyne realised the importance of keeping an up to date and accurate record of all of its belongings. With the company acquiring equipment and expanding its operations rapidly, it decided to implement comprehensive fixed asset register software. It selected MRI’s solution and has been using it extensively since.

John Frankland, Management Accountant at Metaldyne comments, “MRI’s system is incredibly useful. We have benefited particularly from the ability to add revaluation accounting events to the company’s assets, meaning that values are always correct and reserve balances are managed effectively. Another feature we have found helpful is the ability to amend the structure of our depreciation years when it has been required following operational changes, the flexibility of the software ensures that our records are entirely accurate and that costs are always calculated correctly.

“The software is extremely simple to use.” John continues, “It has its benefits at both divisional and multinational levels. As we have a presence in America, its ability to calculate depreciation in accordance with US GAAP regulations has proven to be very handy and has saved us a lot of time that would have been spent working out values using manual formulas.”

When asked about what time and cost savings implementing MRI’s solution has delivered, John states, “We estimate that having the system in place has saved us roughly £3,000 per annum and would definitely recommend the software to any organisation that is looking to tighten its grip on equipment information and related values. Calculating depreciation is very fast and can be processed more than once, which isn’t possible with some integrated fixed asset modules.

“Our working relationship with MRI is excellent.” John declares, “Its employees have always been extremely friendly and professional. If we have ever had any queries with the software, the dedicated support team has always been able to provide a resolution with easy to follow instructions.”

Metaldyne was acquired recently by American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM), the third takeover of the company. Depreciation and revaluation processes have adapted with each change of ownership to comply with the practices of the parent organisation. John concludes, “MRI’s flexible software has made each transition very easy and its ability to account for procedures that are occasionally adjusted has proven to be invaluable.”

The post Metaldyne monitors depreciation with MRI’s software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

In response to increased demand, Castleton has invested over £1 million in new hosting technology, to deliver higher performance, increased capacity and greater security for our customers.

Our new, dedicated Castleton Cloud hosting facility is housed within Europe’s largest, super-secure Tier 4, IL3 facility, and the UK’s first superpower data-centre, and is home to some of the World’s greatest companies including BT and global public cloud providers including Microsoft Azure.

We provide customers with a reliable, super-secure, and high-performing environment, using the latest technologies to deliver super-fast connectivity, enhanced Back-Up, and superior Disaster Recovery with over 99% availability. Castleton chose the facility, as it’s is one of the most efficient data-centres in the UK, with extremely low PUEs and is future proof as a result of the modular construction model it uses.
With unrivalled physical, human, and systems security, our multi-layered approach meets the UK government’s highest standards. We can also offer highly secure colocation and hosting so you can be assured that your assets and data are protected, thanks to the deployment of the highest security techniques available.

This investment reflects our commitment to Cloud delivery, as it becomes essential to modern life and mainstream to the digital economy. We can now ensure our customers get even better platform resilience, extra processing power, improved security, and a direct express route into the Azure Cloud.

As well as upgrading our equipment and establishing new and highly secure data-centres, we are expanding and strengthening our technical support team on-shore and off-shore to provide 24/7 service.
In short, we’ve been listening to our customers and responding to their needs – both now and for the future.

The post Castleton invests in new Data Centre appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Global real estate technology provider brings together acquired residential brands with existing MRI operations in the UK to form MRI Agency Solutions

London, United Kingdom – April 1, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced that it is bringing together its multiple sales and lettings technology brands in the UK into one combined offering called MRI Agency Solutions, aiming to deliver the industry’s most comprehensive and flexible range of residential real estate software. MRI Agency Solutions will exhibit as a unified business unit for the first time at the ARLA Propertymark Conference in London on April 2.

“The aim is to combine all of our efforts across every residential agency product line in order to deliver the best software and support to our clients,” said Dermot Briody, MRI’s Executive Managing Director, Europe. “With the launch of MRI Agency Solutions, we are bringing together multiple decades of domain knowledge and experience and combining these with some of the most innovative new technologies now available. The result is we are building on an already great offering to maximise innovation, development, delivery and support.”

The announcement follows a number of vital strategic MRI acquisitions in the residential property software market in the UK. MRI is merging all of its sales and lettings business in the UK, including CML Software and Thesaurus Technology, both of which were acquired last year – boosting the sector expertise already in-house with the MRI Sales & Lettings product line and now serving hundreds of clients in the space. The new business unit will be a single coordinated group, able to take advantage of larger resource pools, global infrastructure and company-wide best practices.

Trevor Youens, Managing Director Residential Solutions, UK for MRI Software, commented: “At MRI we are committed to providing and fostering innovation. The launch of MRI Agency Solutions achieves just that by offering a wide range of innovative products and services that is complemented by our ever-growing number of partners in the wider MRI ecosystem.”

The move reinforces MRI’s established reputation in the UK residential space where it also provides leading solutions in the Leasehold Management and in Build-to-Rent markets, and its clients include industry leaders such as Savills and Grainger – which have already selected MRI to manage their private rented sector developments.

MRI Agency Solutions will be welcoming visitors to its stand C5 at the ARLA Propertymark Conference, so they can learn first-hand how it can help them. To book an appointment, email trevor.youens@mrisoftware.com.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organisations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Hugh Filman or Zoe Mumba
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com
+44 20 7486 4900

The post MRI Software launches new unified sales and lettings business to create comprehensive and flexible offering appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

New functionality to help clients meet the requirements of Making Tax Digital (MTD) has been launched by MRI Software. Having been a participant in the beta programme, our central VAT submission service is now listed as a compatible provider by HMRC.

MTD is government initiative in the UK, introduced with the aim of making it easier to record and submit tax information. As part of the drive, from 1 April, VAT-registered business or individuals with a taxable turnover above the VAT threshold will be expected to keep digital records and use software to submit their VAT returns.

MRI’s solution allows users to connect to HMRC systems and automatically report VAT information from within our relevant products. Updates have also been made within these software applications that allow clients to produce the required VAT information, which can either be exported or submitted using the central service.

Dermot Briody, MRI’s Executive Managing Director for Europe, said: “We have a proven track record of ensuring our platforms meet the latest legislative requirements, including tax, accounting and other standards applied by regulatory bodies within the industry. In-keeping with this, we’re proud to announce the release of our dedicated MTD solution – giving users the ability to report directly to HMRC from any of our property management systems.”

To learn more about our tools for Making Tax Digital, contact us here.

The post MRI Software live with solution for Making Tax Digital appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Avante Care & Support, a charity and leading provider of specialist dementia care, has chosen MRI Software’s (MRI) software to establish greater control over its asset base that includes properties, vehicles and furniture within its care homes. It wanted increased visibility of the status of items and equipment with the ability to produce reports to support the year-end process. The company required integration with its accounting software, Exchequer – which MRI’s system offers.

Any questions that we have asked throughout the process have been answered without exception.

Avante Care & Support is a not-for-profit organisation with a workforce that is equipped with the experience and commitment required to provide exceptional services to individuals and families that are in need of support. Its care homes provide assistance for people across South East London and Kent, many of whom are affected by dementia. It aims to introduce a positive new stage into the lives of its residents whilst also providing high levels of personalised care.

The integration between MRI’s fixed asset module and Exchequer’s accounting software was a deciding factor for the company. Nigel Mitchell, Finance Manager at Avante Care & Support states, “We specifically needed a product that worked alongside our financial system. We wanted to ensure the two systems could work together in order to avoid any data duplication. We will also benefit greatly from the ability to produce depreciation and disposal journals that post directly to Exchequer.”

Before moving over to the software, the company was using a number of spreadsheets to record asset details. Nigel comments, “We used Excel in various different formats that were dependent on the category being recorded. This led to difficulties in communicating data across classes. We treat Freehold Properties differently to Motor Vehicles, for example. MRI’s system and its ability to cater for a variety of different categories and accounting treatments will prove extremely useful by introducing a consistent approach to all assets and ensuring that communication across departments is straightforward.

“Something that appealed to us greatly in the software was the integration with Exchequer. It will help us avoid duplicating details across systems,” Nigel declares. “The tool will allow us to impose more control and save us time by allowing us to import and export data by our Category and/or Location analysis codes. We can now automate a lot of processes within the company, such as depreciation calculations, month-end reports and the posting of journals. This will give our finance team a lot more time to focus on other pressing tasks and ensure that all information is completely accurate and delivered in a concise and timely manner.

“The capital project control element of the software will also prove beneficial for us as we have a number of projects in progress at all times,” Nigel continues. “Being able to track those individual costs better and collate them together when they are complete is extremely convenient and further improves the level of control over the status of our assets at all times.

“Thus far, we have enjoyed a very good relationship with MRI,” Nigel concluded. “Any questions that we have asked throughout the process have been answered without exception.”

The post Avante Care & Support moves forward with MRI appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Company welcomes new CFO to manage rapid growth

Solon, Ohio – March 5, 2019 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces major growth in revenue, new business and its partner network during 2018, when it also extended its reach through a series of strategic acquisitions. In addition, MRI welcomes the recent appointment of Chief Financial Officer Bruce Duner, who joins the company after serving in senior roles at a number of leading technology providers. The announcements come as MRI prepares to showcase its comprehensive and connected suite of solutions at MIPIM 2019, the premier global property event, running March 12-15 in Cannes, France.

“2018 was a banner year for MRI, continuing a pattern of rapid growth, reinforced by key strategic acquisitions that further our ability to help real estate organizations use new technologies to meet their changing needs, differentiate themselves in the market and gain a competitive edge,” says Patrick Ghilani, MRI Software’s Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to innovate while finding partners and acquisition targets that add value and choice to our existing offering.”

Strong growth across the board
MRI revenue increased 56% in 2018 compared to 2017 and more than doubled in the past two years. The company continued strong growth momentum with bookings (sales for future business) increasing by a record 71%, with significant growth coming from the EMEA region. The number of new clients added globally in 2018 grew by 44% compared to those added in 2017, while MRI’s total installed base increased by 38% last year through both acquisitions and organic growth.

The company also underlined its commitment to maintaining an open and connected ecosystem of real estate technology providers, bolstering its extensive Partner Connect network with 21 new additions during 2018, bringing the total to 142 partners. The continuing value of MRI’s partner network to its clients was demonstrated by the fact the company created 75 new technology integrations with partners and recorded 192 million data exchanges between clients and partners in 2018 – up from 80 million the year before.

“Adding partners to our already extensive network allows us to widen the scope of choice we can offer clients,” notes Ghilani. “We believe that real estate businesses can make even better use of MRI’s software if we can provide a truly open platform that enables them to tailor their systems and move fast in employing technologies that open new markets and services. Our partnerships go far beyond simple interface connectivity, offering our clients an industry-leading level of integration – taking them towards a singular client experience and true enterprise software interoperability.”

New CFO brings valuable experience
In assuming the role of CFO in February 2019, Bruce Duner brings a range of experience that will help MRI manage the increasing complexity that comes with rapid growth. Prior to joining MRI, Duner was CFO at Accela, a market-leading Software-as-a-Service provider for local and state governments. Previously, he was CFO at Bomgar Corporation, a leading provider in remote support and security software solutions and at Surgical Information Systems, a leading provider of software solutions for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.

“With more than 30 years’ experience creating and transforming business strategy into financial and operational success in technology and enterprise software, Bruce has the leadership track record we need to meet the continually growing demands of our global business,” Ghilani says.

Duner says he is joining MRI at an exciting time for the business: “We are seeing tremendous potential in the real estate technology market for innovation and growth and, thanks to a strong team, MRI is already showing huge business momentum – rapid growth, new business wins, shrewd acquisitions and an innovative partner program. All this enables MRI to remain focused on continued profitable growth, built on a very healthy foundation of more than 85% of recurring revenue.”

Building with six new strategic acquisitions
MRI continued its strategy of building its position in key sectors and geographies through strategic acquisitions in 2018, when the company was able to:

• Strengthen its leadership position in the US Affordable and Public Housing markets by acquiring Happy Software, IPM Software and TCAM Asset Management
• Establish a new Agency Solutions business with the acquisitions of CML Software and Thesaurus/Postcode Software in the UK, boosting the Sales and Lettings solutions gained through Qube Global Software, acquired the previous year
• Solidify its position as South African market leader by acquiring PropSys, adding to the footprint of its existing operations and MDA Property Systems, which it acquired in 2017

Record-breaking users conferences
The company also saw record attendance at its International Users Conferences in Atlanta in October and London in December. The US event drew 1,400 delegates, including representatives from 67 partners, while the London conference was the biggest such event to take place in the UK to date with 600-plus attendees, including representatives from 18 partners. Both conferences gave MRI the chance to showcase its latest innovations, which included:

• Improved integration and user experience on the company’s flagship Platform X, enabling a single experience when MRI and third-party applications are connected to its flexible hub
• MRI Debt Management, a web-based accounting solution that allows real estate owners and investors to improve operational efficiency and reduce the risks of bad data
• MRI Qube PM Advance, the latest release of the most widely implemented property management solution in the UK

To learn more about MRI’s solutions, its latest innovations, as well as its partnership network and its open and connected approach, come visit Stand R7.C13 at MIPIM 2019, or email sales@mrisoftware.com.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives organizations the freedom to transform the way communities live, work and play while elevating their business and gaining a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Hugh Filman or Zoe Mumba
Platform Communications
Hugh@plaformcomms.com or Zoe@platformcomms.com
+44 20 7486 4900

The post MRI Software Announces a Year of Record Growth in Revenue, Business Wins and Partners, Extending its Footprint in Key Markets appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

CTM’s Web-based Document Management Workflow and Electronic Signature Solutions Streamline the Residential Real Estate Transaction Process

Solon, Ohio – Feb. 7, 2019 – MRI Software LLC, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of CTM Software, a leading provider of residential real estate workflow and transaction management software. This acquisition expands MRI’s global residential real estate business for sales, rentals and property management and enhances the company’s capabilities in document management workflow and electronic signature solutions.

CTM Software was founded in Colorado in 2003 to serve the real estate and title markets. CTM has innovated the real estate agent market by providing rules-based workflow, highly flexible documents and scalability through its SaaS-based, end-to-end real estate transaction management platform. Today, CTM enables agents across Colorado to streamline the residential real estate transaction process.

“The acquisition of CTM Software is an ideal entry point for MRI into the extensive U.S. residential real estate agent market,” said John Ensign, President and Chief Legal Officer, MRI Software. “CTM has been a leader in its home state for more than 15 years with a 90 percent market share among Colorado residential real estate agents. We believe that with MRI’s size, resources and ability to scale, we can bring that success nationwide. Additionally, we look forward to exploring ways to leverage CTM’s expertise in workflow, document management and electronic signature to continue improving our property management and financials solutions for existing clients.”

“Throughout our conversations with MRI, their commitment to developing superior, streamlined real estate software was evident, and it was clear our philosophies were aligned,” said Claudio Rielo, Founder and CEO, CTM Software. “By joining MRI, we not only gain access to the size and scale of a global real estate software leader with the reach to bring our solutions across borders, but our expertise in agent solutions means we are able to immediately add to the organization.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Chet Murray
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com

The post MRI Software Expands Solutions for Real Estate Agents with Acquisition of CTM Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Get the complete picture with an overview of Castleton’s Integrated Digital solutions for Housing from Castleton, now part of MRI Social Housing.

The post Integrated Digital solutions for Housing from Castleton appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Lanarkshire Housing Association has implemented component accounting software from MRI Software (MRI), in a drive to tighten and improve current processes and maintain compliance with FRS 102. Replacing its spreadsheet based process, the association required a proven commercial product to improve reporting, forecasting and data integrity and selected MRI’s solution based on its outstanding reputation across the housing industry.

Established in 1978 and based in Motherwell, Lanarkshire Housing Association Ltd is a Registered Social Landlord which provides and delivers a variety of client services including rent collection, repairs, programme of improvements, planned maintenance and housing management services. With a turnover of £4 million, its housing stock comprises 920 wholly owned units and 45 shared ownership units throughout Lanarkshire.

With almost 7,000 assets to account for, Lanarkshire Housing Association decided it was time to shelve its onerous and time consuming spreadsheet process. It had reached a stage where its growing £27.7 million asset base – comprising of components such as land, roof, structure, windows, kitchens, heating systems and bathrooms – required a more rigorous and intelligent solution to ensure financial transparency and continued compliance with the latest FRS 102 requirements. Laurie Boles, Finance & Corporate Services Director at Lanarkshire Housing Association comments, “We were seeking a software supplier who is experienced in the Social Housing sector as well as a solution that provides value for money, is easy to use, intuitive and flexible in query access and reporting.”

Boles continues, “We evaluated a couple of systems but MRI was chosen due to its excellent track record in delivering component accounting software and expertise within the housing sector. The defining factor was witnessing it working in a live housing environment and obtaining positive feedback from its other housing clients regarding its ease of use and smooth migration.”

Primarily, MRI’s software is used for recording and monitoring the component level detail of the association’s housing stock. It dovetails into its annual accounting process and enables the organisation to undertake more accurate depreciation forecasting during the financial year, where previously this capacity was limited due to the complexity posed from using the spreadsheet methodology. Sector specific functionality such as the quick and easy import of component replacement assets and the linking of associated component and grant records to the property unit is also heavily used, which has played a key part in streamlining departmental processes and improving productivity.

The most evident benefit, however, is the time saving efficiencies realised across the team. Boles comments, “The preparation of the Fixed Asset Note was time consuming and required managing large volumes of data. Since the implementation of MRI’s component accounting software, the preparation time alone was reduced by two weeks compared to previous years.”

Having the capability within the software to produce the financial reports in the format of the Annual Accounts provides Lanarkshire Housing Association with the peace of mind of being fully compliant with FRS 102. Data integrity is greatly improved as there is no manual intervention required; this has been further validated by its external auditors following the recent year-end audit process, which is a big plus for the association.

There is now a greater level of confidence in the housing association’s attitude to component accounting. Boles explains, “Previously, we approached component accounting as an annual task, but now we are using the software proactively as a forecasting tool in operational and longer term financial plans.”

Boles concludes, “I have been very impressed with the level of service provided by MRI. The whole user experience both pre and post implementation was excellent and the expertise and planning demonstrated by the MRI sales and technical support teams were first class. I would highly recommend MRI’s software to other organisations.”

The post Lanarkshire Housing Association realises year-end time savings with new component accounting software from MRI Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Complementary Communications Software, supporting Castleton’s strategy for Enhancing Digital Engagement within Social Housing.

Castleton is delighted to announce the recent acquisition of Deeplake Digital Limited developers of sector-leading SMS messaging for Social Housing.

Complementing Castleton’s existing suite of Digital Engagement solutions, the acquisition of Deeplake ‘Communications Manager’ software means the provision of two-way SMS communication between social housing providers and their customers. Digital platforms also extend to tenant portals, smartphone apps, email, and social media. This modern communications platform uses Microsoft.NET technology – in line with Castleton’s existing technology platform, allowing for full integration.

CASTLETON commented:

This strategic acquisition enables us to capitalise on the significant opportunities within the Social Housing market’s ongoing market shift towards digitalisation, building on the capabilities that the Group has already successfully developed. Deeplake Digital adds scale, customers, skills, market knowledge, and specific digital communication intellectual property and has a great reputation for delivering a quality product and service, evidenced by its high customer retention levels over the past ten years. This acquisition further enhances CASTLETON’s offering and a strengthened position to deliver truly integrated housing solutions to our customers.

Four existing staff from Deeplake Digital will join the CASTLETON team, to ensure high-quality delivery and continuity for customers. Deeplake Digital has strong relationships with over 100 housing associations, comprising more than 60 of Castleton’s existing customers. The acquisition will add more than 30 new customer names into which Castleton can support wider solutions and services, with the backing of greater resources, product investment, and scalability.

For our current customers who have both Castleton and Deeplake solutions, we will be making contact to review the use of the product, with a view of bringing you up to speed on the new roadmap for the solution. We will be looking to ensure all customers are upgraded to the GDPR facilitating version of the solution and discuss options of using Castleton’s new training facility to deliver refresher training.

For our customers who are new to Communications Manager, we will be running a series of Webinars in the very near future with some attractive deals for first-time customers. You can contact your account manager for further information on this.

The post Acquisition of Deeplake Digital appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Since the acquisition of Kinetic Information Systems Pty Ltd back in late December 2017, Castleton Australia have grown from strength to strength. Kinetic already had an established reputation for delivering quality software and services, and with the Community Housing sector representing significant growth, we are now able the use the capabilities of the Group to serve existing and new customers better.

Project news
Based in the capital, Canberra Housing Company have commenced an implementation project of both our Housing and Agile solutions. Canberra join a number of other implementations scheduled for go live in 2019 including Community Housing Ltd and Housing Plus. This comes off the back of a busy end to 2018, which saw the team assisting Link Housing with its stock transfer project and undertaking a re-implementation of Compass Housing’s Housing solution. Furthermore, the Castleton Agile solution looks set to transform Community Housing in 2019! Six customers in January alone are set to integrate the mobile solution.

Staff
Russell Budgeon returns to the fold and taking up the reins as Product & Delivery Director. Russell brings with him a wealth of software implementation and housing experience and will be instrumental in leading the operations team and is it continues to grow. The new year also welcomes new roles within the company, including a Technical Consultant, who will play a pivotal role in the deployment of Agile.

Sydney office
Castleton Australia recently re-located to new offices, based North of Sydney. Our office has already played host to a number of meetings and demonstrations with our customers, partners and prospect customers.

The post Castleton Australia goes from strength to strength appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Castleton Technology plc has expanded its operation with new offices in India, which officially opened on 10th December 2018. Operating from Bangalore in the south and Baroda in the north, Castleton India will enhance the company’s capability for development and testing of new social housing software solutions, with a team of 16 people across the two offices.

The move will extend Castleton’s existing ‘bandwidth’, complementing its UK operations and providing additional resources to enable new solutions to be brought to market more quickly while also improving customer response times by delivering enhanced functionality across existing solutions.

Commenting on the launch of Castleton India, CEO Dean Dickinson said, “This move represents a strategic alliance that will add reliable scalability to our UK based organisation. The development team at Castleton UK have been working with the team in India under a collaboration agreement since March 2018 and together produced our latest offering, Castleton.DIGITAL, which was launched successfully earlier this month. We are all very excited about this expansion of our business and look forward to forthcoming projects already in the pipeline.”

Mukesh Patel and Sushil Tasgaonkar, experienced and well-respected figures in the software sector in India, will be respectively Non-executive Chairman and CTO & Managing Director of Castleton Indian operations. Both worked alongside Dean Dickinson over a number of years before Dickinson joined Castleton, and together with Ian Niblock, Director of Development & Product Strategy at Castleton in the UK, represent a trusted team able to deliver on Castleton’s strategic objectives.

With over 600 existing customers, Castleton provides solutions to housing associations seeking to streamline the management of their properties, tenants and workflow. “What sets us apart is our integrated technology to empower our housing providers,” Dickinson concludes. “Where others provide either managed IT services or software solutions, Castleton delivers the most comprehensive set of solutions and services, that interface with customers’ existing systems. That’s what we’re known for and that’s what we’re investing in with Castleton India. It’s an exciting time for the company and we welcome our new colleagues to the Castleton community!”

Photograph features (left to right):
Sushil Tasgaonkar – CTO & Managing Director, Castleton Indian Operations
Mukesh Patel – Non-executive Chairman, Castleton Indian Operations
Dean Dickinson – Chief Executive Officer, Castleton Technology plc.
Ian Niblock – Director of Development & Product Strategy, Castleton Technology plc.

The post Castleton expansion in India provides strategic scalability to enhance services appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Survey of UK property experts offers hope for the High Street and shows most in the industry are unfazed by the prospect of Brexit

LONDON – December 10, 2018 – Two thirds (66%) of property professionals in the UK believe former retail premises could be the biggest untapped resource for new residential development, according to a survey by MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions. Nearly three quarters (72%) of those surveyed see residential redevelopment of sites previously used by retailers giving the British High Street a new lease of life, the research report, Charting UK Property Trends, shows.

The research also reveals that three quarters (76%) of the industry experts MRI canvassed think Brexit will not seriously hamper the ability of the UK property sector to get the funding it needs to develop properties – including 94% of the property investors, owners and developers. Over three quarters (77%) of respondents also see demand for residential rentals in the UK accelerating, driven by the continued high cost of buying a home.

“Charting UK Property Trends provides a comprehensive inside view of the challenges property players face today and where the opportunities lie,” says Dermot Briody, Executive Managing Director, Europe at MRI Software. “The research shows we will see a far greater number of people living in town centres, which will give a boost to retailers on the High Street while feeding other businesses such as gyms and entertainment venues.”

The survey took the responses of 144 senior property experts from a range of organisations, including investors/owners/developers, consultants, contractors, property managers, sales and lettings agents, service providers, and business occupiers.

“The vast majority of industry players we surveyed were bullish on the outlook for the sector,” Briody notes. “Even where Brexit is concerned, the positive outweighed the negative, as two-thirds maintain that even a Hard Brexit won’t hurt their ability to get funding for property development.”

Other findings in the survey of property professionals include:

• Eight in ten (82%) say ‘Generation Rent’ – young adults unable to purchase a home due to high housing prices – is here to stay, with little likelihood buying conditions will improve
• The same proportion (82%) say Generation Rent is renting for longer, driving demand for higher quality properties
• Nine in ten (90%) see rentals becoming more important to the UK residential market over next 12-18 months
• Four out of five (81%) say co-working / shared office spaces such as WeWork are likely to be users of former retail premises in UK town and city centers
• Three quarters (75%) say their organisation struggles to turn the data it holds into actionable insight but needs to be able to do so
• Over half (54%) say connecting up or linking applications, processes and data within their company is difficult and want an easier way to do it

The online survey took place in October and November. To download a copy of the report, click here.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Zoe Mumba / Hugh Filman
020 7486 4900
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com

The post Property Professionals See Former Retail Premises As Biggest Untapped Resource For New Residential Housing In UK, MRI Research Reveals appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Strategic Investment Broadens MRI’s Residential Technology Portfolio

LONDON – December 5, 2018 – MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces the acquisition of Thesaurus Technology, the UK-based provider of cloud-based, self-service software for residential sales and lettings agents. The acquisition, revealed today at MRI’s International Users Conference in London, enhances the company’s technology choices for residential property agents, developers, owners and investors in the UK, from smaller-scale systems for local businesses up to fully-tailored, enterprise-level options for the largest organisations.

“We believe in the power of technology to help property businesses of any size identify commercial opportunities, enhance services and create efficiencies,” said Dermot Briody, Executive Managing Director of Europe, MRI Software. “The acquisition of Thesaurus Technology widens our comprehensive range of solutions for the UK residential sector, deepens our understanding and expertise in the space and gives us greater reach into the growing SMB market. By further expanding our ability to help clients harness technology across multiple touchpoints for their customers and stakeholders, we can continue to partner with real estate organisations at every stage of their business development.”

Thesaurus offers specialist software for estate and letting agencies to handle activities including tracking sales, updating databases, generating invoices and creating management reports. The technology is available with pay-as-you-go monthly subscriptions, either in the cloud or installed on desktops. Thesaurus also offers a UK postcode lookup solution through a sister company, which may have applications for many of MRI’s current UK residential clients. MRI will continue to support all existing Thesaurus users, as well as bring benefits from the wider range of complementary software solutions in its suite.

“MRI is delivering innovation in the UK residential market, making Thesaurus the perfect addition to its stable,” said Kevin Holmes, Director, Thesaurus Technology. “We’re proud to be part of MRI’s UK growth and are excited that our clients will now be able to take advantage of a greatly enhanced range of technology options.”

This latest development builds upon continued momentum for MRI in the UK, including a number of acquisitions of businesses specialising in residential sales, lettings and property management software over the past 14 months. In addition, June this year saw the launch of the MRI Residential Suite in the UK, a dedicated platform for the Private Rented Sector, capable of streamlining everything from marketing to resident payments and service requests.

Shea & Company acted as the exclusive financial advisor to MRI Software and its private equity sponsors, GI Partners and TA Associates.

Supporting Resources

• MRI Software Acquires CML Software
• MRI Software Announces New Residential Proptech solution for the UK
• MRI Software Acquires Qube Global Software

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform, coupled with an open and connected ecosystem, meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Zoe Mumba / Hugh Filman
Platform Communications
mri@platformcomms.com

The post MRI Software Acquires Thesaurus Technology to Expand its Comprehensive Range of Solutions Specifically Designed for the UK Residential Market appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Alpha, a not for profit Housing Association, took the decision to replace its inefficient and laborious systems for managing its fixed assets with a specialist software solution from MRI Software (MRI). Previously using a mix of spreadsheets alongside its housing management system to manage the depreciation of its £28 million asset base on an annual basis, it was essential to move from this time consuming process and make it a monthly task to improve efficiency and productivity.

Alpha is based on the Wirral and specialises in sheltered accommodation for the over 55’s. Employing approximately 100 staff, it is a long-standing organisation with more than 880 apartments in 11 local authorities across the North of England. Its developments offer residents a place of their own to live, but with the security and company of a dedicated team of Development Managers and Housekeepers close by whenever they are needed.

In terms of timing, Alpha was also in the process of changing its housing management software provider and its preferred choice did not offer a component accounting module, which reinforced its decision to review its fixed asset systems. Gemma Livesey-Scicluna, Assistant Management Accountant at Alpha comments, “Prior to purchasing MRI’s software, our property assets were maintained in our housing management software with an import created annually which involved approximately 4 weeks of work between ourselves and the software provider to get the data in and verified. To make matters worse, we were then managing our non-property assets separately via a spreadsheet”. Livesey-Scicluna continues, “It was essential to select a system which would support the monthly calculation of depreciation and one which could produce the required journals for our Exchequer finance system.”

MRI’s component accounting software was swiftly identified and selected as system of choice following a recommendation from its finance system provider as well as receiving a number of positive endorsements from existing MRI clients. Alpha felt assured that the software ticked all of its boxes and offered good value for money.

Going forward, the new software will manage Alpha’s 880+ properties which is due to rise to 960 by September 2020. The system will centrally track and control its housing assets consisting of such components as bathrooms, kitchens, boilers and electrics as well as its non-property assets such as computers, mobiles, tables and chairs. Livesey-Scicluna states, “We are fully anticipating to realise quick win benefits from the use of MRI’s solution. Having the capability to schedule monthly depreciation calculation runs will not only enable huge time saving efficiencies and simplify procedure at year-end, but crucially, allow us to exercise more stringent control over our month-end accounts, ensuring timely and accurate reporting in compliance with FRS 102”.

Essentially, the new system will transform Alpha’s ability to manage its asset base. Being able to maintain complete and up to date information on asset status, history and location will increase transparency and visibility whilst having the functionality to process batch events including revaluations and impairments and being able to account for historic cost valuation will significantly automate its manual procedures and improve productivity.

Livesey-Scicluna concludes, “We have been very impressed thus far with the level of service received from MRI. Our implementation manager was an absolute pleasure to work with, always available for assistance regardless of the time of day whilst ensuring that the project ran smoothly at all times. We look forward to a strong working relationship with MRI going forward”.

The post Alpha implements solution to save valuable time at year-end appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Castleton Managed Services is are delighted to announce that we will be working with Circle Voluntary Housing Association to provide them with a new hosted desktop managed IT infrastructure.

About CVHA

Circle Voluntary Housing Association was set up in 2003 to provide high quality social and affordable housing to families and individuals in the Dublin area. It now operates in 28 schemes across Dublin and Kildare, providing housing to approved applicants on local authority housing waiting lists. It also provides facilities management services. Circle VHA works in partnership with tenants, statutory and community-based agencies to enable socially responsible, environmentally acceptable and sustainable communities in its developments.

The Vision

This state of the art cloud-based solution will facilitate CVHA’s vision to make delivering services to customers seamless.  Mobile technology will be used to provide user access to key applications, enabling staff to work from wherever they need to work. Castleton will work alongside the CVHA management team to help completely transform how the organisation operates. The new solution will deliver more than just IT, it will complement and help CVHA enhance their day to day operations, will be scalable to allow for further expansion of the organisation’s assets capabilities, and will result in a complete business transformation. Through Castleton, CVHA will provide employees with the tools to manage operations flexibly and drive efficiencies, delivering fit-for-purpose enhanced service delivery to its customers.

The Solution

Castleton will provide a cloud-managed desktop as a service hosted in Castleton Tier 3 data-centres complete with business continuity via Castleton’s leading backup and disaster recovery service and a managed service desk which will deliver support and service improvements to the Circle user base both remotely and onsite. The contract, which has a duration of five and a half years, builds upon the existing relationship Castleton has with Circle, who currently uses six of Castleton’s social housing software products.

Castleton’s ethos is to build long-term customer partnerships, working with our customers, as trusted advisors, this ensures we not only deliver on the services needed today, but constantly identify and recommend innovations, efficiencies, and cost savings.

We are delighted to enter into this contract with Castleton to provide the managed service offerings.  Castleton demonstrated to us the best offering in the tender process and the best pricing. We are already using a range of their software products on a hosted basis, which gave them good insight into our business and we see the combined offering significantly improving our operational capability.

John Hannigan, CEO for Circle.

The post Castleton to deliver new Hosted Desktop to Circle Voluntary Housing Association appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Camphill Village Trust (CVT) has selected MRI Software’s (MRI) fixed asset software to improve the financial reporting for its 300+ properties. Driven by the decision to implement component accounting under SORP guidelines, the charity recognised the need to move away from its current spreadsheet based system and invest in a specialist solution to confidently manage the increase in assets as a result of componentisation.

With an annual turnover of £20 million and 317 staff, CVT is a leading, long established and progressive UK charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other support needs. It supports people in their home life, work, social and cultural activities throughout its 9 urban and rural communities across England.

We are confident that the new software will enable our transition to component accounting to be as smooth and painless as possible…

Recommended to CVT by its auditors, MRI’s software was selected as system of choice due to its proven reputation and extensive use by more than 180 not-for-profit (NFP) and housing clients. Going forward, the charity’s asset register will increase from 300 to almost 2,500 records under component accounting for which depreciation calculations and detailed reporting will be required. Balbinder Lally, Central Financial Controller at Camphill Village Trust comments, “Even managing our small number of property assets on a spreadsheet had started to become time consuming and its limitations for analysis and reporting were apparent. Whilst as a charity we are not yet enforced to comply with SORP requirements, we were keen to follow best practice and to get our accounts, processes and procedures up to date in preparation for meeting any future regulations.”

Lally continues, “The new system will allow CVT to adopt component accounting with the peace of mind that all data is recorded within a central location and most importantly, that the depreciation on each component is being calculated correctly and that all financial reporting is accurate.”

Used alongside CVT’s finance system, Sage 50, MRI’s software will provide the charity with the facility to create user-definable fields for comprehensive searching and analysis as well as the ability to produce instant analysis reports in accordance with SORP for past, present and future periods. In addition, having access to a comprehensive user audit trail and the ability to import component replacement assets with automatic disposal of the existing component record will not only ensure resource efficiency across the department but also greatly simplify year-end procedure.

Due to go live with the new system in April 2016, CVT is busy preparing its accounts to start the new financial year on the right note and in compliance with SORP/FRS 102 requirements. Lally concludes, “We have so far been impressed with the professionalism displayed by MRI and the expertise provided in demonstrating the system’s functionality and highlighting best practice based on similar industry user experiences. We are confident that the new software will enable our transition to component accounting to be as smooth and painless as possible and also provide us with a platform to increase our asset visibility and accountability.”

The post Camphill Village Trust implements component accounting software to meet SORP/FRS 102 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

The post Latest innovation from Castleton is set to change the social housing market appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

“Our incredible roster of clients and partners are the foundation of MRI, and we’re so proud of how many of them are with us at our 2018 North American IUC,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “These four award winners, in particular, stood out over the past year. Not only are they providing exceptional value to their clients, they are doing amazing work to pioneer advancements in real estate technology and push the limits of what’s possible for the industry.”

2018 MRI Innovation Awards – Impact: Phillips Edison & Company (PECO)
Phillips Edison, a nationwide owner and manager of grocery-anchored shopping centers, received the Impact Award for its pioneering use of robotics and machine learning in concert with MRI solutions. The result has been increased business productivity through optimized decision making, enhanced cross-functional data sharing and heightened analytical precision.

2018 MRI Innovation Awards – Flexibility: CBRE Group
CBRE Group, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, was honored for its innovative use of the MRI Information Exchange (MIX) APIs to connect its own proprietary systems with MRI’s financial and accounting platform. As a result, CBRE was able to streamline data audits, simplify reporting and reduce manual processes.

2018 MRI Innovation Awards – Ambassador of the Year: Mirriam Livingstone, Village Green
Mirriam Livingstone, vice president of operations services at Village Green, one of the nation’s largest apartment property management companies, has made exemplary contributions and displayed strong leadership in the real estate community. Mirriam and her team actively participate in MRI users groups, and they have provided instrumental input into MRI’s residential management feature sets and partner integrations. As a genuine advocate for her organization, Mirriam’s collaboration with MRI has truly helped shape the future of real estate software.

2018 MRI Innovation Awards – Partner of the Year: VTS
VTS, the commercial real estate industry’s leading leasing and asset management platform, was selected as an outstanding member of MRI’s Partner Connect program. VTS ranks among MRI’s highest rated partners in client satisfaction, offers the capability to integrate with MRI’s solutions across the world to serve clients globally, and has one of the highest adoption rates of any partner among MRI clients. The commercial success of this partnership is possible through the strength of the VTS solution and the active, close collaboration between the MRI Partner Connect and VTS teams.

The MRI International Users Conference is an annual event that brings MRI staff, clients and partners together for educational sessions, hands-on product training and networking. Due to the company’s significant international growth over the past twelve months, MRI is expanding to host regionally focused conferences. MRI will host an EMEA International Users Conference in London on December 5, 2018, and an APAC International Users Conference in Sydney on March 19-20, 2019.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Chet Murray
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com

The post MRI Software Honors Real Estate Technology Leaders with 2018 MRI Innovation Awards appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Real estate accounting teams have historically struggled with relying on spreadsheets to accurately account for their loans, leading to discrepancies and additional work to reconcile loan transactions. In addition, a lack of debt visibility can cause real estate organizations to incur debt penalties and miss re-finance opportunities.

Whether debt functions as a liability or an asset, MRI Debt Management aggregates all debt information including loans and their terms, abstract and contractual information and lenders. Additionally, the application’s calculation engine computes all future principal and interest payments over time through the maturity of any loan, giving users insight into all commitments over the entirety of the loan. These calculated payments can create journals to post directly into MRI’s accounting platform, reducing inefficient and error-prone spreadsheet calculations and manual creation of journal entries. The system also allows users to simplify the management of escrow payments.

“Small real estate organizations may be able to function managing their debt in spreadsheets, but as soon as you have more than a few contracts or more complex agreements, it becomes unmanageable and leads to business risk,” said Stan Price, Senior Vice President of Investment Solutions at MRI Software. “The addition of MRI Debt Management to our accounting offering enhances the reliable, real estate-dedicated software solutions already enjoyed by our clients. Featuring a central database of all debt contracts and a robust debt calculation engine that are fully integrated with MRI’s accounting platform, this solution offers a comprehensive, actionable view of any organizational debts – past, present and future.”

MRI Debt Management is available to current MRI clients immediately. The tried and trusted calculation engine is already in use today by clients around the world, including Oxford Properties, Derwent London, Charter Hall and Growthpoint Properties as part of MRI’s Fund Modeling and Asset Modeling products.

Supporting resources:

• Debt Management data sheet
• Whiteboard Wednesday Video: Debt Management

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contact:
Chet Murray
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com

The post MRI Software Announces Debt Management for Real Estate appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Earlier this year, Castleton Technology Plc were named by the London Stock Exchange Group as part of the 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. The report, in its fifth anniversary, celebrates of some of the fastest-growing, most dynamic SMEs and high-growth British companies, across multiple regions and business sectors.

To be included in the report, companies had to show consistent revenue growth over a minimum of three years, significantly outperforming their industry peers against SIC (Standard Industrial Classifications). Nikhil Rathi, CEO, London Stock Exchange Plc: “We warmly congratulate all of the companies identified in this year’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report. Five years on, the report continues to demonstrate the strength and diversity of British businesses across the country. These dynamic companies are the backbone of our economy, playing an important role in the UK’s ability to innovate, export and grow. This report is a significant part of London Stock Exchange Group’s broader campaign to support UK high growth companies. We are committed to championing British businesses and Britain’s dynamic entrepreneurial spirit.”

The post Proud to be part of the 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

North Wales-based local authority, Wrexham County Borough Council, is using capital accounting software from MRI Software (MRI), to manage and track its 3,500+ assets worth more than £1 billion. The solution provides the Council with the detailed functionality required for IFRS compliance, as well as creating a robust audit trail and increasing back-office efficiencies.

With a cash limited budget of £250 million and approximately 6,000 employees, the Council provides Wrexham and its surrounding areas with advice and services on such things as housing, social care and education, and serves a population of approximately 135,000 people.

Key drivers for selecting MRI’s capital accounting software included having access to reliable and intelligently designed functionality as well as a journal output for financial ledger entries. Karl Griffiths, Finance Business Partner at Wrexham County Borough Council comments, “Prior to purchasing the MRI software we used spreadsheets to manage our capital assets which were time-consuming and prone to error. It was proving to be a lengthy process using complex formulae which made it very difficult to maintain and ensure consistency for audits.”

The Council uses MRI’s centralised asset register to record detailed information on such assets as its land and buildings, infrastructure, vehicles and equipment. It provides the means of storing and managing all of its fixed asset data, controlling each asset at component level and providing highly accurate and reliable depreciation calculations. Of particular benefit to Wrexham County Borough Council is the functionality to record and report on in-financial year movement regarding assets such as revaluations, impairments, additions and disposals. The MRI system generates the management information and relevant journal entries to reflect these activities in an easy and timely manner.

MRI’s capital accounting software has provided the Council with solid efficiencies throughout its closedown and audit period. Griffiths explained, “Thanks to the levels of automation provided by MRI’s system, the auditing process is much more straightforward now, as checks take less time and our auditors have the assurance that the system can be relied upon for maintaining accurate records.

“I couldn’t imagine trying to complete our financial year-end without the MRI system. From the flexibility and speed of reporting to the accurate financial calculations, we have achieved invaluable time and resource efficiencies.”

Griffiths concluded, “We selected the system from MRI due to its excellent reputation amongst existing users in local authorities across the UK and we have not been disappointed. We have a secure and robust system which is specifically tailored to meet the Council’s needs, as well as access to an excellent technical support team who are always helpful, professional and courteous.”

The post Wrexham County Borough Council controls £1.1 billion worth of assets with specialist capital accounting software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Castleton’s renowned Housing Management Solution has been in use for over 20 years in the Social Housing Sector, not only is it well established in the UK but also in Australia.

In 2018, Castleton decided it was time to make the most significant changes to the solution in its history and set out to develop the highly anticipated new version; ‘Housing 2019’ due to be released at the end of the year.

Development Manager, Gary Wheeler was tasked with reinventing Castleton’s Housing Solution to enhance the user experience in line with the latest technology advancements and data regulations. Gary has created a Housing Solution like no other, it is highly customisable, intuitive, and compliant with GDPR.

Gary has summarised what Housing 2019 offers:

“Provides a more fluid experience with an emphasis to deliver easier day to day usage. While empowering customers with the tools necessary to apply customisation to the design during the deployment, implementation stages & the future.

 Driving users to the areas of importance, with more visualisations of the data while unifying the look and feel.

 Key factors being: Simplicity, Uniformity & Flexibility without sacrificing functionality”

Although Housing 2019 retains are all the core functionality of the previous versions, it has been redesigned to make the processes easier, smarter and faster. Those familiar with the previous versions will need to get acquainted with the new wizard workflow and custom interface, including our staff.

Therefore, Gary is running Housing 2019 sessions for Sales and Implementations staff to take them through the new system and key new features that they will be sharing with customers. The first sessions were held at our Milton Keynes office on 11th September 2018. Sales and Implementations staff in attendance were delighted with the new solution and Gary was able to answer all of their queries prior to the customer release.

Feedback from the session was extremely positive, as below.

Chris Prime, Account Manager:
“As the majority of my accounts use the Castleton Housing solution, I know this release will provide further capabilities to our customers, and not only relating to GDPR. Housing 2019 is really going to free up time with its intelligent processes; how you get to the information you require is now within ‘one click’ rather than multiple steps. The customisable interface and role management will certainly help to improve the user experience and assist our customers in delivering a more efficient service to their tenants.”

Stephanie Portman, Project Manager:
“Housing 2019, is one of the most simple, efficient solutions I have seen. The possibilities are endless as the system can be configured to whatever the customer wants; this will be have a huge impact as I know many users within one organisation will want to display different information depending on their role. Housing 2019 makes this so easy to set up and to use for everyone.”

Darron Brookes, Housing Product Manager:
“Castleton Housing 2019 has been designed with the user in mind, intuitive with a modern look and feel across all modules, with a simplistic ease of use that users will instantly embrace.

Visualisations of the data, will direct the users to the right information, first time, resulting in greater performance.”

Housing 2019, will be available to customers in late 2018. Look out for more updates on the release coming soon.

If you are interested in upgrading please contact your Account Manager or if you are new to Castleton Housing and would like more information please contact us.

The post Here comes Housing 2019… appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

SOLON, Ohio – August 14, 2018 – MRI Software today announced that it was named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award in the Large Computer Software Company of the Year category in the 15th Annual International Business Awards®.

The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small – are eligible to submit nominations. The 2018 IBAs received entries from 74 nations and territories.

Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala awards banquet at the InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel in London, England on 20 October.

More than 3,900 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. MRI’s award recognizes the company’s radical vision for and commitment to an open and connected proptech ecosystem, as well as its extraordinary growth and product innovation. MRI gives its clients the freedom to integrate with third-party applications from more than 130 providers in its Partner Connect ecosystem, including software that competes with its own offerings. Membership in the Partner Connect program grew by nearly 65% from 2016 to 2017. Further, MRI saw a 38 percent increase in organic bookings and 81 percent growth in new clients over 2016, not including revenue and clients from the eight acquisitions the company made in 2017.

Judges were particularly impressed with the company’s open approach to integrating with other software providers, including some whose applications compete with MRI. Comments included:

• “Great real estate software, which enables real estate companies to integrate nearly any software with the MRI platform, so they can choose the perfect solution for their company.”
• “When you are comfortable with giving your clients the freedom to integrate your software with third-party applications, you enable them.”
• “Definitely [MRI Software] took a step ahead of others in this specific domain of business and stood prominent.”

“Winning the Silver Stevie for Company of the Year in computer software is a fantastic validation of the incredible work the MRI team has done over the past few years,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “While other real estate technology providers offer a limiting, one-size-fits-all, single-stack approach, MRI’s open and connected platform gives its clients the freedom to create a unified Single Experience that meets their unique business needs. MRI’s strategic international expansion combined with our open approach to real estate software has resonated strongly with the market, fueling our rapid growth. We are proud to accept this award from the Stevies.”

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 270 executives worldwide who participated on 12 juries.

“This year’s Stevie Award winners in the IBAs are the most distinguished group of winners we’ve had yet,” said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. “We raised the minimum average score from the judges required to qualify as a Stevie winner, so 2018 winners should be especially proud of their achievements. We look forward to presenting their Stevies to them in London on October 20, and to telling their stories over the coming year through Stevie Awards media.”

Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About the Stevie® Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com.

Media Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Wins Silver Stevie® Award in 2018 International Business Awards® appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

SOLON, Ohio – August 21, 2018 – MRI Software LLC (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced another successful quarter of worldwide growth. In the second quarter of 2018, global demand for MRI Software’s comprehensive and connected suite of real estate solutions continued to accelerate, boosting quarterly bookings to an all-time high that was 69 percent more than the same period in 2017.

All global regions experienced significant growth, though EMEA delivered the largest year-over-year percentage growth. The company added 166 new clients in Q2 2018, which is 60 percent more than it won a year earlier, and the number of employees grew by 65 percent.

MRI’s global growth strategy of providing open and connected software continues to gain momentum, marked particularly by key accomplishments in EMEA:

• Grainger plc, the UK’s largest property landlord with a portfolio of more than 9,000 residential properties valued at £2.7 billion, has chosen MRI as its core software platform to power its digital transformation and growth in the emerging private rented sector (PRS).
• Release of a new version of the MRI Residential Suite for the UK includes functionality that addresses the unique needs of the UK PRS market. MRI collaborated closely with UK PRS leaders to adapt the software.

MRI maintained its aggressive approach to growth with two acquisitions in early July: PropSys, a property software solution provider based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and CML Software, a Reading, UK-based provider of residential agency, block management and build-to-rent solutions. These moves mark MRI’s third acquisition in the UK, following its 2017 purchases of Qube Global Software and Real Asset Management, and its second in South Africa, following its December purchase of MDA Property Systems.

“I could not be more proud of the MRI team and our achievements in Q2,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “We’ve been on an aggressive growth path, but our people have remained focused. The global market is clearly embracing our open and connected approach to real estate software, and our results speak to both the quality of our solutions and the value we’re creating for our clients.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-6413

The post MRI Software Announces Record Quarter Driven by Growth in All Worldwide Regions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

The Castleton, Roadshow hit the road in July, visiting several locations across the country. Senior Castleton, staff presented Castleton’s latest updates and solutions to the customer base personally and conveniently to suit customers’ busy schedules.

The events were held in Bristol, London, Stoke, and Leeds, with future events planned for Scotland and Ireland.

The Roadshows were a great opportunity for customers to engage with Castleton, personnel and peers to build a better rapport and understanding of the Castleton, strategy.

The agenda covered several corporate updates from Castleton, on the strategy, financial performance, structure, support, implementations, development, and product roadmaps, plus  Castleton Social Housing software solution showcases including upcoming product releases:  Housing, Document Management, Housing Mobile, Housing Digital, a  Managed Services overview and case studies.

Feedback from the events has been very positive, and Castleton will be taking on board all your comments to enhance future events.

Feedback included:

“It was great to talk to other clients and exchange stories/experiences. This was the real value of the session.”

“Useful mix of product and services – good to see road-maps”

“This roadshow was useful to see what Castleton is doing with regards to GDPR in some of their products.”

“The customer case studies were excellent”

“I’m excited about the release of Document Management and Housing Mobile”

“The IT Technology Forum with Castleton Managed Services was the highlight for me”

Castleton appreciates all the support and time given by customers to attend and for their collaboration and enthusiasm participating in discussions.

Castleton also hosted an event for Housing Sector Consultants, to share the same content with them.  The event was well received by the attendees, who were extremely positive about the direction Castleton is taking to transform service delivery in the sector.

Have a look at our Roadshow video, including interviews with attendees.

The post Social Housing Roadshows appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

The post Enhancing Housing Services 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Amber Taverns, a long-standing client of MRI Software (MRI), is using its fixed asset accounting software to efficiently control and manage its asset base worth in excess of £100 million. The system was implemented initially to replace its manual spreadsheet-based process which had become unviable due to the organisation’s rapid growth rate and the increased number of assets to be updated each period end.

With an ever-increasing turnover, Amber Taverns is a multi-site pub operating company with 154 public houses across the North West, North East, Midlands, Scotland and Wales. The company is unique in that it offers an operator agreement to its licensees whereby they are incentivised to develop the business.

Interfaced with Amber Tavern’s finance system, Sage 200, the fixed asset accounting software manages its 20,000+ assets across multiple sites, a number which grows month on month. Such assets include computer equipment at the head office and fridges, cellar coolers and bar equipment at each location. Glyn Lawson, Financial Accountant at Amber Taverns comments, “We have been able to achieve accurate, detailed and automated financial control and reporting since choosing MRI’s fixed asset solution, leading to an increase in overall efficiencies and time savings.”

The system has not only proved useful in calculating depreciation on a period-by-period basis but also in forecasting the depreciation charge for the next 12 months and beyond, which has aided the budgeting process and improved financial planning. However, the standout feature for Amber Taverns has been the use of MRI’s Toolkit for Excel which enables the quick and easy import and export of information relating to new and existing assets. Lawson states, “Being able to download data and perform en mass modifications to asset analysis codes, descriptions, notes and date fields and then upload again in a matter of seconds has transformed our month end processes. In particular, uploading transactions such as revaluations, additions and disposals in bulk has resulted in significant time savings.”

Having the confidence that its asset register is accurate and up to date is a major benefit to Amber Taverns, specifically in terms of IFRS compliance. The system allows for exceptional detailed analysis and having the facility to drill down and provide its auditors with accurate financial data has been pivotal in meeting audit requirements. Lawson explains, “The system’s reporting capabilities are second to none and enable us to produce any type of report required quickly and easily, be it a standard or customised version.”

Lawson continues, “Through the use of MRI’s fixed asset solution, a good day’s worth of work is saved per period, freeing up the team to focus on key financial decision making and other business critical tasks.”

Commenting on the long-standing relationship with MRI, Lawson concludes, “We have worked alongside MRI for the past eight years and during this period we have enjoyed a high level of service. We have had very few problems with the software but on the rare occasions that we have run into difficulties, the helpdesk has provided an immediate response to our queries.”

The post Amber Taverns meets audit requirements with specialist fixed asset accounting software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Reinforces Commitment to the UK and the Evolving PRS Market

London – July 12, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of CML Software, a Reading-based provider of residential agency, block management and build-to-rent solutions. This acquisition demonstrates MRI’s continued commitment to the United Kingdom residential market and expands its range of software solutions for sales, lettings and property management. The acquisition will add additional top tier agency market names into the MRI client base, strengthening the organisation’s position as the largest commercial real estate software provider in EMEA, serving more than 2,500 clients in the region.

“We are very pleased to welcome CML to the MRI Software family of companies,” said Dermot
Briody, Executive Managing Director for Europe at MRI. “CML’s software for residential
agencies and portfolio management rounds out MRI’s comprehensive offering for the diverse
UK residential market. Further, CML adds flagship clients to MRI’s extensive roster
and further enhances our team of experts on the ground in the United Kingdom. As we continue to invest in and enhance the solutions of all our recent acquisitions, including CML and Qube Global Software, our expanded footprint in the UK will enable us to even better serve and support our EMEA clients.” Briody adds. “The acquisition brings together two fast-growing organisations and delivers the opportunity to further increase market share for MRI, in a sector where many other existing players are being disrupted by market dynamics.”

CML Software’s solutions are specifically designed to address the needs of multi-office estate and lettings agencies, with robust analytics, multi-level reporting, and detailed permissions and role management. CML’s agency-branded web and mobile portals enable anytime, anywhere engagement with today’s digitally-oriented vendors, landlords and tenants. Adding these to the portfolio of solutions already on offer will create even more choice and flexibility for clients and allow for further development of the product suite through greater expertise and resources.

“MRI Software is the largest commercial real estate software company in EMEA, and, given how well our solutions fit within their suite, this acquisition will benefit CML’s clients by providing greater resources for support and access to a broad set of innovative proptech solutions,” said Al Chetwode, Managing Director at CML Software. “Meanwhile, MRI’s clients stand to benefit as well from the complementary solutions we are bringing to the MRI family. It’s a great combination, and we’re proud to join MRI.”

CML Software is MRI Software’s third acquisition in the UK, following its acquisitions of Qube and Real Asset Management in 2017. It is also MRI’s fifth acquisition in the EMEA region and its ninth acquisition overall since September 2017. CML, Qube and MRI clients will continue to be served without interruption while near-term integration activities focus on providing expanded offerings to all clients. Shea & Company acted as the exclusive financial advisor to MRI Software and their private equity sponsors, GI Partners and TA Associates.

Supporting Resources

• MRI Software Announces New Residential Proptech Solution for the UK
• MRI Software Acquires Qube Global Software

About CML Software
CML Software provides enterprise software to multiple-office sales and letting agents, as well as large property management and block management companies. The company’s products cover a range of disciplines from CRM capabilities through to property management, renewals, client accounting, portfolio accounting and block management. With a reputation for reliability and technical excellence, CML’s software works flexibly through the complete property business cycle to add efficient control, automation and process simplification at the same time as delivering tangible business value. For more information please visit cmlsoftware.com

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Expands UK Residential Proptech Offerings with Acquisition of CML Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

SOLON, Ohio – July 10, 2018 – MRI Software LLC (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced that Clarion Partners, a global real estate investment firm with $45.6 billion in assets under management, has selected MRI Investment Accounting as its fund accounting solution in concert with Clarion’s existing deployment of MRI’s property management and accounting platform.

Clarion Partners was evaluating solutions to enhance its portfolio accounting functionality, including identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen controls, and support complex investment structures. After a rigorous due diligence process, Clarion Partners chose MRI Investment Accounting as its portfolio accounting solution.

“MRI Investment Accounting will allow us to maintain records at each level from the underlying asset up to the client ledger within our accounting system, which will significantly streamline our internal operations,” said John Wanamaker, Chief Technology Officer of Clarion Partners. “Automating the rollup was a central requirement of our evaluation process and will give us full transparency through all levels of the ownership structures.”

The flexibility and openness of MRI’s Platform X also influenced Clarion’s decision. Specifically, MRI’s open and connected architecture ensured that Clarion could integrate additional future software into its MRI deployment.

“MRI’s approach to working with partners and facilitating integrations was a major factor in our decision,” Wanamaker said. “Our requirements will continue to evolve with our client’s needs, and MRI’s flexibility will allow us to extend our capabilities as needed and bring in best-of-breed solutions.”

Built on top of MRI’s flagship Platform X, MRI Investment Accounting automates the consolidation of property data and financials for even the most complex fund structures. The solution will enable Clarion Partners to track all investments, from clients through portfolios down to individual assets, helping to streamline the audit processes and enhance data integrity.

“For real estate organizations struggling to manage complex investment structures, MRI’s Investment Accounting automates the creation of financial statements, payment of contributions and distributions via waterfalls, and delivery of up-to-date reporting to internal and external stakeholders,” said Stan Price, Senior Vice President, Investment Solutions at MRI Software. “Our open and connected approach to software gives real estate firms a flexible portfolio accounting solution that scales as their business grows.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-6413

The post Global Real Estate Investment Firm Clarion Partners Selects MRI Software’s Investment Accounting Solution to Automate and Manage Fund Accounting appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Reinforces Commitment to Growing African Market

London – July 4, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of PropSys, a property software solution provider based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in 2003, but with institutional and market experience in the region that goes back to 1977 thanks to an acquisition of its own, PropSys has established a strong foothold in the South African market with nearly 200 clients and a solutions portfolio that serves real estate companies of all sizes. This acquisition, in conjunction with MRI’s recent acquisition of Cape Town-based MDA Property Systems, makes MRI the clear market share leader for commercial real estate software in South Africa and the surrounding region and solidifies MRI’s position as one of the largest players in the African continent and the Middle East.

“Bringing the PropSys suite of products under the MRI umbrella strengthens our presence in the region not just by growing our pool of real estate talent in South Africa to more than 50 and giving us a commanding market share, but also by providing access to the deep relationships and market knowledge that PropSys has acquired over the past 15 years,” said Mark Fairweather, Managing Director, Africa, for MRI Software. “With the combined strength of MRI, MDA and PropSys, we’re in a terrific place to continue helping real estate companies in Africa and the larger EMEA region take their business where they want to go for years to come.”

MRI Software will continue to support PropSys property management and financial solutions, and clients will receive the same level of exceptional service. In addition, PropSys clients will benefit from MRI’s comprehensive software portfolio and commitment to product innovation. The breadth of MRI’s solutions set will offer PropSys clients new avenues to increase their efficiencies and facilitate the growth of their businesses. The MRI Investment Suite, for example, features MRI Global Valuations which allows clients to quickly and accurately value complex commercial assets, while the MRI Financials Suite includes MRI Fixed Assets accounting software, a comprehensive solution that maximizes tax benefits, improves compliance and increases asset ROI.

“The opportunity to join MRI at a time of such exciting growth in the real estate sector, both in South Africa and across the world, was simply too good to pass up,” said Marius Vermeulen, CEO of PropSys. “With MRI’s expansive software capabilities, global reach and commitment to South Africa and Africa as a whole, I have the utmost confidence that the combination of our companies will help our clients reach new heights.”

PropSys is MRI Software’s second acquisition in South Africa, following its acquisition of MDA Property Systems in December 2017. It is also MRI’s fourth acquisition in the EMEA region and its eighth acquisition overall since September 2017. This expansion mindset, in combination with MRI’s commitment to its comprehensive and open real estate software platform, has fueled significant revenue, bookings and new client growth.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge.

About PropSys
PropSys offers property management solutions for the real estate industry on hosted and on-premises platforms since 1977. Clients include managing agents, property owners, corporate entities and listed property funds. PropSys has excellent client relationships that dates back over four decades, with products for the real estate industry that create efficiency, leverage economies of scale and serve clients with innovative, user-friendly reporting and online functionality.

Media Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

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MRI Residential Suite Delivers Powerful Features that Address the Unique Business Requirements of the U.K. Private Rented Sector

SOLON, Ohio – June 27, 2018 – MRI Software LLC (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced its industry-leading residential proptech solution is generally available in the U.K. to meet the unique needs of the emerging private rented sector (PRS) market. In bringing its Residential Suite to the U.K., MRI collaborated with U.K. PRS leaders to adapt the software to address the emerging needs of residential managers contending with significant investment and change.

According to a 2017 report from Knight Frank, nearly one in four households in England will be living in rented properties by 2021. As the demand for rentals continues to rise, large-scale investment in multi-housing and build-to-rent schemes has also risen, particularly in London. Tech-savvy renters expect a streamlined level of service that can be accessed from their smartphone, yet 88 percent of residential managers in the U.K. feel unprepared to meet the demands of the growing user base, according to a survey conducted by Qube Global Software, an MRI Software company.

MRI’s Residential Suite complements perfectly the company’s existing offerings for the U.K. residential sector, including those gained through its acquisition of Qube in October 2017. These solutions are widely used in a number of residential property management disciplines, including leasehold block management, sales and lettings, as well as a number of build-to-rent operations. The company’s residential offerings support more than 7.9 million units around the world and offer residential managers in the U.K. the expansive tools they require to address the needs of a new generation of renters. A leading solution in the U.S., MRI’s Residential Suite is trusted by 88 percent of the top 50 managers and 66 percent of the top 50 owners in the National Multifamily Housing Council’s (NMHC) annual ranking to manage their residential properties.

“The PRS market in the U.K. is rapidly expanding, and MRI is proud to provide real estate organisations with an open and flexible software solution to manage and scale their PRS business,” said Dermot Briody, MRI Software’s Executive Managing Director of Europe. “Our award-winning Qube PM and SLM offerings have served the U.K. market for a number of years, and we’re pleased to now complement these solutions with an expansive suite designed specifically to meet the needs of the nation’s evolving PRS sector. Our powerful global platform has the flexibility to meet the unique requirements of U.K. residential managers, and MRI’s substantial local presence provides on-the-ground support to our U.K. clients.”

MRI’s comprehensive and flexible Residential Suite encompasses marketing and leasing functionality, property management, and prospect and resident portals. Through the marketing portal, residential managers can better attract enquirers and showcase properties by integrating with local property portals. MRI’s Residential Suite also supports applications, security deposits and holding fee payments from potential new residents. Finally, once prospects become residents, they can use the resident portal to pay online, submit service requests, check their balance, and take advantage of concierge services.

New capabilities for the U.K. market in MRI’s Residential Suite include:

• Flexible rent dates: U.K. property managers have the flexibility to adjust the monthly rent due dates for any tenant.
• Proration: Real estate organisations have the ability to prorate on an annual or monthly basis.
• Step-ups: This solution enables the rent on a multi-year tenancy to increase annually, making it easier to manage three-year lettings.
• Break clause: Property managers can set the ability for a resident to break a lease without penalty after a certain amount of time in the unit.
• Common banking: Fee managers can collect rents into a common bank and then disperse the funds into the proper accounts afterwards.

With the 2017 acquisitions of Qube and Real Asset Management (RAM), MRI is now the largest real estate software provider in the U.K. The company will continue to provide flexible software to support long-term growth and meet the evolving needs of the industry.

Supporting Resources:

• Savills Selects MRI Software’s Property Management and Accounting Solutions for its UK Private Rented Sector Business

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-6413

The post MRI Software Announces New Residential Proptech Solution for the U.K. appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Eaves Property Management Choose Qube

Eaves Property Management, a south east based managing agent, have chosen to implement Qube PM to support their block and estate management business.

Eaves Property Management, founded by Beverley Eves, are a newly formed managing agent set for a rapid expansion in their first few months and there on. They will be implementing Qube PM to ensure that they stay streamlined as they continue to grow with a technology led focus. The operational efficiency of the Qube solution will allow them to dedicate time to their clients and deliver the best possible service whilst continuing to take on more business.

Qube PM is one of the UK’s market leading property management solutions, used by more than 500 customers across the residential, commercial and retail sectors. As the supplier with the largest share of ARMA members as customers, Qube PM is clearly the system of choice for the block management sector.

Beverley Eves, founder of Eaves Property Management said “I wanted to create business with transparency and customer care at the heart of everything we do.  In parallel to efficient day to day management, our customers are increasingly requesting financial information.  We needed a package that would deliver on all aspects of property management, whilst being user friendly for our customers.  For us there was no other solution than Qube.  The investment we have made in what we consider to be the best software available to our industry should be a testimony to our customers that we really care about the service we provide.”

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at Qube said; “Bev and the team have made the right choice to implement the Qube PM solution. I am excited to start work on implementation with them, and using Qube as their foundation, see the company grow over the coming years.”

The post Eaves Property Management Choose Qube | 20 June 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust has selected MRI Software’s (MRI) IFRS compliant capital accounting solution to improve the management and control of its asset base worth £86 million. The best of breed system will replace its current spreadsheet based process, as recommended by its auditors, which had become not only too onerous and time consuming to manage but also lacked the necessary financial reporting required to confidently meet IFRS requirements and those of the Department of Health Group Manual for Accounts.

With an annual turnover of £373 million, the Partnership Trust serves a population of 1.1 million people and is one of the biggest integrated health and social care providers in the UK. The Trust offers health and social care to adults in Staffordshire through integrated local care teams and provides care across the community with specialist services such as sexual health, dental care and a range of children’s services.

Already used by more than 200 NHS Trusts across the UK, the decision to implement MRI’s centralised solution was made simple due to its reputation as a proven and functionally rich software system designed specifically to meet all NHS accounting requirements.

Paul Matthew, Head of Financial Accounting at Partnership Trust comments; “Its reputation across the industry preceded itself but it was also the user friendly and highly configurable nature of the software which sealed the deal.”

Following its move to NHS Shared Business Services in 2013, the Trust will be using MRI’s capital accounting solution alongside its finance system, Oracle Financials, in order to record and track its 500+ capitalised assets which consist largely of buildings, land, furniture, IT and medical equipment.

Paul continues, “We had reached a stage where our assets were being managed on a mammoth spreadsheet more than 100 columns wide. Practically, this was proving to be an extremely arduous task which was prone to error but, more crucially, didn’t provide an acceptable level of forecasting for budget preparation and audit purposes.

“What would typically take me two days at year-end to reconcile and close the accounts will take no more than one hour going forward with the use of MRI’s software and I anticipate a big improvement in the overall visibility and accountability of our asset base. Having the ability to drill down and analyse assets at individual level as well as being able to access a full audit trail at the click of a button will provide huge time and cost efficiencies.”

The new system will now enable the finance team to quickly and easily process revaluations and to automatically calculate depreciation/capital charges and all reserve movements with a supporting audit trail. It will also provide the facility to generate month-end journals for instant upload into the finance system and allow the Trust to access a comprehensive suite of financial reports including the Fixed Asset Note to the Accounts.

Paul adds, “Reporting was a key requirement in our search for a new solution and MRI’s software fully supports our necessarily complex reporting processes. We will now have a greater understanding of the Trust’s overall financial status and be able to provide both management and auditors with a wide range of IFRS compliant reports quickly and easily.”

Partnership NHS Trust has opted to implement a hosted version of MRI’s software in line with its current business strategy. The Trust is already utilising hosted/cloud based services where possible, allowing it to focus on core competencies.

Currently in the implementation phase, the system is due to go live in June. Paul concludes, “We have built up a very good relationship with MRI in the short time we have been working together which has enabled the capital accounting solution to be deployed quickly. We look forward to using the system to its full potential during financial year 2016/17 and to realising the time, cost and productivity efficiencies so badly needed.”

The post West Midlands based NHS Trust implements accounting solution appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Halfords, one of the UK’s most recognisable consumer brands, has selected Horizon to deliver complete property and lease management technology solutions across its portfolio of more than 750 nationwide locations.

As a market-leading supplier of software for retail occupiers, Qube was originally engaged by the organisation in relation to meeting its IFRS 16 requirements. However, the benefits and efficiencies possible with an end-to-end system across the property life cycle saw the project quickly develop into the adoption of the full Horizon platform.

Horizon will enable Halfords to achieve and maintain the integrity of data for more than 1000 leases across its stores and service centres. It will also be used to automate several processes, as well as empower deeper collaboration between finance and property departments.

Halfords operates primarily in two broad markets; motoring and cycling. Its retail division boasts some 165,000 product lines, with approximately 8000 employees across its stores, making it the UK market-leader in its sector. In addition, Halfords Autocentres was acquired in 2010 and provides car service, repair and MOTs to both retail and fleet customers throughout the UK.

By selecting Qube, Halfords adds its name to an extensive group of industry-leading retailers utilising the Horizon product for property management and lease accounting. The web-based solution delivers a comprehensive suite of functionality and features designed for occupier management.

“It was obvious from the start that Qube has a clear understanding of our requirements, particularly the complexities involved in dealing with a large number of retail leases and the implications of the IFRS 16 standards. We look forward to working on the next phase of the project, as we further develop our partnership with the Horizon team.” – Katie Gregory, Head of Group Reporting at Halfords.

“We are delighted Halfords has decided to implement Horizon, not just to tackle the complexities of IFRS 16 but also to manage the sizeable portfolio it occupies. Our work with another major retail enterprise is further evidence of our strength in the sector – and we’re proud to welcome one of its major names to our valued client base.” – Steven Fox, Head of CRE Solutions at Qube, and MRI Software Company.

The post Retail giant Halfords selects Qube Horizon for property management and IFRS 16 | 12 June appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI has a ‘Social Responsibility Committee’ which meets regularly to assess charitable support applications from customers, staff and partners to further our work in supporting local communities and charities. We work with customers, partners and staff to support events/charities that help improve lives of those living within the local community and that help support those in need.

We are pleased to be supporting the following events & charities over the next few months;

• 14^th June – ‘Crisis Square Mile Run Charity Run’ – supporting Clarion’s team raise money for Crisis, the national charity for homeless people.                                                    Helping people directly out of homelessness and campaigning for the changes needed to solve it altogether.
• 22^nd July – ‘Phoenix Festival 2018’ – Sponsoring the Young Makers Agency Young Maker’s Agency (YMA) Tent. The YMA is a new agency for                                                      young people aged 13-19 in the Beckenham Hill, Bellingham and Downham areas of Lewisham.
• 5^th August – ‘Little Superheroes’- charity walk & event with KAG Recruitment in Kent supporting  The Oliver Fisher Special care baby unit in Medway Hospital, Bliss, the UK wide charity  for premature and poorly babies, and Making Miracles, a charity that supports families after the loss of their baby. If you would like to make more information about the ‘Little Superheroes Walk’ visit their Facebook page here www.facebook.com/events/315559122306523/ or to make a donation click this to the just giving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/littleheroes-walk-bliss.

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Ground Solutions, an East Midlands based managing agent has chosen to implement Qube PM to support its block and estate management business.

The company, headed up by Mike and Rebecca Pett, manages more than 5000 homes across the Midlands. Ground Solutions has chosen Qube to help streamline its processes, reduce reliance on paper and improve communication with leaseholders.

They will be replacing an existing system to take a step forward in functionality, allowing them to grow without adding staffing overheads, and deliver even better service levels to clients.

Qube PM is the UK’s market leading property management solution, used by more than 500 customers across the residential, commercial and retail sectors. As the supplier with the largest share of ARMA members as customers and over 100 block managers in total, Qube PM is clearly the system of choice for the sector.

Mike and Rebecca Pett, Directors of Ground Solutions said: “We are very excited about the potential we will have to improve the way we work and more importantly, the service we provide.

“From our communications with customers through the tenant portal and the ease of which this can be achieved, to being more efficient in regular tasks, can only have a positive impact on our hard-working staff. We hope to continue learning new and better processes, including new features to the software as they arise, with the help of the team at Qube”.

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at Qube said; “I am looking forward to working with Mike, Rebecca and their key staff (including Misty the office dog!) to implement Qube PM. We are confident that from delivery to ongoing support, Ground Solutions and Qube will make this project a successful one and forge a long-term relationship that will benefit all of Ground Solutions’ clients.”

The post Ground Solutions UK chooses Qube | 31 May 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Software LLC Increases Q1 Worldwide Revenue by 44 Percent, Bookings by 136 Percent and New Clients by 50 Percent Over 2017

SOLON, Ohio – May 15, 2018 – MRI Software LLC (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced another successful quarter of worldwide growth. In the first quarter of 2018, MRI continued to build on growing market demand for a comprehensive and connected suite of solutions that extends across the commercial real estate lifecycle while offering the freedom to integrate easily with other vendors’ software. As a result, MRI increased not just its growth statistics, but also its leadership position as a truly open, partner-dedicated software provider.

In the first quarter of 2018, MRI saw 44 percent worldwide revenue growth fueled by 117 new clients (a 50 percent increase over the same period in 2017) and a 136 percent increase in bookings over the same period in 2017. Additionally, MRI grew its headcount by 62 percent across all regions. Overseas, staffing in EMEA increased more than tenfold and, in APAC, grew by 61 percent.

MRI’s global growth strategy continues to gain momentum, marked by a few key accomplishments:

• Savills plc, one of the largest real estate companies in the world, chose MRI’s residential management and accounting solutions to manage its growing private rented sector (PRS) business in the U.K. Previously, Savills selected MRI for its commercial property business in key European locations. Additionally, in April, MRI Software announced that a second U.K. real estate giant, Grainger plc, has also chosen MRI as its core software platform to power its future PRS growth.
• China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI) certification demonstrates MRI’s commitment to China, a market that offers great opportunities. MRI Platform X is now a pre-approved financial reporting solution for real estate organizations doing business in the country. In addition to the benefit to Chinese companies, real estate investors using Platform X that want to expand into China can continue to rely on MRI’s platform while meeting local business requirements.

MRI’s Partner Connect program also continues to grow and strengthen. For example, MRI introduced a new Service Partner Certification Program, which is designed to validate and demonstrate proficiency in MRI’s technology and provide educational opportunities to improve implementation, consultation, and training of clients. Partners have responded positively to MRI’s investments in Partner Connect, with attendance at its annual Partner Summit in January increasing by 44 percent.

MRI also strengthened its executive team to help support growth:

• John Ensign, previously MRI’s Chief Legal Officer, added President to his title as his duties now include oversight of MRI’s corporate shared services and overall responsibility for EMEA and APAC operations.
• Russell Butler joined MRI in the new role of Chief Technology Officer to lead product development and strategy, which are responsibilities he previously held for various global teams at Oracle, IBM and AT&T. His expertise in shepherding new products from the innovation stage to deployment and integration will be a key driver of MRI’s ongoing expansion into new geographical and vertical markets.
• Dermot Briody came to MRI as Executive Managing Director for Europe overseeing MRI’s operations in the region, including those of Qube Global Software and Real Asset Management, both of which MRI acquired in September 2017. As a result of these acquisitions, MRI is now the largest commercial real estate software provider in EMEA.

MRI maintained its aggressive approach to acquisitions adding HAPPY Software, a major player in the U.S. public housing authority (PHA) software arena, to a list of six other acquisitions since September. The move is MRI’s third acquisition in the PHA space in five months, alongside Tenmast Software and HAB, Inc., furthering the company’s vision of bringing a comprehensive, next-gen platform to the underserved PHA market and making it the largest provider in the space.

Ultimately, MRI’s growth is the result of its suite of purpose-built solutions and strong market demand for open and flexible software, a trend that has been growing across all industries. In March, MRI launched an ongoing content series to help real estate organizations identify software providers that are truly open as opposed to merely paying lip service to the demands of the marketplace.

“After an extremely active 2017, I couldn’t be more thrilled to see our growing team execute such a fantastic quarter,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “We pride ourselves on continuing to innovate and improve our clients’ experience, and this quarter’s success ultimately comes to back to our amazing clients and partners. Together, we are bringing our vision of an open and connected real estate ecosystem into reality and establishing a trajectory that has not been seen before in our industry.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541.207.6413

The post MRI Software Announces Record-breaking Q1 on Strength of its Comprehensive and Open Real Estate Tech Platform and Global Growth Strategy appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Principle Estate Management, a newly formed property management company headquartered in the West Midlands, has chosen Qube to support its ongoing business requirements and ambitious growth plans.

The company is headed up by Brett Williams, a chartered surveyor with more than 25 years’ experience and a former chairman of ARMA. Principle has implemented the Qube PM solution in the first quarter of this year to set a strong foundation on which to build the business which officially launches on 1 June.

Qube PM is the UK’s market leading property management solution, used by more than 500 customers across the residential, commercial and retail sectors. As the supplier with the largest share of ARMA members as customers, Qube PM is clearly the system of choice for the block management sector.

Brett Williams said: “With its flexibility and configurability, together with the whole package of finance, maintenance, asset management, site surveys and a tenant portal together with a powerful reporting tool, Qube was the obvious choice for us.”

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at Qube, said: “Having known Brett for several years now I am really enthused to be working with him.

“Our market-leading solution will provide Principle with a competitive advantage from day one and ensure that they operate with maximum efficiency as they scale up over the coming years. Brett has significant plans for Principle and I know his desire to provide a real quality service will be assisted by having invested in Qube early on.”

The post Principle Estate Management chooses Qube | 4 May 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

SOLON, Ohio – April 24, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced that Grainger plc, the U.K.’s largest listed residential landlord, has selected MRI Software’s open and connected property accounting and financial management platform to support its digital transformation and help power its expanding portfolio.

Grainger plc is the U.K.’s largest listed residential landlord, with a portfolio of 9,000 residential properties valued at £2.7 billion. Grainger has major growth plans with a commitment to invest a further £850 million into purpose-built rental housing in the U.K. by 2020.

As Grainger has shifted its portfolio toward the emerging U.K. build-to-rent market in recent years, the company has announced intentions to build a scalable technology foundation to enable its efficient, rapid growth in the sector. A first step in Grainger’s digital transformation is to deploy an open and extensible core real estate management platform to automate business processes and enable scalability without increasing administrative overhead. Grainger also needs the ability to easily integrate software from third-party vendors as it continues to build its customer-facing technology solution, complementing MRI’s open software strategy.

“At Grainger, we take pride in developing, owning and operating our properties,” said Michael Robinson, Business Technology Director at Grainger. “So, naturally, we need a proptech solution that is tailored to our unique needs and that will protect our competitive advantage. Choosing the right technology is critical as it underpins our growth plans, allows us to build an outstanding customer experience and helps control overheads and costs. We chose MRI’s property and financial management suite as we believe its open and connected approach will provide a robust core upon which to build the Grainger business and our range of digital platforms.”

The MRI solutions suite selected by Grainger includes Residential Management, a full Financials suite with AP Automation powered by Nexus Systems and Fixed Asset Accounting, as well as Facilities Management solutions.

“The future of software is open and connected,” said Dermot Briody, Executive Director for Europe at MRI Software. “Grainger’s selection of our platform demonstrates how our approach is resonating in the rapidly growing European property sector. Adopting a customer / tenant centric approach while securing an efficient management platform is critical for real estate organizations as the build-to-rent market continues to expand in Europe. Our partnership with Grainger is a testament to our capabilities in that regard.”

About Grainger PLC
Grainger, a FTSE250 business, is the UK’s largest listed residential landlord. Established in 1912, Grainger prides itself as a leading, responsible and long-term landlord. A market leader in the UK private rented sector (“PRS”) and at the forefront of the build to rent sector, Grainger invests in and provides long term, purpose-built, rental homes across the UK. Grainger has a portfolio of residential rental property assets worth over c. £2.7bn and has pledged to invest over £850m into the PRS by 2020 with £690m secured to date.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541.207.3461

The post Grainger PLC Selects MRI’s Property Accounting and Financial Management Solutions as Part of its Digital Transformation appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Following two major acquisitions in the region in late 2017, MRI Software has announced the appointment of its first-ever Executive Managing Director for Europe.

Experienced enterprise software leader Dermot Briody will head up the company’s operations in the region, and becomes responsible for MRI’s existing European footprint as well as Qube Global Software and Real Asset Management (RAM) which became part of MRI last September.

“The alignment of three industry-leading, award-winning companies in MRI, Qube and RAM is a tremendously exciting prospect for all involved,” said Briody.

“It expands our offering for property investors, agents, occupiers and tenants, while also providing greater scale for innovation and development. By bringing together the best of several renowned brands and products in our industry, we can proudly call ourselves the premier commercial real estate technology provider in EMEA.

“We look forward to what the future holds, as we deliver continued excellence to our combined client base here, now and for many years to come.”

With the inclusion of another acquisition – MDA Property Systems of South Africa – MRI now serves in excess of 2400 clients in wider EMEA, with the increased capabilities and expertise resulting in an even more comprehensive suite of solutions available.

The MRI Software family of companies offers powerful property management and accounting tools alongside a sophisticated suite for managing the end-to-end investment lifecycle. This is further enhanced by comprehensive corporate occupier and facilities management functionality, creating a flexible portfolio to meet the widest range of real estate technology requirements.

MRI Software: Local roots, global presence
MRI’s expanded presence in EMEA makes it a truly global company, with a far-reaching worldwide footprint that also covers the Americas and APAC. Across the world, upwards of 1200 employees serve more than 6600 client organisations representing a wide variety of real estate industry sectors.

While its operations make it one of the biggest companies of its kind, experienced and knowledgeable regional teams offer a personalised approach – with shared values that promote open and connected technology platforms to maximise choice and flexibility for clients.

MRI in Europe is one of the driving forces behind this unrivaled technology powerhouse – one that is uniquely positioned to address the varying needs of the real estate market in the region and beyond.

PR Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software bolsters European presence with new executive appointment appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

On March 7th and 8th, staff from Castleton software and managed services attended the Housing Technology Conference and executive forum 2018 at the Oxford Belfry. The event is one of the prime industry events and attracted over 400 delegates from the housing sector throughout the UK including representatives from areas of operations, housing, finance and ICT.

During the conference, Castleton and Housing Solutions gave a joint presentation to delegates. The presentation titled ‘A true technology partnership: driving change and delivering innovation’ covered the long term and growing relationship between Castleton and Housing Solutions. Richard Harvey, ICT Manager at HS paid particular focus on the recent migration from delivering their ICT infrastructure in-house to a fully hosted infrastructure delivered from Castleton’s data centres. Richard highlighted a number of key benefits that this move has delivered including a lowering of cost, ease of use, and allowing HS to focus on ICT strategy knowing that day to day ICT is in safe hands.

The post Housing Technology 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

The first is a ten year contract with Circle VHA, Ireland, (“Circle”), a provider of social housing. The contract is on a hosted basis for Castleton’s integrated product suite, including the housing and finance system, electronic data records management system, financial modelling system, reporting system and Agile system.

The second contract is a renewal for Places for People, one of the largest property and leisure management, development and regeneration companies in the UK, which has more than 180,000 properties under ownership or management. Places for People has extended its contract for Castleton’s Maintain solution by two and a half years, with the option to extend it for a further twelve months. The contract’s scope includes repairs management software, technical services, cloud services and integration middleware that enables Places for People to process orders for work directly from third-party property management systems.

Commenting on the new contracts, Dean Dickinson, Chief Executive of Castleton, said:
“We are delighted that Circle has chosen Castleton as its provider of an integrated system. This reinforces our position as not only a ‘one stop shop’ that serves the social housing sector, but also highlights the breadth of our offering and our ability to deliver a fully hosted solution.

“The ongoing partnership with Places for People is a testament to our ability to evolve our solutions alongside the demands of our customers and continually support their business objectives by providing the functionality and reliability they require.

“These contracts demonstrate our ability to cross sell and upsell the product suite and we remain confident of increasing the number of customers who continue to take multiple products.”
Commenting on the contract with Places for People, Steve Mather, Property Services Director of Places for People said:

“Our operation continues to grow as we take on delivery of an increased range of services both for companies within the Places for People group and external clients. This requires resilient and high quality systems that can meet the needs of our business both now and in the future. Our strategic partnering arrangement with Castleton is key to the successful expansion of our operation and the continued delivery of services to our customers.”

The post Castleton secure contracts worth £1.2million appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

With regards to other product updates, Agile version 4.2 will be released at the end of April with a range of new features, including support for the staff app on iPhones, the first phase of calculated fields and support for international Google Maps. Version 4.3 is due for release towards the end of May – this will include all of the GDPR related functionality along with a host of additional features.

We are due to release Compliance, Castleton’s first “new” product will provide customers with the ability to effectively manage all of their cyclical activities and will link closely with Maintain and Agile initially. Further releases will enhance this offering to include integration with CEDRM and Castleton Scheduling. Pre-launch Compliance demonstrations are available now for booking but with limited slots, they are on a first-come, first-served basis.

We have just started working on the next phase of Castleton’s new products – Castleton Plan. Plan is a scheduling system with in-built machine learning capabilities that extend enhancements passed the current thinking of scheduling platforms for repairs. This will take the comprehensive scheduling routines from Castleton Maintain and build them into a brand-new solution, with the addition of complex new processes such as dynamic scheduling.

And finally, CEDRM – Castleton’s Electronic Document and Records Management platform is receiving a significant overhaul with improvements to the UI, back-end infrastructure, deployment and equally exciting – GDPR enhancements that are helping our customers on their GDPR journey.

This is an exciting time at Castleton and I look forward to sharing more updates in the coming months.

Our professional services team are now fully trained up on each of the new products and versions and in conjunction with the account management team are happy to provide quotations and dates for upgrades. Whilst an upgrade can seem like a disruptive task, it should be seen as an opportunity to review business processes and how to get the best out of the solutions – our consultancy team are always available to advise on “best practice” and where you may be able to gain additional benefits from the product(s).

The post Helping you on your GDPR appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Third PHA Software Acquisition Expands MRI’s Solutions for Public Housing Authorities and Housing Choice Voucher Programs

Solon, Ohio – March 8, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of HAPPY Software, a provider of innovative housing solutions and services for public housing authorities in the United States. With this acquisition, MRI’s third within the public housing space in just five months, the company now serves nearly 35 percent of U.S. public housing authorities.

Based in Saratoga Springs, New York, HAPPY Software provides property management solutions to more than 465 housing agencies of every size, administering Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs. HAPPY’s suite of fully configurable, web-based portal solutions help housing authorities more effectively manage key functions such as applicant and waitlist tracking, tenant screening, and online payment handling.

“For two decades, HAPPY Software has built a standard for excellence culminating in today’s impressive 98 percent client retention rate,” said David Carner, Senior Vice President of Residential Solutions at MRI Software. “The addition of HAPPY to the MRI Software family represents another milestone in our strategy to provide world-class technology solutions to the public housing sector while further scaling our footprint in the market. We intend to continue supporting HAPPY’s solution set and extend its portal offerings to our existing PHA clients, while also leveraging HAPPY’s expertise to develop a next-generation, web-based platform for the public and affordable housing market.”

In October of 2017, MRI announced the acquisitions of Tenmast Software and HAB, Inc., providers of PHA and private affordable housing management software. Taken together, MRI’s three public housing acquisitions, in addition to the company’s Affordable Housing Bostonpost solutions, make MRI a major force in the U.S. public and affordable housing software markets.

“Our mission at HAPPY Software has always been to provide public housing organizations with the very best software solutions and the highest level of service,” said Joe Mastrianni, Chief Executive Officer and founder of HAPPY Software. “Joining forces with MRI is a continuation of that mission, bringing a deep reserve of resources and innovation to develop feature and functionality enhancements that will even better serve the industry.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses – from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About HAPPY Software
HAPPY Software is a rapidly growing company based in Saratoga Springs, NY that has been providing innovative housing software and services to housing agencies administering Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs for more than 20 years. HAPPY Software has a well-established reputation for quality, easy-to-use products and friendly, attentive customer support. The company’s client retention rate is at least 98 percent historically.

HAPPY Software actively supports the housing industry by sponsoring events, exhibiting and advertising with several housing associations including NAHRO, PHADA, Community Action Partnership, National Leased Housing Association and many State Housing Groups.

The post MRI Software Acquires HAPPY Software, Inc., Creating a Public and Affordable Housing Tech Powerhouse appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Castleton is delighted to announce that Community Housing Limited (CHL) has signed a 3-year software and maintenance agreement in February. This agreement marks not only the first purchase of the Kinetics Housing/Greentree software since the recent acquisition but also the first in conjunction with the Castleton mobile platform.

Originating in 1993, CHL is significant in both size and scope in the Australian community housing sector with a portfolio of more than 6,000 properties under management across six states including Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania.

Castleton looks forward to working in partnership with CHL to implement a solution that drives organisational efficiencies, improves service delivery, and positively impacts CHL’s provision of end-to-end affordable housing development and long-term housing and tenancy management operations.

The post Castleton Australia Wins Community Housing Limited appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Phoenix Community Housing was created in 2007 and is owned by its 2500 shareholding residents living in 6,500 homes. Phoenix was the first community gateway in London and is one of just four in the UK. Castleton has worked with Phoenix since its creation in 2007, providing Infrastructure services and support.

With an ageing infrastructure and a planned resource expansion, Castleton put forward its recommendation for an infrastructure refresh that would ensure Phoenix could accommodate its planned resource expansion, continue to deliver an excellent, efficient service to its customers and that would fit with the organisations future IT strategy.

The project will comprise a deployment of a Hybrid infrastructure with Microsoft public cloud Azure and Office 365, using best of breed Auto-Tiering SAN’s, Hybrid Use rights licensing, a Cisco Meraki Software Defined WAN and Wireless Networks.

The new hybrid infrastructure will facilitate a SaaS CRM system, Castleton Public Cloud Hosted Repairs Service, all wrapped up with Castleton Cloud Backup and DR Service and managed service support to ensure Phoenix staff and customers are fully supported.

As Security remains paramount, Castleton will also deploy an updated Anti-Virus solution and the latest patches to protect the organisation against any vulnerabilities including the recently revealed Spectre & Meltdown.

As an additional service, Castleton reviewed Phoenix’ software licensing usage & licensing strategies, to ensure best value and compliance were being achieved. From this we developed a more cost efficient and appropriate licencing model for the organisation, and have been appointed as Phoenix’ key licencing partner.

As with all projects, Castleton will work closely with Phoenix to ensure the project objectives are met, effective project governance is maintained, and that the quality and risk management strategies are adhered to, during and post implementation. The ongoing partnership between Castleton and Phoenix is testament to the relationship we have built with Phoenix over the years, as their Trusted IT adviser, working alongside their IT department.

Paul Sexton, Managing Director, Castleton Managed Services, commented: “We will continue to work with Phoenix Community Housing, providing strategic guidance to ensure Phoenix is delivering superior services to their customers, now and in the future”.

Jonathan Bignell, Head of IT, Phoenix Community Housing added “Our strategic partnering arrangement with Castleton is key to the successful expansion of our operation and the continued delivery of services to our customers”.

The post Phoenix Community Housing upgrades its IT Infrastructure with Castleton appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

SOLON, Ohio – Feb. 27, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, recently conducted a survey revealing that 42 percent of commercial and multifamily real estate owners and operators rely at least partly on spreadsheets or paper-based processes to manage properties. The survey also showed that more than 1 in 10 rely on spreadsheets and/or paper-based processes alone, without any additional purpose-built real estate software.

Using spreadsheets and paper-based processes to manage properties introduces a host of serious problems for a real estate organization, including:

• Cumbersome to manage: If the individuals who built the company’s spreadsheet-based system leave the organization, business-critical data may become inaccessible because no one else understands how to manage it.
• Lack of auditability: With each new version of a spreadsheet, the system becomes increasingly difficult to audit because there is no continual thread tying the reports to the original data. It’s even more difficult to audit paper-based systems.
• Business risks: Manually entering data from multiple sources into spreadsheets and paper-based systems increases the risk of errors, data security issues, and a loss of operational control.
• Scalability: Spreadsheets and paper-based systems severely limit the ability to share information, collaborate, and control access to data. Additionally, spreadsheets and paper-based systems do not integrate with other software solutions, locking companies out of technologies that could materially improve efficiency, increase customer satisfaction, attract additional leads and aid with long-term planning.

Generational Expectations for Technology
In the multifamily sector, the survey found that owner-operators are experiencing significant differences between age groups regarding the most important amenities residents seek in an apartment. The survey revealed the following disparities:

High-speed broadband and e-bill payments/rent portals rank as the two most important apartment features for students, young professionals and Millennials. These two features beat out in-unit laundry, proximity to public transportation, community storage, assigned parking and cable television for the top two spots.

For established professionals, families and middle-aged renters, high-speed broadband is still the most important amenity, followed by in-unit laundry, parking features and cable television.

For seniors and retirees, community security and in-unit laundry are the two most important features. High-speed broadband came in 12th on the list, and e-bill pay was tied for third-to-last out of a possible 24 features.

Within the commercial sector, which includes office buildings, retail, and industrial properties, respondents said that the top two services requested by tenants are electronic payments and electronic billing. These two features beat out proximity to public transportation, shared common and conference areas, and kitchen facilities.

“Our survey shows that more than 40 percent of the real estate market still relies on general-purpose spreadsheets or, even worse, paper-based processes to manage their properties,” said Brian Zrimsek, Industry Principal, at MRI Software. “Millennials and even younger generations now expect digital amenities such as e-bill pay, and many real estate organizations are falling behind in adopting more specialized real estate technology solutions. As these younger generations move into senior management roles at the companies where they work, their digital expectations will carry over into commercial real estate. Those organizations that don’t adapt will ultimately find themselves unable to compete in an increasingly digital world.”

MRI surveyed 219 real estate executives: 51 percent were VP-level or higher and 35 percent were directors, managers or property managers. As for company size, 30 percent of respondents worked at companies with more than 50 employees, 25 percent had 11 to 50 employees, and 46 percent had 10 or fewer. Many organizations operated in multiple real estate classes, with a breakdown as follows: 41 percent multifamily, 30 percent office, 21 percent retail, and 26 percent in other real estate sectors.

Please find the full report from MRI Software here.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

PR Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post Survey: More than 40 Percent of Real Estate Companies Rely on Spreadsheets or Paper-Based Processes to Manage Properties appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Software LLC Records 38% Increase in Bookings and 81% Increase in New Clients in 2017; Company Further Expanded with Seven Acquisitions, 27 Additions to its Partner Connect Program, Three New Solutions, and Capital Investment from Private Equity Firm

SOLON, Ohio – Feb. 22, 2018 – MRI Software LLC (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced significant growth in its core business, driven by a strong market desire for a real estate software platform that offers the freedom to connect with other vendors’ software to create a solution that meets unique business needs.

In 2017, MRI’s core business (i.e., not including revenue and clients from the six acquisitions it made in the second half of 2017), saw a 38 percent increase in bookings and 81 percent growth in new clients over 2016. In the fourth quarter of 2017, MRI experienced 64 percent bookings growth and a 42 percent increase in new clients over the same period in the previous year.

In addition to its core business growth, MRI acquired seven companies over the course of 2017, expanding the company’s global reach and product offerings with new, complementary and enhanced solutions:

• ResidentCheck (February): A provider of resident screening for the multifamily real estate industry
• Real Asset Management (September): A supplier of asset management software, including asset and lease accounting, tracking, and maintenance management
• Qube Global Software (October): A UK-based supplier of property and facilities management software
• Tenmast Software (October): A provider of public housing authority (PHA) and private affordable housing management software
• HAB, Inc. (October): A provider of innovatively simple housing management software for public housing authorities (PHA)
• eCondoSystems (October): A provider of cloud-based software solutions for the condominium development and sales sector
• MDA Property Systems (December): A property management and accounting software company based in Cape Town, South Africa

In the midst of rapid expansion via acquisition and organic growth, MRI’s business is ultimately built on a commitment to an open architecture strategy that empowers clients to deploy the best solutions to match their unique needs. This makes MRI’s Partner Connect program – the ecosystem that supports MRI’s open and connected platform – one of the greatest indicators of the company’s health. In 2017, MRI added 27 new partners to the program, 17 percent more than it added in the prior year.

Additionally, MRI welcomed 59 partners to its International Users Conference, a 16 percent increase over 2016, and co-hosted 11 partner events and 22 partner webinars. MRI’s clients are ultimately the ones that benefit from these partner relationships as MRI has created 132 new APIs over the past year, making it easy for clients to integrate software from Partner Connect vendors. MRI now has more than 350 APIs in its library.

During 2017, MRI expanded its product family with three new solutions:

• MRI AnalytiX: A powerful business intelligence (BI) solution built for real estate that empowers users to visualize complex data easily, identify trends, and, ultimately, make better, faster decisions around property management, finance and investments
• MRI Inspections, powered by HappyCo: A mobile inspections solution that provides real-time intelligence to reduce costs, optimize turn, and drive quality assurance across multifamily real estate portfolios
• MRI Fixed Assets: A comprehensive solution for real estate owners and operators to better manage accounting, maximize tax benefits, improve compliance, and increase the ROI of their assets

Finally, in May, MRI received a strategic investment from TA Associates, a leading global growth private equity firm, which joined GI Partners in ownership of MRI.

“2017 was the most exciting year we’ve ever had at MRI, and not just because of how quickly we’ve grown, but also because our commitment to an open and connected platform is strongly resonating in the marketplace,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer at MRI Software LLC. “While we’ve become much larger in terms of our global physical presence and have expanded and improved our offerings vertically, we view that as an opportunity to continue executing our strategy of offering clients the freedom to choose the best software to create the perfect solution for their business. The 2017 results speak for themselves, laying an incredible foundation for even greater achievement and client success in 2018.”

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software’s Open and Connected Approach to Real Estate Solutions Drives Exceptional Growth in 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Certification Automates Mandatory Accounting Audit Filings for Real Estate Organizations in China and Facilitates Expansion of Multinational Companies into China

SOLON, Ohio – Feb. 7, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced that MRI Version X, the company’s flagship property management and accounting software, has met all testing and certification requirements from the China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI). As a result, MRI Version X now provides approved mandatory financial reporting for real estate organizations doing business in China, enabling clients to meet regulatory requirements without incurring time-consuming and costly system audits themselves. Additionally, global real estate investors using MRI Version X in other markets can more easily expand into China, relying on MRI’s unified platform to streamline operations and provide global visibility into portfolio performance, while supporting local country statutory and business requirements.

“The Chinese real estate market presents significant opportunity from both local investment and cross-border capital,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of global and strategic markets at MRI Software. “This certification demonstrates MRI’s commitment to the Chinese market, the larger Asia Pacific region and, of course, delivering solutions that provide local and global flexibility. Not only does this certification simplify auditing for MRI clients in China, but it also means that real estate owners with global portfolios can use the same MRI Version X platform across all their operations, including those in China.”

MRI Version X was certified for the National Audit Office of the People’s Republic of China (CNAO) standard GB/T 24589.1-2010. All enterprises doing business in China are required to report information to CNAO in the required XML file format mandated by this standard. Previously, users had to complete their own certification application before submitting their file; clients in China can now use MRI Version X to generate pre-certified accounting data files and send them directly to the audit office. This user-friendly regional feature eliminates costly manual process and work-arounds, as it is specifically designed to facilitate regulatory compliance in China.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses-from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Media Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
+1-541-207-3461

The post MRI Version X Property Management Software Receives China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI) Certification appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Qube are pleased to announce that Dixons Carphone plc, a FTSE 250 multinational retailer, have chosen Horizon to manage their occupied and sub-let portfolio as well as their IFRS 16 leasing requirements.

Dixons Carphone plc is Europe’s leading electrical and telecommunications retail and services company employing over 42,000 staff – across nine countries. In the UK & Ireland its primary brands include Currys PC World, Carphone Warehouse, Dixons Travel and Team Knowhow with an extensive and diverse portfolio of over 1500 locations.

With the introduction of the new leasing requirements taking affect from 2019, the complexities surrounding leasing requirements from turnover rents and rent-free periods, to capturing all of the required data for IFRS 16 was fundamental in the adoption of an end to end system that would future-proof the business. Horizon will automate and facilitate this along with cross departmental collaboration between the real estate department and group finance.

“We look forward to further developing our working relationship with Qube to implement Horizon for the day to day management of our complex and varied UK & Ireland property portfolio whilst delivering our future IFRS 16 reporting capability” – Paul Grafton, Head of Property Assets & Estates at Dixons Carphone plc.

“We are delighted to welcome Dixons Carphone as a Horizon customer and look forward to forming a long term partnership. This now means that we have added another leading retailer to our extensive occupier customer base” – Tom Price, Business Development Manager at Qube, an MRI Software Company.

About Horizon

Horizon is a web based solution built on the latest technology, with intuitive user interface that makes the system easy to use. Horizon delivers a comprehensive suite of functionality and features that are specifically designed for occupier management, catering for all types of properties both leased and owned, including your sub tenancies. With the system also set up to manage IFRS 16/ASC 842 requirements, Horizon is an end to end lease accounting and lease management solution being used by industry leading occupiers globally.

The post Dixons Carphone plc selects Horizon for IFRS 16 and Property Management | 6 February 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that Goadsby are celebrating their 30^th year as a Qube customer.

Goadsby are one of Qube’s longest standing clients, implementing the award-winning property management solution Qube PM in one of its earliest versions, in 1988. Over the last 30 years, upgrades in technology and improvements in functionality have continued to meet Goadsby’s requirements, and we are proud to be their committed business partner.

Goadsby are continuing to innovate with our solution, with a project lined up to further streamline their property management processes by utilising Qube’s maintenance management functionality.

Paul Stewart, Managing Director at Goadsby said “Goadsby turns 60 in 2018 and to have shared 30 years of that with the same property management service provider speaks volumes for the customer service levels we receive. We are also impressed with the continued investment and innovation of Qube’s products. Property management is at the core of our commercial business and it is therefore essential we have reliable and efficient systems to enable us to perform our service for clients at the highest level. Qube delivers on all financial, diary, and inspection fronts“.

Tom Phillips, Account Manager for Goadsby said “It is fantastic to have a 30-year long relationship and we hope to bring Goadsby 30 more years of innovation and partnership”.

The post Goadsby celebrate 30 years as a Qube customer | 5 February 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that Rebbeck Brothers, a firm of ARMA accredited chartered surveyors, have chosen to implement Qube to support their block and commercial management business.

Rebbeck Brothers, based in Bournemouth, have been providing property services in the south coast area for over 170 years; and currently manage over 2000 units.

Qube will implement the award-winning property management solution Qube PM, to improve on existing accounting procedures and implement robust processes to scale for future growth.

Matthew Strong, Managing Director at Rebbeck Brothers said: “We selected Qube following a beauty parade of software providers – their program stood out as the market leader and offered a comprehensive solution to help us streamline our business procedures and concentrate on customer service and adding value”.

Daniel Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at Qube Global Software added: “It is fantastic that Matthew and the management team at Rebbeck Brothers are going ahead and implementing Qube. I am looking forward to starting work with them to achieve operational efficiencies and improve communications with their established client base”.

The post Rebbeck Brothers choose Qube Global Software | 2 February 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that we have had a very successful start to 2018, with 7 new companies joining the Qube customer base in the first 4 weeks of the year.

Our new customers cover a range of sectors, including residential sales and lettings agents, property managers and corporate occupiers.

Our award-winning property management solution Qube PM has been selected by two Bournemouth-based property management companies; Rebbeck Brothers and Burns Property Management and Lettings Ltd. Whilst multinational electrical and telecommunications retailer Dixons Carphone have chosen to implement Horizon CRE, our corporate occupier solution, to manage their leased portfolio and adhere to IFRS16 requirements and regulations.

As known and trusted suppliers in the real estate industry, the coming together of Qube and MRI means our combined customer base now benefit from our collective expertise and expanding offerings to support all real-estate requirements.

It’s great to have these new customers on board, and we look forward to working with them and building our relationships moving forward.

We hope to see our customers, prospective customers and industry peers at many upcoming events in the following months. To view which industry events we will be attending and exhibiting at, click here.

The post Positive start to 2018 for Qube, an MRI Software Company | 1 February 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Appoints Russell Butler as Chief Technology Officer; Promotes John Ensign to President

Solon, Ohio – Feb 1, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced two key executive appointments today to support the company’s recent growth. Proven enterprise software leader Russell Butler has joined MRI in the newly appointed role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and John Ensign, an eight-year veteran on the MRI leadership team, has been named President and Chief Legal Officer.

Butler and Ensign assume their new positions at a time when MRI is growing faster than in any other period of its history, having nearly doubled in size through six acquisitions on three continents during the latter part of 2017. Butler brings three decades of successfully leading high-performance, global product development teams at Oracle, IBM, AT&T and other leading software organizations. As CTO, Butler will oversee MRI’s technology strategy and manage product innovation and integration efforts to support the company’s expansion into new geographical and vertical markets.

Ensign will assume oversight of MRI’s corporate shared services, adding global client support, finance and accounting to his previous management responsibilities overseeing MRI’s human resources, legal, facilities, M&A and Partner Connect teams. Ensign will also assume overall responsibility of MRI’s EMEA and APAC operations, which are key to the company’s future growth.

“These new executive appointments put two experienced leaders in position to support MRI Software’s recent exponential growth,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “Russell’s background leading product development and strategy for some of the world’s largest enterprise software companies will enable MRI to accelerate innovation and integration of our organic and acquired solutions to improve usability, increase efficiencies and deliver greater insight for our clients while maintaining a flexible and open architecture. Meanwhile, John has long been a trusted advisor and skilled leader who excels at executing on our aggressive strategic plan. That skill set will be invaluable in his new capacity as President.”

Both Butler and Ensign will report directly to Ghilani. Complete biographies are available on MRI Software’s Leadership Team page.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

PR Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Announces Executive Appointments to Support Growth appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are pleased to announce that Burns Property Management, an ARMA accredited property management company have chosen Qube to support their block management business.

Burns, based on the south coast, have been providing residential property management in Hampshire and Dorset for over 40 years; and currently manage over 2000 residential units.

Qube will implement and support the award-winning block management solution Qube PM, to create further efficiency in the organisation, control workflow procedures and improve communications with leaseholders.

Caroline Kelleway, Managing Director at Burns Property Management said: “We chose Qube to run our property management portfolio due to its ability to streamline procedures and capacity to allow us to communicate quickly and efficiently with our clients and tenants”.

Daniel Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at Qube Global Software added: “I am elated to see Caroline and her team ready to implement the Qube solution. I am confident that we can help the company achieve their goals of rationalising processes and transforming the way they interact with customers”.

The post Burns Property Management choose Qube PM | 31 January 2018 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Castleton is helping protect our customers against Spectre & Meltdown; critical vulnerabilities in modern processors that can leak passwords and sensitive data.

Spectre and Meltdown have the ability to create havoc with all technology devices running nearly every desktop and mobile operating system. Spectre and Meltdown exploit critical vulnerabilities in processors manufactured in the last 20 years. These hardware vulnerabilities can allow attackers to steal data which was is currently processed on the computer or device and was previously considered completely protected.

If your computer has a vulnerable processor and runs an unpatched operating system, it is not safe to work with sensitive information without the chance of leaking the information. Understanding which patch releases need applying is a huge challenge and is often confusing and unreliable.

What Castleton is doing to alleviate the Spectre & Meltdown threats…

Castleton Managed Services is working with customers to eradicate the Spectre & Meltdown threat, and ensure their systems are secure. Castleton hosted-customers don’t need to worry – our team is already applying the necessary patches to ensure your systems are secure. For other customers, we have ring-fenced 250 days of our technical experts’ time to deal with this threat, available on a first-come basis.

Next steps…

If you have a concern about the security of your IT systems, contact your Account Manager or email socialhousing@mrisoftware.com to discuss how we can assist with the application of fixes and patches across your computing estate.

The post Global IT Vulnerability! appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Guernsey Housing Association (GHA) has become the latest organisation to choose MRI Software’s (MRI) component accounting software due to its proven track record of delivering results in the not-for-profit sector. It sought a user-friendly, cost-effective solution that could be configured quickly and one that was compliant with FRS 102 and the latest Housing SORP regulations. The system will assist GHA with annual audits and producing Year-End reports.

GHA was set up in March 2002 and is an independent, not-for-profit organisation. It was sponsored by the States Housing Authority as part of its programme to provide social housing for people local to the island. It provides partial ownership opportunities for buyers that need help, making the purchase of property in Guernsey more affordable.

The organisation manages over 790 residences for Guernsey locals with lower incomes and is aiming to complete more than 300 new homes over the next five years. With such high levels of growth projected, GHA decided to move from an Excel based asset management system to MRI’s software. Christine Jennings, Finance Controller at GHA comments, “We feel that, given our projected expansion, using spreadsheets to manage the asset base would be restrictive and too open to error.

“We will use the system to improve the forecasting of costs incurred by replacing components. Our oldest properties are now over 12 years old so this will save us a lot of time. The software allows us to calculate costs far into future financial years – giving us a clear picture of the effect that component depreciation will have. With the increased visibility of how our Net Book Values will change over time, we will be able to make informed decisions on whether it would be more cost-effective to repair or to replace assets.”

The software will improve many aspects of GHA’s asset management processes. It will automate component replacement exercises with in-built functionality that allows users to import disposal events and new assets using Excel. Christine comments, “The new system will improve depreciation calculations and moving from spreadsheets to specialist software is going to decrease the risk of errors significantly. Having all of the current and forecasted costs collated in one place will make it far easier for us to produce reports featuring any asset or depreciation information that we require”.

MRI’s system guarantees compliance with all corporate regulations, whereas many finance products feature a fixed asset module that delivers the bare minimum with regards to component accounting. Moving from spreadsheets will cut down on the manual processes usually required to reconcile end of year accounts. The software caters for depreciation of grant components, which is a key requirement of FRS 102. The system’s reports are extensive and will ensure that manual adjustments are not required after running them.

“We will have a clear audit trail that will enable us to delegate many tasks to junior staff”, continued Christine. “This will save senior team members from needing to have significant input into the day-to-day management of fixed asset accounting. The system will improve the utilisation of resources whilst also saving us a considerable amount of time.

“I have found everybody I’ve dealt with at MRI to be helpful and extremely knowledgeable about its product and accounting for components, grants and fixed assets in general. I was introduced to the system at a Housing Finance conference where it was recommended to me by two other Associations. Its pedigree in the sector made it an easy choice”.

The post Component Accounting made easy for Guernsey Housing Association appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Places for People, is one of the largest property and leisure management, development and regeneration companies in the UK with over 180,000 properties under ownership or management.

Places for People began the implementation of Castleton’s Maintain solution (formerly impactRESPONSE), in 2013. The solution is now utilised by nearly 200 back office staff, 60 customer service representatives (at any one time) and just under 500 Property Services operatives across the UK, undertaking property repairs and maintenance activities. The operatives look after Places for People’s 60,000 affordable homes, providing a responsive repairs service and cyclical works, including gas servicing and electrical testing.

Castleton is delighted to announce that Places for People have extended their contract of Castleton Maintain for another 2.5 years, with the option to extend for a further 12 months. The contract’s scope includes repairs management software, technical services, cloud services and integration middleware that enables Places for People to process orders for work directly from third-party property management systems.

Places for People chose to continue with Castleton because the Maintain solution meets their functional business requirements and provides a resilient, quality service that is essential due to the mission-critical nature of the software for their property maintenance operation and its customers.

The ongoing partnership is a testament to the Maintain solution that has evolved alongside the demands of Places for People over the past 4 years and continues to support their business objectives by providing the functionality and reliability they require.

Ian Stewart, Commercial Sales Manager, Castleton, commented:
“We are truly pleased that Places for People wish to extend their relationship with Castleton Technology. The new contract means that, as Castleton develops its strategy and business for the social housing and contractor market over the next few years, we are perfectly placed to provide Places for People with even greater value from their relationship with our company”.

Steve Mather, Property Services Director, Places for People:
“Our operation continues to grow as we take on delivery of an increased range of services both for companies within the Places for People Group and external clients. This requires resilient and high quality systems that can meet the needs of our business both now and in the future. Our strategic partnering arrangement with Castleton is key to the successful expansion of our operation and the continued delivery of services to our customers”.

The post Castleton win extended repairs contract with Places for People appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

London – January 9, 2018 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced that Savills plc, a global real estate services provider, has selected the company’s web-based Platform X Residential Management and accounting solutions to manage private rented sector (PRS) developments in the United Kingdom.

“We are pleased to extend our long-time partnership with MRI Software into the residential sector,” said Geoff Bather, Director and Head of Property Management Finance at Savills. “We already rely on MRI’s Platform X to operate our commercial properties, and we could think of no better partner to support our growing residential business. Additionally, the ability to operate our commercial and residential properties – including PRS and block management – from a single, integrated software platform will streamline our operations and provide greater visibility into performance.”

Savills sought a comprehensive and open solution that can address the needs of the U.K. market and support future growth in other regions, while providing the flexibility to integrate proprietary and third-party software. MRI Software’s Residential Suite, which supports more than 7.5 million units around the world, encompasses marketing and leasing, property management, and prospect and resident portals. These residential management capabilities combined with MRI’s robust general ledger support the complete property investor lifecycle. Additionally, MRI’s open architecture and ecosystem of more than 120 technology partners enable Savills to select the solutions that best fit the needs of its clients and employees.

“The influx of investment into the fast-growing U.K. private rented sector is creating a demand for world-class software,” said Stephen Baker, Vice President, Global and Strategic Markets at MRI Software. “MRI’s long legacy of providing solutions for the multi-family sector in the United States, combined with the expertise in block management of our recent acquisition, Qube Global Software, enable us to provide an unmatched solution for service providers and investor/operators alike. We are thrilled to partner with a market leader like Savills to bring our comprehensive Residential Suite to the U.K.”

About Savills plc
Savills plc provides consulting services in connection with commercial, residential and agricultural properties, property-related financial services and investment management, which includes investment management for institutional or professional investors. Savills operates from over 700 owned and associate offices, employing more than 30,000 people in over 60 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. For more information, visit http://www.savills.com/.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Contact Information:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post Savills Selects MRI Software’s Property Management and Accounting Solutions for its UK Private Rented Sector Business appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Castleton and Kinetic Customer Visits

With the announcement of the acquisition of Kinetics on December 4, visits with customers from both companies took place from 5th December. Customers were visited by Castleton CEO, Dean Dickinson, Scott Graham from Kinetics and Kathleen Cain. The response from customers and the sector has overall been very positive.

We were able to visit customers in three states and will continue to phone and arrange meetings with any customer we have been yet able to speak with or visit. The acquisition allows the addition of Castleton product suite to the Kinetic Housing system and and also the continued sale and installation of the Kinetic Housing product across the Housing Sector of Australia.

The additional scale within Australia will see added benefits to all customers in the coming months with additional recruitment in many areas across the Castleton business supporting all products.

Junction Go Live

During the week commencing the 4th December Junction Australia, based in Adelaide, successfully went live with Kinetics. A joint visit by Castleton and Kinetic staff happened later in the week and Junction staff believed the acquisition was the “gift that keeps giving” with them now having access to the Castleton mobile products. Congratulations to the team at Junction for their full engagement with the implementation and to Alison and Scott and the Kinetics team.

Junction purchased the Kinetic Housing and Greentree integrated systems and now felt the successful implementation and the capacity to purchase the Castleton products placed them in an excellent position to handle the changes and growth within the SA Housing Sector.

The post Customer Visits & Junction Go-Live appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

South Africa’s largest REIT deploys MRI to simplify investment modeling and property accounting operations

Solon, Ohio – December 19, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced that Growthpoint Properties, South Africa’s largest real estate investment trust (REIT) with reach into Australia and Europe, has selected MRI’s SaaS-based Commercial, Financial, and Investment Suites to streamline domestic and international portfolio management.

“We spent a year reviewing our investment and valuations practices and evaluating how we could best improve our operations and strategic initiatives,” said Alec Davis, Chief Information Officer of Growthpoint Properties. “The flexibility and security of the MRI platform enables us to reduce complexity in our operations and focus more on our core real estate business. The combination of industry-specific functionality, automation, and SaaS deployment options made MRI the clear winner.”

Growthpoint counts over 500 properties and more than 70 million square feet of gross leasable area in its portfolio of commercial, retail, and industrial properties across three continents. The large size and scope of its asset portfolio led Growthpoint to search for a comprehensive solution with multicurrency capabilities that could capture all aspects of its complicated business while standardizing data practices across regions and verticals.

To automate processes and improve efficiency, Growthpoint selected MRI’s Commercial Management solution, which offers web-based access to lease administration, retail management, and reporting and analytics tools. In addition, Growthpoint will benefit from MRI’s Budgeting and Forecasting, Investment Modeling, Investment Accounting, and Global Valuations solutions to streamline workflows and improve strategic planning. The new system will allow Growthpoint to reduce operational complexities, increase flexibility for users, and promote standardization and data integrity.

“Growthpoint is a hugely influential player in the South African real estate market, and we’re thrilled to have them as part of our expanding client base in the region,” said Stephen Baker, Vice President of Global and Strategic Markets at MRI Software. “Far too often, real estate companies still rely on paper-based records to manage billion-dollar portfolios and use basic spreadsheets for complex forecasting and financial modeling. Growthpoint is at the forefront of adopting automation, and we have no doubt that our Commercial, Financial, and Investment solutions will help Growthpoint better understand its business and make it an even more profitable endeavor for its investors.”

About Growthpoint Properties
Growthpoint provides space to thrive with innovative and sustainable property solutions. It is the largest South African primary REIT listed on the JSE, and owns and manages a diversified portfolio of 547 property assets, locally and internationally. Growthpoint is a Platinum Founding Member of Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), a member of the GBCSA’s Green Building Leader Network, a component of the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and has been included in the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index for eight years running.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Contact Information:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post Growthpoint Properties Selects MRI Software’s Commercial Real Estate and Investment Solutions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are pleased to announce that we have been named an ‘Innovator’ in a new report by an Independent Research Firm for IWMS solutions.

The ‘Green Quadrant: Integrated Workplace Management Systems’ report by Verdantix is the only independent benchmark of IWMS solutions on the market. The report provides an analysis of the 14 strongest IWMS suppliers, detailing the capabilities and market momentum of each system.

The report reviewed and scored our property, asset, facility and financial management platform Qube Horizon – and has listed the following as its key strengths;

• Strong functionality across the breadth of real estate, leasing and portfolio management – in particular its comprehensive lease administration capabilities.
• Specialist functionality for lease accounting – we were amongst the first IWMS solution providers to bring to market a solution for the upcoming lease accounting standards IFRS 16 and FASB Topic 842.
• Providing tailored software solutions to both real estate occupiers and investors which could help to speed up an IWMS deployment

Considering all supplier offerings assessed in Green Quadrant analysis, the report states that Qube Horizon should be included on shortlists by the following buyers;

• Corporates with large portfolios undergoing rapid site expansion, looking for a property management solution.
• International firms looking for a support software solution to centralise and process lease data for the upcoming lease accounting changes.
• Property investors looking for a single reporting software solution.

To read the full report please click here, or find out more about Qube Horizon.

The post Qube Global Software named an ‘Innovator’ by independent research firm for IWMS solutions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition Expands MRI’s Growing Footprint in EMEA; Adds Innovative, Easy-to-Use Solutions for Small to Medium Investors and Operators

Cape Town, South Africa – December 14, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of MDA Property Systems, a property management and accounting software company based in Cape Town, South Africa. Founded in 1990, MDA Property Systems dominates the South African real estate market, with approximately 5,000 users and 70 percent of South Africa’s listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) using the company’s software. With commercial and residential clients throughout Africa and the Middle East, MDA further expands MRI’s fast-growing presence in the EMEA region.

“Africa and the Middle East represent important growth markets for global investors and, therefore, are key to MRI Software’s rapid worldwide expansion,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “MDA Property Systems has a stellar reputation in these markets, and they’ve built an extremely loyal following for their innovative and intuitive solutions. MRI also has a rich legacy in the region, having served the African market for more than two decades. Uniting the strengths of both companies, we are well positioned to bring a comprehensive set of real estate software solutions to the region.”

MDA clients will benefit from increased investment and innovation into the company’s core solutions. Additionally, MRI Software’s broad solution set – including the company’s Investment Suite, Fixed Asset Accounting and Facilities Management solutions – provides key capabilities for MDA clients managing both domestic and global portfolios. MRI’s multinational clients can leverage MDA’s capabilities to work more effectively in the Southern African market.

“Combining with MRI Software gives us a global channel for our solutions and a wealth of resources to continue developing our property management software, to both add new capabilities and build integrations with complementary MRI offerings,” said Mark Fairweather, managing director of MDA Property Systems. “We are exceptionally excited to join the MRI family and provide international backing to the continued development of our product set for the benefit of our loyal client base. I look forward to joining the MRI team and continuing to lead MDA into the future.”

MDA Property Systems is MRI Software’s third acquisition this year in the EMEA region. The company acquired UK-based Real Asset Management in September and Qube Global Software in October. With nearly 2,500 clients and 400 employees in the region, MRI is now the largest real estate software provider in EMEA. MDA will continue to serve its clients without interruption while near-term integration activities will focus on providing expanded offerings to all clients.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge.

About MDA Property Systems
After developing and delivering property management solutions for nearly three decades, MDA Property Systems is the acknowledged leader in Africa. MDA Property Manager©, their core cloud-based application, provides comprehensive software for property and facility managers, with integrated accounting and real-time financial reporting. It is designed around industry-best practices and business processes, and is used every day by leading property owners and managers. MDA’s relentless approach to customer service shines through from initial engagement, through day-to-day support, and on an ongoing technical level. For more information, please visit mdapropsys.com.

Contact Information:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Acquires MDA Property Systems, a Leader in Real Estate Software for the African Market appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Castleton is delighted to announce a strategic partnership with Glantus, leading providers of data management software solutions. The partnership will benefit Castleton by providing them with a real-time business intelligence reporting solution, putting them firmly ahead of their competitors in this field.

“We are delighted to partner with Castleton plc. By embedding our Avido Business Intelligence and Transform solutions Castleton customers can now maximize evidence-based business decision making through data analysis, prediction and trending.” said Andrew Frazer, COO, Glantus.

Glantus has created a unique data transformation solution to help customers manage, enhance, and optimize their existing operational capabilities by simultaneously capturing data from multiple application sources. This solution is designed to help Castleton customers visualise their operational complexities, increase compliance, and drive growth.

“The time and effort required to identity, classify and report back on operational issues has become increasingly unacceptable to organisations. At Glantus we’ve developed a solution to help customers accelerate time to value and use their existing data sets to efficiently manage their competitiveness and growth plans,” said Frazer.

Jimmy Rogers Sales & Marketing Director, Castleton, commented, “The Glantus team has combined their expertise with an effective and embedded solution that quickly adds value for our customers.” He added, “We’re very excited about our partnership with Glantus, and are thrilled to be working with a company that values innovation and customer satisfaction as much as we do.”

James Massey, Product Strategy Director, Castleton, explained Castleton’s choice to form a partnership with Glantus; “We chose Glantus because their software operates well in the multi-platform space in which our products are at and also because of their willingness to be a true in-sync partner as opposed to just a standard re-seller.”
So far, Castleton has conducted a full ‘Proof of Concept’ to show what is possible with the Glantus platform and the next steps are to create a full productised data analytics platform across all of their products.
For more information on Glantus, please visit our partner page.

The post Castleton & Glantus Partnership Announcement appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

It gives us great pleasure to announce that Castleton Technology plc, the software and managed services provider to the public and not-for-profit sectors, has acquired Kinetic Information Systems Pty Ltd (“Kinetic”), the leading provider of software solutions to the Community Housing sector in Australia.

This strategic acquisition enables us to capitalise on the significant opportunities that Australia’s growing Community Housing sector presents, using the capabilities that the Group has developed to successfully serve the UK market. Kinetic has a great reputation for delivering quality software and services on time and on budget, evidenced by its near 100% customer retention over the last 10 years. The acquisition also enables us to cross-sell Castleton’s other products and services into Kinetic’s customer base, a strategy which continues add value to customers in the UK, Ireland and Castleton’s existing customers in Australia.

The Kinetic management (Alison Burt and Scott Graham) and staff will be joining together with the Castleton team to form a new enlarged organisation that will be led by Kath Cain. Dean Dickinson is in Australia presently and will be meeting with the Kinetic team at their office on Tuesday 5th December to give them an overview of Castleton. Dean will also be meeting with both Kypera’s and Kinetic’s customers over the next week as well as the existing Australian team.

The post Castleton Acquires Kinetic Information Systems appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Last week, Castleton hosted its first ever Customer Conference since merging all of the acquired business into a single organisation and since CEO, Dean Dickinson, joined the business.

The focus of the conference was on ‘Transforming Service Delivery’ in the social housing sector and several expert speakers from across the business, partners, customers and guests shared their vision and strategies around this subject.

Held at the top-class conference centre in the DoubleTree by Hilton, Milton Keynes, the 2-day event, was a real success for Castleton, showing the true strength and depth of their fully integrated solutions.

Day one kicked off with ‘A Year in Review’ from the CEO, reflecting on his first 12 months at Castleton, including; the new management structure, challenges and key new business wins.

This was followed by their product and services strategy and customer showcases from Cluid Housing and Co-operative Housing Ireland, both sharing their experience around Castleton’s integrated and cloud delivery.

A thought provoking and eye-opening keynote was delivered by guest speaker Matthew Griffin, Futurist, who inspired everyone with his take on ‘The future of communities’.

A very open and honest Q&A session was held with the Senior Management Team, providing customers with an opportunity to get the answers to the questions that matter most to them.

The highlight of the Day was the showcase of Castleton’s new AI product, which was demonstrated live on stage with the use of Amazon’s Alexa, allowing a customer to raise a repair, find out their rent balance, and much more. Delegates were very excited to see the potential of this solution live in action and couldn’t wait to find out when they can get their hands on it!

The day finished with a dazzling drinks reception and black-tie dinner, hosted by the brilliantly entertaining David Meade, Mentalist. The delegates enjoyed the opportunity to network and unwind in a relaxed environment.

The following day proceeded with more showcases of Castleton’s new solutions including Castleton.DIGITAL, Data Services and their new Business Intelligence solution in partnership with Glantus. All the sessions received positive reviews from the audience; Castleton have already received significant interest in the new solutions and there are already customers lining up to be part of the .DIGITAL ecosystem and beta tests over the coming months!

The rest of day was dedicated to product and service breakout sessions, allowing delegates to discover more about the products and services they don’t already have and also a chance to collaborate with current customers and discuss the roadmaps for the solutions they do have in the product focus groups. Our conference sponsors were also involved in hosting sessions with Data Protection People covering GDPR and Glantus showcasing the Business Intelligence solution.

Glantus received a glowing review on Twitter from delegates from Circle Voluntary HA, “BI and its potential impact, can attach to any data and work with any data to benefit our organisation. So simple to write a report, love it… Same functionality on web and on the desktop.”

The conference also included an exhibition, where delegates could find out more about Castleton’s products and services, as well as the conference sponsors; Glantus, Data Protection People and 10Zig.

There were several prizes to be won over the 2 days for actively contributing to the event and Castleton also held a charity raffle with all proceedings going towards Shelter. Well done to all the prize winners, and many thanks for getting involved.

Castleton would like to thank all attendees, sponsors and guests for supporting the event and look forward to welcoming you back again at our future events.

Take a look at our conference highlights, including interviews with attendees.

The post Castleton Customer Conference appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that we have been highly commended in the ‘Best Industry Supplier of the Year’ category at the News on the Block Property Management Awards 2017-18.

The ceremony was held at Embankment Gardens, London, on Thursday 30^th November 2017.

This year adds to our great track record in the awards; winning three times and being highly commended six times in the nine years that the awards ceremony has been running.

We are also extremely pleased to have sponsored the Regional Property Management Company of the Year Award – in which our customer, Warwick Estates, was highly commended.

The post Qube Global Software highly commended at Property Management Awards | 4 December 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are pleased to announce that a number of our customers came away with accolades at the News on the Block Property Management Awards 2017. The ceremony was held at Embankment Gardens, London, on Thursday 30^th November 2017.

A list of our customers who took home awards are listed below;

FirstPort

• New Build Property Management Company of the Year
• London Property Manager of the Year – John Graham

Michael Laurie Magar Ltd

• Best Managing Agent of a Mixed-Use Block
• Employer of the Year

Millstream Management Services

• Best Managing Agent of a RMC/RMT Block

Burlington Estates

• London Property Management Company of the Year

We would also like to congratulate all of our customers who had been nominated, and those who were highly commended in many categories, including; Encore Estate Management, Lee Baron, Warwick Estates and Scanlans.

We are delighted that our customers have been recognised for their hard-work, and we’re proud to be their supplier of choice for Property Management Solutions.

The post Qube customers win at Property Management Awards | 1 December 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Fixed Assets enables real estate owners and operators to reduce tax obligations, achieve compliance, and increase the ROI of their fixed assets

Solon, Ohio – November 8, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced MRI Fixed Assets, a new fixed asset accounting solution for the real estate sector. MRI Fixed Assets is a a comprehensive solution for real estate owners and operators to better manage accounting, maximize tax benefits, improve compliance, and increase the ROI of their assets.

“Regulations for fixed asset accounting continue to grow more complex, and organizations with real estate interests need solutions that can automate and simplify compliance,” said Charles McDowell, Vice President of Commercial Solutions and Client Experience at MRI Software. “MRI Fixed Assets builds upon the proven history of our recent acquisition, Real Asset Management, to easily address these ever-changing requirements. Our solution enables compliance with common accounting and tax reporting standards, including US GAAP, SOX, Bill 198 and IFRS. And, because it is linked with our Version X Financials platform, it provides a modern, intuitive user experience that leverages the full power of MRI.”

MRI Fixed Assets allows organizations to manage, track and record all changes to an asset’s status, from its physical location to the history of how it has been used. The application readily enables depreciation forecasts, manages the valuation of assets, and reports depreciation in accordance with the unique requirements for particular asset types and regional differences around the world. MRI Fixed Assets includes annual updates to allowances and elections, catering for Bonus Depreciation and Section 179, and can be integrated with barcoding and other electronic readers to aid in inventory audits.

Available via MRI’s Version X platform, MRI Fixed Assets shares integrated data and common work processes with the core financial management platform, giving users the benefits of increased automation within a single, intuitive experience.  The solution is flexible and can be used in conjunction with other accounting and property management systems, providing real estate organizations the freedom to choose the right solutions for their business.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

The post MRI Software Announces New Fixed Asset Accounting Solution for Real Estate Sector appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that a number of our customers were crowned winners at the Property Week Management All-Stars awards – held at Grosvenor House, London, on the 2^nd November.

We would like to congratulate MJ Mapp, for winning Commercial Property Manager of the Year, and Mainstay Group, for winning Residential Block Property Manager of the Year. We are pleased that their continuous hard work has been recognised and we are proud to be their supplier of choice for property management solutions.

We would also like to congratulate our Partner, Fixlo, for being highly commended for the Property Management Software Provider of the Year award.

Well done to those who collected awards at this event, and we’re already looking forward to the third annual Property Week Awards next year.

The post Qube Global Software customers win at the Property Week Awards | 7 November 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Software and KeyBank Partner to Automate Payments for the Real Estate Industry
New relationship offers greater choice and flexibility for real estate owners and operators

SOLON, Ohio – November 1, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced today that it has formed a strategic relationship with KeyBank, one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, to provide clients access to KeyTotal Pay, powered by AvidXchange^TM, KeyBank’s payment automation solution.

KeyTotal Pay provides real estate owners and operators the ability to eliminate paper checks, optimize vendor payments, and streamline reconciliation. Time-consuming post-payment activity and ongoing vendor engagement are shifted to KeyBank, while information reporting and research is embedded within MRI’s financial management software. The KeyTotal Pay platform has a high conversion rate to electronic payments, utilizing AvidXchange’s payment network with more than 350,000 vendors and growing. Additionally, clients can maintain their existing operating accounts, even those with other banks. With KeyTotal Pay, payments are more secure, transparent, and cost-effective.

KeyTotal Pay is a complementary service to MRI Vendor Pay, which is MRI Software’s existing payment automation solution, that offers greater choice and flexibility to mutual clients of MRI and KeyBank. KeyTotal Pay and MRI Vendor Pay are both powered by AvidXchange, allowing clients that have a banking relationship with KeyBank to automate payments through KeyTotal Pay, while others can select MRI Vendor Pay. In both cases, MRI will fully support the back-end integration into the client’s financial database.

“We are incredibly excited to publicly announce this partnership. Two Cleveland-based companies, heavily focused on the real estate sector, have joined forces to bring best-in-class vendor payments technology to the market. Our integration with MRI gives our clients a seamless user experience with limited change to current processes. Simply put, we are leveraging technology to automate manual, paper-intensive processes,” said Kevin Tholke, senior vice president of real estate payments at KeyBank. “Our mission is to help our clients run their businesses better every day. We do so by partnering with like-minded companies that have industry-leading technology, such as MRI Software.”

“This new partnership with KeyBank builds on a long-standing relationship with AvidXchange to provide additional flexibility and choice for our clients,” said John Ensign, executive vice president and general counsel for MRI Software. “MRI users can simply select their payments from within our financial module and, instead of sending them to the printer, click a button to send them to the KeyTotal Pay network via the MRI Vendor Pay real-time integration. Clients now have the ability to enhance their relationship with KeyBank and access KeyTotal Pay through MRI’s industry-leading accounting and financial management platform.”

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp’s roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $136.7 billion at September 30, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit www.mrisoftware.com. 

The post MRI Software and KeyBank Partner to Automate Payments for the Real Estate Industry appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This blog post relates to Castleton, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

Dean Dickinson has completed a visit to Australia in October. During his visit Dean was able to meet with representatives from all customers across 5 Australian states . The meetings provided an opportunity to discuss Castleton’s strategic direction, product development and any local concerns. The Australian visit was a positive experience with recognition by customers of the positive changes made since Castleton purchased the products.

Dean also met with the Australian staff to discuss their work achieved to date, forecast sales and business planning to grow the Australian market.

The post Castleton CEO Meets Australian Customers appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

The entire social housing technology sector has eagerly been awaiting the handover of the Clúid Housing integrated software project from Castleton. In an industry where a social housing authority could be using several software programs which do not communicate with one another- the Clúid Housing and Castleton project is the first of its kind.

On Monday 18th September Clúid Housing had a handover of their integrated suite with Ronnie Maher and Brian O’Gorman, arriving at the Castleton Head Office for an Executive Meeting before Castleton Consultants head to Ireland to review and walkthrough Clúid Housing‘s new integrated software suite and their integration architecture.

Clúid Housing is the first Castleton customer to take the fully integrated software suite from the technology supplier. This marks an unprecedented shift in the social housing technology sector as previously each social housing authority had a number of technology suppliers.

Dean Dickinson, CEO of Castleton, said, “The benefits of using integrated technology from a single vendor are immense. Not only will Clúid save time and costs- our integrated solution will increase productivity and provide real-time visibility for Cluid.”

Ronnie Maher, IT Director at Clúid Housing, said, “We are delighted with the software and project Castleton are delivering. We were always confident we made the correct decision in choosing to take the fully integrated suite from Castleton and the company have delivered everything they said they would.”

“This project will help us to deliver on our business goals, reduce duplication across our organisation and help us provide a better customer experience.”

With the project due to be completed in March 2018 Castleton and Clúid Housing will be working in conjunction to continue to develop and test this newly integrated suite over the next coming months.

The post Cluid Housing goes live appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for the ‘Best Industry Supplier of the Year’ award at the Property Management Awards 2017/18 – hosted by News on the Block.

This is the fifth year that the awards have been running, and the fifth consecutive year that we have been shortlisted for the Supplier of the Year Award – winning three years out of four so far.

The awards ceremony will be held at Supernova, Embankment Gardens, London, on the 30^th November 2017.

As well as being shortlisted for the Best Industry Supplier of the Year award, we are also sponsoring the Regional Property Management Company of the Year category.

We would like to congratulate our customers who have also been shortlisted in the awards – making up around two thirds of the overall shortlist. We are pleased that they have been recognised for their hard work, and we’re proud to be their supplier of choice for property management solutions.

For more information on the awards please visit the website. And good luck to all of those who have been shortlisted!

The post Qube Global Software shortlisted at Property Management Awards | 26 October 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition to Leverage MRI Software’s Sales and Marketing Channels and Multifamily Management Expertise to Maximize eCondoSystems’ Reach

Solon, Ohio – October 17, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of eCondoSystems (eCS), a provider of cloud-based software solutions for the condominium development and sales sector.

eCondoSystems provides condo developers a comprehensive web-based application that reduces cost and human error while tracking all aspects of a development project and providing tools for sales management, including inventory control, contract administration, real-time reporting, and an integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) functionality. Built specifically for condominium developers’ needs, eCS has more than 25,000 users who manage more than $30 billion in active inventory.

“The large and growing condominium market is currently underserved by real estate software solutions,” said Brian Zrimsek, Multifamily Industry Principal at MRI Software. “eCondoSystems is the industry’s best kept secret and a natural extension of MRI’s multifamily business. Coupling what we believe is the best condo development and sales solution available with MRI’s property management, automated communications, and screening solutions creates a true end-to-end offering for the condo market. We look forward to leveraging our brand and established sales and marketing channels to bring eCondoSystems’ solutions to the global real estate industry.”

eCondoSystems is MRI Software’s fourth acquisition in the multifamily space in the last 12 months, following CallMaX, ResidentCheck, and Tenmast Software and HAB, Inc. This latest acquisition continues to reinforce MRI’s commitment to the multifamily industry.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About eCondoSystems
eCondoSystems is the premier developer of cloud-based software specifically tailored for the multi-family condo industry. Over the past 15 years, our comprehensive and customizable application has helped countless projects streamline their business and better manage the sales, inventory control, contract administration and closing processes. eCondoSystems provides a turn-key dashboard driven software package delivered through the Cloud to serve the needs of condo developers (and their sales teams) in the development and sale of condo units. These tools include integrated CRM, automated marketing, prospect-to-client conversion analysis, automatic contract assembly and contract administration, as well as inventory control, accounting, reporting, and more. Learn more at econdosystems.com.

PR Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Acquires eCondoSystems, a Provider of Cloud-Based Software Solutions for the Condo Development and Sales Process appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are pleased to announce the availability of the Horizon*Store to SaaS customers currently utilising Horizon Release 10.2 Service Pack 6 or higher.

The Horizon*Store is a central repository of Horizon business intelligence apps, for example reports, that are published to all customers – who can then opt to implement and use in their release of Horizon. It enables our customers to deploy Business Intelligence Apps quickly and easily and in a time efficient manner.

The Horizon*Store is easy to use – operating in an intuitive way similar to the App Store technology which we are all familiar with. When a new app is published or an existing app updated, the customer is notified of an update and on visiting the store, can preview and evaluate. If they decide that it is beneficial, then the app will automatically install in their system and will be ready for deployment to the users.

The post Horizon enhanced with the release of Horizon Stores | 16 October 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Second PHA Software Acquisition This Month Demonstrates MRI’s Commitment to the Affordable and Public Housing Market

Solon, Ohio – October 16, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of HAB, Inc., a provider of innovatively simple housing management software for public housing authorities (PHA). Earlier this month, MRI announced the acquisition of Tenmast Software, another provider of PHA and private affordable housing management software. Taken together, these two acquisitions squarely position MRI as one of the largest providers to this key segment of the U.S. multifamily real estate sector.

“When MRI Software decided to enter the public housing market, we wanted to do so with a formidable platform and marketshare right out of the gate,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer at MRI Software. “Our answer was to buy the best solutions in the market and combine them. Going forward, we will bring together the best of MRI, HAB and Tenmast to provide a world-class user experience on a web-enabled platform tailored to meet the needs of the public and affordable housing sectors.”

With the acquisition of HAB, MRI Software continues to strengthen its portfolio in the affordable and public housing markets. HAB serves 210 clients across the United States, with solutions for tenant and application management, financial management, and property management, all tailored to meet the unique needs of PHAs.

“HAB excels at providing public housing authorities with powerful software that’s simple to use,” said David Carner, Group Vice President of Multifamily at MRI Software. “We will continue to strongly support HAB clients, while we simultaneously invest to broaden, deepen and modernize HAB’s solution set.”

“MRI already has a strong name in the affordable housing space, and the company’s recent investments speak loudly to its commitment to serving public housing authorities,” said Michael Juran, President at HAB. “Providing clients exceptional support is the primary mission at HAB, and that will continue as we join MRI, while we simultaneously focus on expanding feature and functionality enhancements that will allow us to better serve the industry.”

This is MRI’s fourth acquisition in the multifamily space during the past 12 months. In addition to Tenmast, MRI acquired CallMaX, an automated communications provider, and ResidentCheck, a resident screening solution.

About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About HAB
HAB INC provides software and services to over 200 public housing authorities across the U.S. Software includes integrated software for tenant, applicant, landlord, unit, property and financial management of a housing agency. HAB has been providing services for over 25 years and is an industry leader in innovative software solutions to the public housing marketplace.

PR Contact:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Acquires HAB, Inc., a Provider of Housing Management Software for Public Housing Authorities appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Chaneys Chartered Surveyors, a growing surveying firm, have chosen Qube as their sole supplier to support their different business divisions.

They have been providing professional property and asset management in the Thames Valley area for over 50 years; and currently manage over 5000 residential units.

Chaneys have chosen to implement both Qube SLM and Qube PM to support their lettings and block management divisions. Qube will supply and support their functionally comprehensive and scalable solutions across the whole business; meeting the needs and demands of Chaneys as they continue to expand.

Richard Duncan, Partner at Chaneys Chartered Surveyors said: “We have recognised the need to improve our communication and transparency with clients and residents alike. We work hard to provide clear channels of support to our clients & residents and we believe that Qube will help us continue improving this work for years to come”.

Daniel Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at Qube Global Software added: “We are enthused to start implementing our solutions with Chaneys Chartered Surveyors. I look forward to working with the dynamic team to achieve further efficiencies in both their lettings and block management divisions.”

Thomas Fletcher-Wilson, Sales Coordinator and Qube Global Software said: “Having being involved with Chaneys since first contact, it was clear to see that the team there have a clear vision of how to improve their business through tech. It has been a pleasure to start to help them achieve this vision with multiple Qube solutions”

The post Chaneys Chartered Surveyors choose Qube Global Software | 11 October 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition Demonstrates MRI Software’s Strong Commitment to the Multifamily and Affordable Housing Markets; Gives MRI Entry into Public Housing

Solon, Ohio – October 10, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of Tenmast Software, a leading provider of public housing authority (PHA) and private affordable housing management software.

Tenmast offers streamlined, easy-to-use software that keeps public housing authorities (PHAs) continually in compliance with the ever-changing rules of federal affordable housing regulators. Tenmast software integrates HUD, USDA and IRS compliance into every aspect of the housing cycle. Tenmast serves PHAs with more than 20,000 units, agencies with state-wide programs, and agencies that manage all federal, state, and local housing subsidies.

“Affordable housing continues to be an important segment of the multifamily industry, and we are now positioned to service both housing authorities and landlords with a broad array of solutions,” said MRI CEO Patrick Ghilani. “MRI has invested at an unprecedented level in multifamily, and that commitment extends to affordable and public housing. With this acquisition, we’re building on our existing strength in property management and compliance to provide public and affordable housing organizations with a broader, more comprehensive set of solutions.”

The demand for public housing continues to grow and is outpacing supply. Only one in five people who qualify for public housing are currently able to obtain it. This gap between supply and demand is being filled by not-for-profits in need of real estate management tools that ensure they are in compliance with federal regulations.

Tenmast excels at compliance, and when combined with MRI’s flagship open and connected property management platform, Tenmast clients will have access not only to MRI’s extensive solution set, but also to the solutions available from other vendors through Partner Connect. Additionally, MRI’s greater size and scale will enable the combined company to invest even more resources into innovation and support.

“MRI is strongly committed to supporting our clients and is devoting substantial resources to further develop our solutions, with the aim of providing a world-class user experience on a web-enabled platform,” said James C. Mauch, CEO of Tenmast. “In fact, we see near-term opportunities to enhance Tenmast with additional functionality, such as electronic document signing and automated communications. This is a combination that will greatly benefit the public and affordable housing industry.”

“For far too long the public housing segment has been underserved,” said David Carner, Group Vice President, Multifamily at MRI Software. “MRI is excited to bring the next level of technology to this critical component of the nation’s overall housing strategy, building on the expertise Tenmast has developed having served the unique needs of public housing for more than thirty years. We will continue to service our new clients from Tenmast with vigor as we chart a course towards a fully featured, web-based solution that delivers an intuitive user experience.”

Tenmast is MRI Software’s third acquisition in the multifamily space in the last 12 months. MRI previously acquired CallMaX, an automated communications solution, and ResidentCheck, a resident screening solution.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About Tenmast

Tenmast Software has served the Public Housing industry since 1985 with enterprise-based software solutions that manage the complex information content of these agencies. Tenmast serves Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) in 44 states, including Guam and Saipan in the South Pacific. PHA businesses are highly regulated and Tenmast’s solutions are focused on helping them manage compliance with HUD regulations. Tenmast is recognized as the industry leader in HUD program management and compliance support for PHAs.

The post MRI Software Acquires Tenmast Software, a Leading Provider of Public Housing and Private Affordable Housing Management Software appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

This news story relates to Qube Global Software, one of our previous brands. For more information please read the press release.

We are pleased to announce the release of Qube Horizon Service Pack 6, which includes extending the IFRS 16 and ASC 842 functionality to include the management of equipment leases.

Horizon is a fully functional, deeply rich and highly flexible real estate software platform. It is one of the most technically advanced solutions on the market and is accessible anytime anywhere through the cloud.

Service Pack 6 enhancements enable Horizon to be the one stop solution for the new regulatory requirements as it allows our customers to manage both real estate and equipment leases and removes the necessity for customers to record real estate leases in one system and equipment leases in another.

By 2019, many companies will need to have procedures and processes in place to conform to the new financial reporting requirements and so automation of these complex calculations along with full auditability and appropriate segregation of duties is considered to be the best practice approach.  All of which can be provided through Horizon.

For more information on Horizon Service Pack 6 and to find out the benefits it can bring your business, get in touch. 

The post Qube Horizon 10.2 enhanced with the release of service pack 6 | 9 October 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Acquisition Extends MRI’s Global Reach; Expands Offerings for Property Investors, Agents, Occupiers, and Tenants; Provides Greater Scale for Innovation and Development

London – October 4, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of Qube Global Software, a leading UK-based supplier of property and facilities management software. Qube both extends MRI’s global reach and brings further expertise and scale for continued innovation in property technology. Following MRI’s acquisitions of Qube and Real Asset Management, which was announced last month, the combined company now serves 5,500 clients with a global team of more than 1,000 employees. MRI’s 350 employees in the UK make it one of the largest property tech providers in the country, and in Europe as a whole.

“The global real estate sector is growing at unprecedented rates, with investors and capital seamlessly crossing borders and spanning continents,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “The union of MRI Software and Qube Global Software establishes a technology powerhouse to support investors, agents, and occupiers globally and locally. By uniting MRI’s strength and history in North America with Qube’s European market expertise, along with both companies’ long-standing Asia-Pacific footprint, we are uniquely positioned to address the varying needs of the global real estate market with a comprehensive and flexible portfolio.”

Qube’s extensive property and financial management capabilities, as well as facilities management, integrated workplace management systems (IWMS), and space management solutions, complement MRI’s existing offerings and provide greater choice and flexibility for the combined company’s worldwide client base. Qube’s property management offerings serve both the commercial and residential real estate sectors, including lettings, which is experiencing increased demand in the UK. The acquisition also provides Qube clients access to MRI’s world-class financials and investment suite, including solutions for asset management, scenario modelling, and investor relations.

“It’s rare to find two organisations so closely aligned strategically as MRI and Qube, with a long history in the real estate space and a shared vision of providing an open platform that maximises flexibility and choice for clients,” said John Cuppello, Chief Executive Officer of Qube Global Software. “It’s a tremendous time to become a part of MRI, and our capabilities and expertise will play a meaningful role in helping the combined company continue to grow and thrive.”

Through the addition of Qube’s offices in the UK, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore, MRI is well-positioned to continue exceeding the demands of its growing global client base with increased in-country resources. Both Qube and MRI clients will continue to be served without interruption while near-term integration activities focus on providing expanded offerings to all clients.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modelling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About Qube Global Software

Qube Global Software is a leading supplier of property and facilities management software throughout the world. Over the last 40 years it has helped thousands of clients, ranging from small investors through to global corporations, manage every aspect of their property portfolios. Its products can bring increased revenue and efficiency, reduced costs and full access to vital information for every sector of the property industry.

Contact Information:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Acquires Qube Global Software, a Leading UK-based Provider of Property and Facilities Management Solutions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Software Acquires Real Asset Management, a Leading Provider of Asset Management Solutions
Acquisition Brings Fixed Asset Accounting Capabilities to MRI’s Real Estate Clients, Expands MRI’s European Footprint and Adds More than 1,400 Clients Across a Range of Industries

Solon, Ohio – September 20, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of United Kingdom-based Real Asset Management (RAM), a supplier of asset management software, including asset and lease accounting, tracking, and maintenance management. Asset intensive businesses rely on RAM’s solutions to automate traditionally manual and error-prone processes and ensure compliance with accounting, tax, and financial reporting requirements. Additionally, RAM’s mobile and desktop facilities management solutions enable organizations to streamline processes, improve productivity, and reduce property management costs.

“Real estate organizations face the same challenges as other sectors around compliance and regulations related to asset management,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “By acquiring Real Asset Management, with whom we’ve enjoyed a close partnership for many years, we’re able to leverage deep expertise and innovation in asset management and immediately deliver a comprehensive, integrated solution for our clients in the real estate sector, while expanding into new markets where we see a great deal of potential for further growth. This acquisition is also a key milestone in MRI’s aggressive EMEA expansion strategy.”

MRI’s existing integration with RAM will be enhanced to deliver a comprehensive fixed asset accounting solution for the real estate sector that enables MRI’s commercial, residential, and affordable clients to better manage accounting, maximize tax benefits, improve compliance, and increase the ROI of their assets. More information about the newest product can be found here.

Through the addition of RAM’s global headquarters near London, MRI significantly increases its growing UK presence and gains some 950 European clients, together with another 450 clients worldwide. Additionally, MRI is excited to expand its reach into a range of other industries, including leasing and asset management solutions for intermodal transport containers where RAM is a market leader.

“There is an enormous amount of synergy between MRI and RAM, as evidenced by the success of our long-standing partnership” said George Snelgrove, Chairman of Real Asset Management. “The RAM team will be joining a fantastic organization with tremendous talent, insight and reach while bringing its own capabilities for serving any major industry that requires an asset or facilities management solution.”

RAM will continue to serve all of its clients without interruption and remains committed to providing and supporting solutions for all organizations, regardless of their market sector.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About Real Asset Management

Real Asset Management (RAM) is a leading provider of fixed asset management and logistics software & services.  Over the last 35 years, its products have been implemented by more than 3,000 organisations in over 70 countries. RAM, the principal supplier to the UK public sector, has successfully implemented software in over 2,000 Commercial organizations, 160 Housing Associations, 100 Local Government Authorities, 150 Central Government Offices, 200 NHS Trusts, 90 Educational Establishments and over 250 Government Defence sites worldwide. The company has developed a powerful range of software modules around a central data repository that enables organizations of any size to manage every aspect of the asset lifecycle. Its Series4000 and Series5000 solutions offer fixed asset accounting, capital project control, lease accounting, asset budgeting, asset tracking (utilising barcodes/RFID, cellphones), facilities maintenance and computerised maintenance management.

Contact Information:
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Acquires Real Asset Management, a Leading Provider of Asset Management Solutions appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Solon, Ohio – September 12, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced that strong demand from real estate owners, operators, and investors for a comprehensive and open software platform has propelled MRI to its best quarter in company history. In Q2 2017, MRI Software saw 136 percent growth in new clients over the same period in 2016 and posted its 15^th consecutive quarter of revenue growth.

Strong adoption by MRI’s existing client base of two recently acquired solutions now integrated into the company’s Residential Suite also contributed to the record growth in the second quarter. CallMaX, an automated communications solution, and ResidentCheck, a resident screening service, were widely embraced by MRI’s multifamily clients. Growth was also strong in the EMEA region, including demand from the nascent residential market in the United Kingdom.

With an open architecture approach, MRI gives clients the freedom to deploy the best solutions to match their needs instead of being locked in to a single vendor’s components. MRI’s Partner Connect program – the ecosystem that supports MRI’s open and connected platform – continued to grow in Q2 with the addition of eight new partners. Additionally, MRI’s API library grew to more than 300 APIs, which makes it easy for clients to integrate software from vendors who are part of the Partner Connect program. Clients made more than three million calls to these APIs in Q2.

MRI also laid the foundation for future growth with the announcement of two new solutions during the quarter: MRI AnalytiX and MRI Inspections, powered by HappyCo. MRI AnalytiX provides an engaging, immersive experience that empowers real estate business users to visualize complex data easily, identify trends, understand the underlying causes behind those trends and, ultimately, make better, faster decisions around property management, finance and investments. MRI Inspections is a mobile inspections solution that provides real-time intelligence to reduce costs, optimize turn, and drive quality assurance across multifamily real estate portfolios.

“MRI Software is turning the real estate tech industry on its head with our flexible and open approach to meeting the unique needs of each business. We are committed to liberating real estate owners, operators and investors so they can build their success their way,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer at MRI Software. “Real estate businesses are clearly seeing the value in a platform that enables them to choose the best solutions for their organizations, and, as a result, we just achieved the best quarter in the history of the company, with record bookings, revenue and profitability. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of our passionate, innovative and hard-working team.”

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post Comprehensive and Open Real Estate Platform Propels MRI Software to 136% Increase in New Clients, 15th Consecutive Quarter of Revenue Growth appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Solon, Ohio – August 23, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, is proud to be recognized by ERC as one of Northeast Ohio’s 99 best places to work! This is the eleventh time that MRI has received the award.

“We are honored to receive the NorthCoast 99 award once again,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “Our amazing and passionate team members are the key to MRI’s continued success, and we strive to create a culture and environment that fosters innovation, creativity, and collaboration, where employees look forward to coming to work every day.”

NorthCoast 99 recognizes great places to work for top performing people that drive results, provide competitive advantages, and allow businesses to innovate and grow. Applicants are evaluated based on policies and practices related to the attraction and retention of top performers, as well as data collected from employee surveys.

“We’re extremely honored to recognize the 2017 NorthCoast 99 winners. These organizations have earned the right to call themselves a great workplace by their dedication to attracting, supporting, retaining, and motivating their Top Performers. ERC developed the NorthCoast 99 program with the hopes of inspiring local leaders to promote the great workplace movement,” comments Pat Perry, President of ERC.

Since its founding in 1971, MRI Software has grown into an international leader with team members in all corners of the globe, but its home base remains in Northeast Ohio. MRI’s headquarters in Solon employs more than 400 people and MRI actively supports the local community, including partnering with local colleges and participating in Engage! Cleveland and Cleveland Corporate Challenge.

NorthCoast 99 is an annual recognition program that honors 99 great workplaces for top talent in Northeast Ohio. The program is presented by ERC (www.yourerc.com). ERC helps organizations create great workplaces by providing HR resources, training, and consulting services. Sponsors of the NorthCoast 99 program include: Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, CareerCurve, Cleveland Magazine, ERChealth, Frantz Ward LLP, Gino’s Awards, Oswald Companies, Staffing Solutions Enterprises, and Ultimate Software.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

Contact Information
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software Named One of Northeast Ohio’s Top Workplaces appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Qube Global Software is delighted to announce that Brentwood School, one of the UK’s leading independent schools for boys and girls aged 3-18, has chosen to implement Qube Planet as its long-term CAFM solution.

Brentwood School is steeped in almost 500 years of history, comprising of a Preparatory School, Senior School and Sixth Form, as well as boarding provision. Qube Planet will be implemented to manage FM across the whole campus; covering the highest quality academic, arts and sports centre facilities.

“Qube Planet has been chosen to help us increase efficiency and effectiveness, maximise transparency of costs and asset data, and provide the ability to forecast resources based on planned and reactive maintenance requirements.”

– Ian Maxwell, Estates Bursar, Brentwood School

“Brentwood School is a great addition to our continually growing education sector customer base and we look forward to forming a long-term partnership”

– Tom Price, Business Development Manager, Qube Global Software

The post Brentwood School choose Qube Global Software | 21 August 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Network Homes has chosen to implement Qube Living to support its growing Build to Rent portfolio.

Network Homes is an award winning G15 housing association with 20,000 homes across London, Hertfordshire and the South East, which is expanding into the UK’s vibrant Build to Rent market.

It has chosen to implement Qube Living to facilitate the marketing, leasing and management of its portfolio along with provision of resident interaction through cutting edge portal technology.

Qube Living is a best of breed solution for any organisation involved in the management of residential property. Through collaboration with our partners Engage Property Technology and Fixflo, the best elements of resident self-service have been seamlessly integrated into our award-winning back office and lettings solutions.

Carl Robertson, Senior Build to Rent Manager at Network Homes said: “Having reviewed the software options available to us we identified Qube Living as the best fit for our business. Our priority is to deliver a first-class management service to our customers and working with Qube Living will help us to achieve this”.

Kalumba Musambachime, Head of Build to Rent at Network Homes said: “We have chosen Qube Living as our preferred software solution due to its scalability and flexibility to handle and manage different property classes. We have received amazing feedback from other users and we are confident that it will help us in our drive to expand and offer an amazing customer experience within our growing build to rent portfolio. I am really looking forward to working together with the Qube Living team to ensure a seamless roll out.”

Dan Foryszewski, Business Development Manager at Qube Global Software said; “After some time working with Network Homes and seeing their model develop, we are excited to begin implementing our Qube Living solution for them. As a supplier born in the UK market that works across the Build to Rent, Block Management, PRS and Housing Association sectors, we are confident that our experience will allow us to deliver an integrated solution that meets Network Homes’ requirements.”

Peter Watson, Director of Engage Property Technology said: “Network Homes understands the expectations that their customers have of them and we look forward to working with them to deliver a high level of resident engagement, self-service and automation. Network Homes’ approach will put their brand ahead of the game in this sector.”

The post Network Homes choose Qube Living | 16 August 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are pleased to announce that ITV have chosen to implement Qube Planet as their new facilities management software solution.

ITV operate the largest commercial family of channels in the UK, delivering content through traditional television broadcasting, as well as on demand via the ITV Hub.

ITV needed an intuitive FM solution with a depth of functionality that could meet the needs of their rapidly evolving work environment. They were attracted to the ease of use offered by Qube Planet, as well as the comprehensive reporting suite and robust working capability, which enables their FM teams to deliver efficient, high quality services to their staff.

We are delighted ITV has chosen Qube Global Software as their facilities management software supplier, and we are excited to work with them moving forward.

The post ITV choose Qube Global Software | 10 August 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Registrations for Qube Global Software’s premier Customer Conference, Qube World, are now open. This year’s event takes place on Tuesday, 31 October at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge.

The day’s agenda is set to feature sessions on each of the Qube Global products, plus learning opportunities and insights from expert industry speakers.

A special early-bird rate is available for a limited time, and those wishing to register can do so on the new Qube World website.

A Packed Day

With several interesting developments unfolding across the Qube Global Software product suite in the past 12 months, Qube World 2017 will be a hub of activity.

Delegates will have the chance to learn about the latest updates within their existing systems, as well as explore the range of Qube Global Software solutions.

Expert analysis from speakers across the property sector will offer insight into current market trends, and a selection of Partners from the growing Qube Connect network will be present as event sponsors adding an additional layer to the range of resources and expertise available.

The Park Plaza Westminster Bridge

Set among the heart of UK political power, the state-of-the-art hotel and conference centre provides a perfect home for Qube World 2017.

Located on London’s South Bank, the venue looks out over some of the city’s most famous landmarks and is just minutes away from Westminster and Waterloo London Underground stations and London Waterloo National Railway station.

More Information

As well as links to the Registration page, the dedicated Qube World website provides all the information you need to know about the 2017 event. It’s also where the latest updates will be posted as and when they are announced.

The post Qube World 2017 Dates And Details Announced appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Property Management Software Provider of the Year award at the Property Week Management All-Stars Awards 2017. The awards ceremony returns for a second year to celebrate excellence across all segments of the management of real estate.

We would also like to congratulate many of our customers who have been nominated for numerous awards, along with our partner, Fixflo, who have been nominated for the Property Management Software Provider of the Year award.

The awards ceremony will take place on the 2^nd November at Grosvenor House, London.

We would like to wish everyone the best of luck, and we will keep our fingers crossed.

M J Mapp Ltd

Commercial Property Manager of the Year

Property Management Team of the Year

Employer of the Year

Sustainability Award

Mainstay Group

Residential Block Property Manager of the Year

Property Management Team of the Year

Employer of the Year

Millstream Management Services

Residential Block Property Manager of the Year

Employer of the Year

Encore Estate Management

Employer of the Year

Young Property Manager of the Year – Tom Hopson

Burlington Estates

Residential Block Property Manager of the Year

Homestead Consultancy Services Ltd

Residential Block Property Manager of the Year

Lee Baron

Residential Block Property Manager of the Year

Get Living London

Build to Rent/PRS Operator of the Year

Grainger PLC

Build to Rent/PRS Operator of the Year

Touchstone

Build to Rent/PRS Operator of the Year

Broadgate Estates

Property Management Team of the Year

Knight Frank

Property Management Team of the Year

FirstPort

Young Property Manager of the Year – Stephen Cooper

We are pleased that our customers have been recognised for their hard work, and we’re proud to be their supplier of choice for Property Management solutions.

Good luck to all of those who have been shortlisted!

The post Qube Global Software and customers shortlisted at Property Management Awards | 11 July 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are pleased to announce the release of our innovative, market-leading interface: The Home Hub. This is available with the latest release of Horizon.

The Horizon Home Hub allows users to Personalise, Analyse and Prioritise the information that is important to them. Offering real-time portfolio data at your fingertips, the Home Hub provides your information, how you want it, when you need it, through a visual representation of your chosen business processes.

Service Pack 5 comes with four starter Home Hubs for Property Managers, Lease Payable Managers, Facilities Managers and Accountants. These can easily be personalised further and new role-based Hubs can be created by your power users.

Use your Hub to gain a high-level snapshot of your portfolio in an intuitive way. The Hub highlights your upcoming tasks and reminders and even suggests their priority to proactively assist in your decision-making process. Red, Amber and Green traffic lights reflect the urgency and importance of your tasks.

Drilling down into the summary will allow you to access the granular details; for instance, you can review outstanding invoices, assess their urgency and authorise the expenditure in just a couple of clicks.

Integration with Google Maps offers a visual representation of your properties, with pre-configured queries to find information quickly. A user can drill to the related lease and asset details. Minimal training is required as the user experience is so intuitive.

Your Hub can be personalised to your own style and preference; choose a colour scheme to match your corporate branding; customise the layout for easier navigation, and select which gadgets will be shown to suit your requirements.

With all these great features, the Home Hub can be used as the central point to access your relevant information, highlighting what’s important to you and providing an intuitive alternative approach to the traditional menu system.

The Home Hub comes with the release of Qube Horizon 10.2 Service Pack 5, along with multiple other enhancements. To find out more, get in touch with one of our team today.

The post Introducing the Home Hub – a new way of proactively managing your property portfolio | 21 June 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Software and HappyCo Partner to Launch MRI Inspections

HappyCo’s Mobile, Real-time Inspection Solution to Integrate with MRI’s Multifamily Property Management Platform for Smarter Apartment Rental Operations 

Solon, OH – June 21, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced a partnership with HappyCo, the leading mobile software platform to inspect, monitor and analyze the performance of enterprise business assets in real time, to create MRI Inspections, Powered by HappyCo. MRI Inspections is a mobile inspections solution that provides real-time intelligence to reduce costs, optimize turn, and drive quality assurance across multifamily real estate portfolios. Through integration of HappyCo’s Happy Inspector solution into MRI’s Version X property management platform, MRI Inspections enables clients to improve operations by digitizing a traditionally paper-based process and automating inspection scheduling as a normal course of property operations.

“This integrated solution demonstrates MRI’s commitment to providing clients maximum flexibility and choice through an open and connected partner ecosystem,” said Mirriam Livingstone, VP, Operations Services for Village Green, one of the nation’s largest apartment property management companies and a long-time MRI client. “MRI Inspections, Powered by HappyCo, will be a massive upgrade to our inspection processes by eliminating physical paperwork and standardizing data collection, which we anticipate will minimize disputes and improve our ability to collect damage charges. We are looking forward to participating in the working group, and I fully expect our participation to yield even more efficiency and better results.”

MRI Inspections, Powered by HappyCo, will offer a simple, user-friendly experience for property owners and managers centered around a mobile app. With forms that are configurable to meet the needs and standards of each client, the app prompts users to enter the required data and to attach and annotate associated photos. Users may upload the information in real time if the device is connected to the internet, or via sync if the device is offline during an inspection. The end result is a single source for accurate inspections information that minimizes resident disputes and increases payments for property damages. Through the integration of Happy Inspector into MRI Software’s Residential Management solution, MRI clients gain the capability to automatically schedule inspections based on event triggers such as move-ins and move-outs or resident inquiries.

“Revenue loss, wasted time and unhappy tenants are unacceptable to any multifamily owner or property manager, but that is often the result of paper-based, old-school inspections processes,” said Brian Zrimsek, Industry Principal for Multifamily at MRI Software. “MRI Inspections, Powered by HappyCo, fixes that problem by tying the benefits of HappyCo’s inspections software into our MRI Version X property management offering to create an end-to-end, automated solution. This partnership and integration is yet another example of MRI’s commitment to delivering true enterprise software interoperability.”

“A multifamily solutions provider with both a large installed base of clients and a commitment to growing through partnerships is extraordinarily rare, but that’s what we found in MRI,” said Jindou Lee, CEO and co-founder of HappyCo. “Each side went into this integration process with the same goal in mind: creating the best solution for our clients. Together we’ve developed an offering that ties the best of our products together in a single, unified experience.”

MRI Inspections, Powered by HappyCo, is scheduled for general availability in September. MRI Software and HappyCo are currently accepting client signups to join Village Green in a working group that will provide input on features and user experience before the offering is finalized.

Supporting Resources

• MRI Inspections Datasheet
• Video overview

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

About HappyCo

HappyCo is a San Francisco-based software company that builds mobile and cloud applications for enterprise workforces to run their operations in real time. Its Happy Inspector product is used by thousands of companies and has captured more than 100 million items inspected. The company was founded in 2011 and is privately held.

Contact Information
Jeff Miller
LEWIS
mrisoftware@teamlewis.com 
541-207-3461

The post MRI Software and HappyCo Partner to Launch MRI Inspections appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Qube Global Software has teamed up with property data management company OMNILINK – adding another industry specialist to its growing Qube Connect Partner Programme, aimed at delivering unrivalled service within the marketplace.

The new collaboration means OMNILINK’s AssetWhere platform can now be integrated directly with Qube’s Planet solution, allowing property and facilities managers to visualise key information on a user-friendly map-based system.

Qube Planet is used by leading organisations and contractors to manage their mobile workforce and FM operations. With the best app functionality in the market seamlessly linked to a comprehensive and highly flexible CAFM suite, it creates one data set and one source of the truth.

OMNILINK builds on these capabilities by offering a powerful browser-based database visualisation that quickly and efficiently demonstrates key details that don’t sit naturally in an information management function, a notable example being underground or hidden services.

Its AssetWhere solution provides a central source to record this type of data and gives staff or contractors accurate and up-to-date information on building, asset and service locations. The combination saves significant time and expense, and generates a compliance trail – crucial when dealing with health and safety processes.

A complete user experience has become increasingly important in the industry, and the partnership and the increased functionality has the potential to provide significant added value for both OMNILINK and Qube’s customer base.

Paul Manning, Sales Director at Qube Global Software, said: “Through the expanding Qube Connect Partner Programme we are able to harness the best technology for our customers, and a relationship with OMNILINK achieves exactly that. Integrating its map-based solution with Qube Planet will give property managers increased visibility and knowledge of their estates, saving considerable time and cost.”

Philip Caunter, Director at OMNILINK, said: “OMNILINK has a long-standing presence in Australia and New Zealand, and we’re delighted to partner with Qube as we increase our UK operations. The focus now is to add value for Qube’s many customers and offer a function that has genuine tangible benefits; by incorporating a visual component within the Planet product we believe that’s exactly what can be achieved.”

About Qube Global Software

Qube Global Software is a leading supplier of property and facilities management software throughout the world. Over the last 40 years it has helped thousands of clients, ranging from small investors through to global corporations, manage every aspect of their property portfolios. Its products can bring increased revenue and efficiency, reduced costs and full access to vital information for every sector of the property industry.

About OMNILINK

OMNILINK is a successful property and location data management company, which has provided enterprise data management and integration services to clients for over 28 years. The company has developed specific expertise and skills in the acquisition, collation and management of data for government, education, healthcare and business. OMNILINK has offices across Australia and New Zealand, and is now working with new customers in the United Kingdom.

The post Qube Global Software Partners with Data Visualisation Expert OMNILINK | 20 June 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Software Introduces AnalytiX: a Business Intelligence Solution Built for Real Estate

MRI AnalytiX Provides Intuitive, Immersive Visualizations of Real Estate Data for Better, Faster Decisions that Maximize Returns and Minimize Risk

Solon, OH – June 14, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced MRI AnalytiX, a powerful business intelligence (BI) solution built for real estate. AnalytiX provides an engaging, immersive experience that empowers business users to visualize complex data easily, identify trends, understand the underlying causes behind those trends and, ultimately, make better, faster decisions around property management, finance and investments.

In today’s hypercompetitive real estate industry, organizations must operate efficiently, identify and mitigate risk, and respond quickly to changing conditions. MRI AnalytiX provides real estate professionals with the tools they need not just to survive in this environment, but to thrive. MRI AnalytiX empowers efficiency, by simplifying and visualizing information in a manner that enables leaders to easily understand what’s happening, thus moving from insight to action quickly and effectively.  Decision-makers can quickly see the macro trends that are shaping their businesses and subsequently drill down from standard dashboards to identify outliers and raise additional questions that AnalytiX can answer.

MRI AnalytiX enables organizations to focus on results instead of the process of gathering information. Results are on-demand with up-to-date analysis and presentation-ready reporting always available, so business users get answers on their own in minutes, instead of waiting weeks for standard monthly reports. Moreover, staff can spend their time more effectively creating value for their organizations instead of wasting days hurriedly preparing information that will already be stale once the analysis is complete. And as cloud-based solution, AnalytiX is accessible anywhere, including via mobile devices.

The primary benefits of MRI AnalytiX include:

• Assess trends: Identify how key market indicators will affect conditions so real estate firms can take action long before the competition. From internal indicators like expense trends and occupancy, to performance factors like delinquencies and tenant health, data visualizations show where management should focus.
• Analyze portfolios: Easily unearth the factors that are preventing assets from performing at their full potential and identify the best mix of properties and tenants for the organization. AnalytiX was designed by real estate professionals for real estate professionals, so the solution makes it easy to perform the analyses, including analyses of geospacial information, that truly make a difference for the bottom line.
• Maximize returns and minimize risk: Gain insight into fundamental shifts in asset and lease mix as well as changing market dynamics by visualizing performance.
• Ease-Of-Use: Free the business community to immerse themselves in a wealth of real estate and financial performance information without the need to maintain a technology organization to support BI.

MRI AnalytiX is currently available with MRI Investment Modeling and MRI Financials. It will also be available for MRI Advanced Retail and MRI Commercial Management in the third quarter of this year. And while MRI AnalytiX leverages Tableau as its primary BI engine, organizations will also be able to access their data using third-party BI tools when the AnalytiX Data Store is released in the fourth quarter of this year.

“MRI AnalytiX is unlike any other BI solution on the market because it was designed specifically to maximize insights and user experience for real estate professionals,” said Charles McDowell, Vice President of Commercial Solutions and Client Experience at MRI Software. “We are empowering our business users to embrace their data and quickly get the results they need on their own. And because it’s a highly graphical, immersive experience, it’s actually fun to use. With AnalytiX, organizations can uncover hidden insights in a way that leaders intuitively understand, thus driving informed decisions in a timely and relevant manner.”

For more information on MRI AnalytiX, please visit https://www.mrisoftware.com/analytics-and-reporting/.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

The post MRI Software Introduces AnalytiX: a Business Intelligence Solution Built for Real Estate appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

Qube Global Software (Qube) today announces its partnership with intelligent information extraction and document management platform LEVERTON. The companies will work together to serve clients across the real estate sector with AI based technology for next generation real estate management.

Over the last 40 years, Qube Global Software has helped thousands of clients managing or occupying real estate, ranging from small businesses through to global corporations: bringing increased efficiency, reduced costs and full access to vital information. Qube Global’s solutions have always operated to enable compliance with core accounting and financial reporting regulations, including upcoming lease accounting standards.

This partnership will deliver a number of significant benefits to the Qube client base.
The primary benefit being the possibility to accelerate adding lease information to the Qube real estate solution by using LEVERTON to perform lease abstractions and auto uploading relevant data into the system. This area will be at the heart of the future partnership.

LEVERTON uses deep learning, a subset of Artificial Intelligence programmed to simulate the way the human brain functions, to automatically extract data from unstructured documents. This has been particularly valuable in the real estate sector, and LEVERTON is already working with real estate giants such as JLL and STRABAG to facilitate the smarter and more efficient management of large real estate portfolios.

Artificial Intelligence is a powerful technology enabling significant efficiencies in the way organizations, buy, sell and manage real estate. The partnership means that customers will benefit from a comprehensive solution for real estate management allowing for big data analytics.

Qube’s lease management functionality is already used by thousands of major international brands to support their real estate operations, such as Tesco, M&S, Debenhams and Hanesbrands. By partnering with LEVERTON, this combination of state of the art AI technology and the deep financial capabilities of Qube will continue to transform the world of real estate technology.

About the partnership, Steven Fox, Head of Sales – Occupier Solutions at Qube comments,
“Naturally we are excited about this partnership and the technology it will deliver to our clients. LEVERTON will sit ideally alongside our solution and will give customers a potential leap in efficiency. It comes at an ideal time when these customers will be looking to adhere to the latest lease accounting standards and many have the associated lease abstraction challenge to face.”

About Qube
Qube Global Software is a leading supplier of property and facilities management software throughout the world. Over the last 40 years it has helped thousands of clients, ranging from small investors through to global corporations, manage every aspect of their property portfolios. Its products can bring increased revenue and efficiency, reduced costs and full access to vital information for every sector of the property industry.

About LEVERTON
LEVERTON develops and applies disruptive deep learning technologies to extract, structure and manage data from corporate documents in more than 20 languages. Our platform empowers corporations and investors to be more efficient and effective with their data & document management. It facilitates quick and data-driven decision-making by creating actionable, valuable insights out of unstructured data. More than 100 global industry leaders trust LEVERTON to build their CORE. The intelligent platform runs on LEVERTON servers in ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified data centers that guarantee highest security.

The post Qube Global Software Partners with Leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform LEVERTON | 12 June 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

MRI Software Appoints David Carner to Lead Multifamily Business Unit

Real Estate Technology Veteran to Lead All Strategic and Operational Initiatives
for MRI’s Growing Multifamily Business

Solon, OH – June 12, 2017 – MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the appointment of 25-year industry veteran David Carner as group vice president for the company’s multifamily business unit. With extensive senior management experience at real estate technology providers in functions ranging from product management and operations to business development and marketing, Carner brings the end-to-end expertise to build on and accelerate the growth of MRI’s multifamily business.

“Dave’s appointment marks a significant milestone for our business and further emphasizes our long-term commitment to and leadership position in the multifamily sector,” said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software. “Dave will be a huge asset to MRI, and we could not be more pleased to have his invaluable experience on our leadership team. Dave will have our total support as he guides us to new heights in multifamily.”

Carner will take over MRI Software’s fast-growing multifamily business in the midst of record expansion of its platform across all sectors, including conventional and affordable housing. In the past twelve months alone, MRI has grown its multifamily offerings to include solutions for automated communications, resident screening and asset management with the acquisitions of CallMaX, ResidentCheck and Integratec, respectively. These solutions, along with new innovations in MRI’s Multifamily Connect Suite, meet client needs for property and asset management and full resident lifecycle engagement, from prospect attraction to resident retention.

“As someone who’s been in this industry for well over two decades, I am very familiar with MRI Software’s long history of success helping multifamily real estate organizations elevate their business,” said Carner. “I’m thrilled to be joining the team now at a time of unprecedented investment and momentum in multifamily. MRI’s commitment to delivering comprehensive and flexible software supported by an open and connected ecosystem of innovative partners is  the ultimate in client experience and the core tenet upon which we will continue to build the MRI legacy.”

Prior to joining MRI Software, Carner was senior vice president at First Advantage, a provider of comprehensive background screening solutions, where he was responsible for guiding the success of its Residential Solutions business. Before First Advantage, he spent 18 years with RealPage, including serving as president of both LeasingDesk and CrossFire. Carner graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh and completed an MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. He will be based out of MRI’s new Dallas office.

MRI Software’s multifamily business is built upon its Residential Suite. These flexible solutions for conventional and affordable housing adapt to individual customer needs, allowing property owners and managers to take control of the entire real estate cycle, from online leasing and lead qualifications to renewals and statement of deposit.

About MRI Software

MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRI’s comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businesses—from property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.

The post MRI Software Appoints David Carner to Lead Multifamily Business Unit appeared first on MRI Software | UK.

We are proud to announce that a number of our customers have been shortlisted at the prestigious ARMA ACE Awards.

The awards ceremony will take place on the 7^th July at the Tobacco Dock, London, and Qube Global Software, Fixflo and Engage are the silver sponsors.

We would like to wish everyone the best of luck!

Premier Estates

Corporate Social Responsibility Firm of the Year

Customer Service Award

On-site Staff Member of the Year – Graz Sausionis

Unsung Hero – Louie-Mae Brisley

FirstPort Bespoke Property Services

Customer Service Award

Service Charge Accountant of the Year – Charlotte Perrott

Property Woman of the Year – Sue Petri

Michael Laurie Magar

Corporate Social Responsibility Firm of the Year

Apprentice of the Year – Oliver Fanthorpe

Property Woman of the Year – Shelley Jacobs

Encore Estate Management

Larger Managing Agent of the Year

Service Charge Accountant of the Year – Emma Langford

Unsung Hero – Nick Archer

McCarthy & Stone Management Services

On-site Staff Member of the Year – Sharon Gratton

Service Charge Accountant of the Year – David Mann

AMAX Estates

Smaller Managing Agent of the Year

Service Charge Accountant of the Year – Daniel Kemp

Burlington Estates

Medium Managing Agent of the Year

Crabtree Property Management

Service Charge Accountant of the Year – Chereya Parmar

Homestead Consultancy Services

Customer Service Award

We ae proud to be linked to these organisations and to be their supplier of choice for Property Management solutions.

Good luck to all of those who have been shortlisted!

The post Qube Global Software customers shortlisted at ARMA ACE Awards | 6 June 2017 appeared first on MRI Software | UK.