In this guide 6 sections
PG operators should look for software that tracks every bed, generates rent dues, records deposits and vacancies, and gives owners and caretakers separate views. Test it with your own rooms and tenants before paying. GullySystem’s Paying Guest Management System covers these functions for small and mid-sized operators.
Check how it models beds, rooms and properties
A PG is not one unit. It has properties, floors, rooms and beds. Rent is often charged per bed, and sharing types differ in price.
Ask the vendor to set up one of your properties. A room with three beds and two sharing types is a good test. If the system cannot show which bed is free, it will not help with vacancies.
Operators with several buildings need one view across all of them. They also need each building to be reported on its own.
- Property, floor, room and bed records
- Different rent by sharing type
- One view across buildings
- Beds marked occupied, vacant or reserved
Look at rent dues, reminders and receipts
Rent chasing takes more owner time than most other tasks, and it is usually the first thing a PG operator wants software to take over. The system should create dues on the right dates. It should also record part payments and late fees where you charge them.
Reminders should go to tenants by message, from a number your PG controls. Ask what happens when a tenant says they paid. The receipt should match a payment, not a note.
Ask for a month-end list of who paid, who did not and how much is open. It should be one screen, not a rebuilt spreadsheet.
Deposits, joining and leaving
Deposits cause many disputes. The system should record the amount taken, the date and any deductions at exit. A refund should show what was kept and why.
Joining needs identity documents and an agreement. Leaving needs notice, room inspection and a final settlement. Each step should be a recorded event.
Room transfers deserve a test as well. A tenant who moves rooms should keep one history, with rent adjusted from the transfer date.
- Deposit received, held and refunded
- Identity and agreement documents stored
- Notice period and exit date tracked
- Room transfer with a single history
Who sees what: owners, managers and caretakers
Owners want the numbers, such as rent collected, beds vacant and deposits held, across every building they run, without calling anyone on site. Caretakers want a short list of today’s tasks. Both should not see the same screen.
A caretaker may need to mark a complaint or a check-in. They should not see full financial reports. Each role gets only its part of the work.
Mobile use matters. Most on-site staff work from a phone, so ask to see the screens on one.
Moving from the register and testing before you commit
Most PGs start with a register or a spreadsheet, so the first job of any new system is a careful and checked load of that data. Ask how current tenants, balances and deposits will be loaded. Someone must check them against the register before the first billing cycle.
Run one full month on a single property first. Compare the system’s dues with your own records. Differences show where set-up needs correction.
Ask how you would take your data out if you left. Then compare vendors using one sheet of the same questions.
PG software demo checklist
A one-page checklist to carry into each vendor demonstration. It lists the bed setup test, the rent due and receipt test, the deposit and exit test, the role views and the data export question. Tick each item as the vendor shows it and note the gaps.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Can software handle different rent for different sharing types?
Yes, in most PG systems. Rent is set per room type or bed, and the system generates dues from it. Confirm this with your own price list.
Do small PGs with one building need software?
Not always. A single building with a few rooms can manage on a sheet. Software helps once rent chasing, deposits and vacancies take real time.
Can tenants pay online through the system?
Often, if a payment gateway is connected. This is scoped with the operator, along with how payments are matched to dues.
Can existing tenant data be moved in?
Usually, where it sits in a register or spreadsheet that can be cleaned. The owner should verify balances before billing starts.