Arrears management

An arrears case in PropLink is a structured workflow for chasing an unpaid debt. Most arrears chases follow the same pattern (reminder, formal letter, admin fee, solicitor referral) and PropLink lets you codify that pattern as a workflow that runs automatically.

Arrears overview

The arrears dashboard at Financials → Arrears shows every unit with an outstanding balance past its due date, grouped by ageing bucket:

• 0 to 30 days
• 31 to 60 days
• 61 to 90 days
• 91 to 180 days
• Over 180 days

You can filter by site, by estate, by amount, by leaseholder name. Click any unit to drill into its arrears case.

The arrears case

For every unit with arrears, PropLink keeps a single arrears case that aggregates:

• Every overdue invoice on the unit.
• Every reminder, letter or admin fee issued.
• Every payment plan agreed.
• Every communication sent.
• Every step the workflow has executed automatically.

The case is the place to look when the leaseholder calls or when the case is going to tribunal.

Configure an arrears workflow

A workflow is a sequence of steps that runs automatically when a leaseholder's balance breaches the threshold for that step. To set one up:

1. Open Settings → Workflows → Arrears workflows → Create workflow.
2. Name the workflow (for example Standard residential arrears).
3. Add steps. A typical sequence:
   • Day 7: gentle email reminder.
   • Day 14: formal email reminder with payment options.
   • Day 21: posted formal demand letter (PDF).
   • Day 30: admin fee applied.
   • Day 45: solicitor referral task raised.
4. For each step, pick the email or document template to use.
5. Save and assign the workflow to one or more sites.

See Arrears workflows for the full reference.

Send an arrears letter manually

You can send a letter outside the workflow:

1. Open the unit's arrears case.
2. Click Send letter.
3. Pick a template.
4. Review the merged content.
5. Send by email, post (PropLink generates a PDF for posting) or both.

The letter is recorded on the case with the timestamp, the user who sent it and the channel used.

Payment plans and informal arrangements

If a leaseholder cannot pay the full amount immediately, you can record a payment plan against their case:

1. Open the unit's arrears case.
2. Click Add payment plan.
3. Record the agreed instalments (date and amount).
4. Optionally pause the arrears workflow while the plan is in force.
5. Save.

The case shows the agreed instalments, tracks payments against them, and resumes the workflow if the leaseholder defaults.

Charging admin fees and interest

Leases vary in what they allow you to charge for late payment. PropLink supports:

• Fixed admin fees added per step (for example £50 added at the 30-day step).
• Daily interest at a rate set per lease or per workflow.

Admin fees are raised as a separate debtor invoice on the unit. They post to the admin fee income ledger account, which is freeholder income for most leases.

Forwarding to solicitors

When the workflow reaches the solicitor referral step, PropLink:

• Pauses the automated chase.
• Raises a task assigned to the responsible manager.
• Generates a referral pack: arrears history, communications log, payment plan history, all relevant invoices and the unit's statement.

The manager reviews the pack, contacts the firm, and records the referral on the case.

Writing off bad debt

If a debt is genuinely uncollectable:

1. Open the arrears case.
2. Click Write off.
3. Enter the amount, the reason and the approving authority.
4. Confirm.

A write-off posts a journal that clears the unit's balance and charges the bad debt expense ledger account. The case is closed, but kept in the audit trail.

Arrears reporting

The arrears reports under Reporting → Aged debtors include:

• Aged debtors by site, estate or portfolio.
• Arrears by leaseholder.
• Arrears trend over time.
• Recovery rate per workflow.

The reports drive the figures in your service charge year-end pack and your client management reports.