The dues ledger is in one place, the bank statement in another, the debtors’ list in a WhatsApp group and repair requests on the manager’s phone. Apartment management may look like volunteer work, but at its core it is about money, law and communication; the right software brings all three together in one place.
From buildings with a handful of flats to complexes with hundreds of units, management boards face the same questions: Are dues collected on time, who owes how much, where was the money spent, are residents kept informed? Apartment management software turns the answers into a transparent system everyone can see.
There are many residential management programs on the market, and their promotions look alike. In this article we don’t discuss a specific product but the criteria to look at when choosing: compliance with the Condominium Law, dues and late fee calculation, online payments, KVKK, mobile access, reporting and support. At the end you’ll also find a checklist you can use to compare software.
Why do you need apartment management software?
Managing with a ledger and Excel works for a while in small buildings with a few flats. But as the number of units grows, managers change and tenant turnover increases, problems multiply:
- Accounting confusion: It becomes unclear which payment belongs to which month and expense item; gaps emerge during handovers.
- Lack of transparency: When residents can’t see where the money goes, trust drops, meetings turn into arguments and collection gets harder.
- The manager’s time: Sending individual messages, writing receipts, chasing debts and tracking repairs is a heavy burden for volunteer managers.
- Legal risk: Miscalculating late fees or publicly posting debtors in common areas can expose the management to legal problems.
Good software reduces this burden and, by letting every unit owner see their own account, also increases trust in the management.
Dues tracking and late fees: calculations that comply with the law
The heart of any residential management program is dues and debt tracking. Under Article 20 of Condominium Law No. 634, a unit owner who fails to pay their share of expenses and advances on time pays a late fee of 5 percent per month for the days of delay. This rate was reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent by a 2007 amendment; you may still come across templates that calculate with the old rate.
When evaluating software, check the following:
- Flexible accruals: Can dues be set by land share, equally, or by a custom allocation key in the management plan? Can items like fuel, lifts and fixtures be allocated separately?
- Late fee settings: Can the rate, due date and calculation method (monthly or daily) be configured according to the board’s decision? Is the calculation clearly visible on the statement?
- Owner and tenant distinction: Under certain conditions the law holds tenants jointly liable with owners for expense shares. The software should define owners and tenants separately and show the debt to the right person.
- Partial payments and offsetting: Which debt a partial payment is applied to, as well as advances and refunds, should be recorded clearly.
- Individual statements: Each unit should be able to see its own debt, payment and late payment history.
Operating budget, resolution book and accountability
The law requires the management to prepare an annual operating budget. Under Article 37 of the Condominium Law, objections to the operating budget can be made within seven days of notification; a finalised operating budget and the owners’ assembly’s decisions on operating expenses are accepted as documents listed in the first paragraph of Article 68 of the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law. This shows how important the operating budget is in collecting unpaid dues.
Features the software should offer in this process:
- Budget and plan preparation: Creating the new year’s operating budget from last year’s actual expenses and splitting it into shares per unit.
- Budget vs. actual comparison: Reports showing how much each item deviated during the year.
- Cash and bank transactions: Keeping collected funds, as the law requires, in an account opened in the name of the main property by the manager, and recording transactions in the software.
- Document archive: Storing digital copies of invoices, contracts, meeting minutes and resolutions. Remember that the resolution book must be notarised; the software doesn’t replace this book, it keeps it organised.
- Year-end account report: Generating the income and expense table for the owners’ assembly with a single click.
Since 1 September 2023, mediation has been mandatory before filing a lawsuit in disputes arising from the Condominium Law. Well-kept statements and records strengthen the management’s hand in both mediation and enforcement.
Online dues payment: virtual POS, transfer matching and reminders
The most effective way to make collection easier is to make payment effortless. Letting residents pay dues by card from their phones removes the “I’ll go to the bank and pay” excuse.
- Card payments via virtual POS: The payment should be deducted from the debt instantly and a receipt generated automatically. Clarify commission rates and who will bear the commission in advance.
- Bank transfer matching: Transfers without a description are management boards’ biggest headache. A unit-specific reference code or the ability to import and match bank transactions saves a lot of time.
- Automatic reminders: Personalised reminders by SMS, email or app notification before and after the due date.
- Payment security: Card details should be processed not in the software but on a licensed payment institution’s infrastructure; 3D Secure should be supported.
The strongest reminder in dues collection is being able to pay in two taps.
KVKK compliance: debtor lists, cameras and resident data
Apartment and complex management boards process a great deal of personal data: names, phone numbers, unit numbers, debt information, licence plates, camera footage. The Personal Data Protection Board has recently highlighted two important issues in this area:
- Debtor lists should not be posted in common areas: According to a decision announced by the Board in 2026, posting the details of residents with unpaid dues in common areas such as lifts, building entrances and corridors was found to violate Law No. 6698. It recommends informing people only through channels accessible to the individuals concerned, such as a personal app or a closed channel.
- Use of security cameras: The Authority’s public announcement on security cameras in apartment buildings stresses that camera systems must be set up in compliance with both KVKK and the Condominium Law.
Safeguards to look for in the software:
- Role-based permissions: Managers, auditors, staff and residents should see different screens and different data. A resident should only be able to see their own debt.
- Data location and backups: Where the data is hosted, how often it is backed up and how it will be handed over to you when the contract ends should be in writing.
- Privacy notice: There should be a privacy notice telling residents for what purpose their data is processed and, where necessary, an explicit consent mechanism.
- Audit logs: It should be possible to track who changed which record and when; this matters both for security and for handovers between managers.
For more on KVKK-compliant digital infrastructure, see our article on KVKK-compliant websites.
Resident communication, support requests and mobile app
Today most communication between management and residents takes place in scattered messaging groups. Announcements get lost there, personal details are shared openly, and repair reports go untracked. Look for these features in the software:
- Announcements module: Sending announcements such as water outages, meeting calls and maintenance work to all residents or specific blocks via app notification and, if needed, SMS.
- Support requests: A ticket system where residents can report a fault with a photo and track its status (received, in progress, resolved).
- Mobile app: An iOS and Android app for residents to view their balance, pay, read announcements and open requests. A mobile-friendly web page also does the job, but an app is more effective thanks to notification support.
- Manager screen: A desktop or web panel for detailed work on the management and accounting side. In large complexes, heavy data entry isn’t done on a phone.
Residential management software comparison table
You can put the software you get quotes for side by side using the table below:
| Criterion | What to ask? |
|---|---|
| Dues and accruals | Are land share, equal and custom allocation keys supported? |
| Late fees | Can the rate and method be configured, and are they shown on the statement? |
| Collection | Is there virtual POS, transfer matching and automatic receipts? Who pays the commission? |
| Reporting | Can you generate the operating budget, budget vs. actual and year-end account reports? |
| KVKK | How are role-based permissions, data location, backups and audit logs handled? |
| Platforms | What web, iOS, Android and desktop options are there? |
| Migration | Can existing Excel data and opening balances be imported? |
| Pricing | Per unit or flat fee? Are SMS and POS fees included? |
| Support | Phone, email, training; is there handover support when the manager changes? |
When it comes to pricing, don’t just look at the monthly fee; look at the total annual cost including SMS packages, virtual POS commissions and add-on module fees. A package that looks cheap can end up expensive once the extras are added.
An example: how we designed KATSİS
We experienced some of these criteria first-hand while developing our own product. KATSİS, developed by CYF Tech, was designed to bring apartment and complex management into a single panel: dues and debt tracking, cash management, announcements, support requests, online collection via virtual POS and SMS modules all work together. There is a web panel and a Windows app for managers, and iOS and Android apps for residents.
The most important lesson from development was this: what management boards really need is not a long list of features, but accurate dues calculations, easy collection and organised communication. You can explore the product and our other work on our projects page. Whichever software you choose, we recommend using the checklist above.
- Are dues allocation keys (land share, equal, custom) supported?
- Can the late fee rate and method be configured according to the board’s decision?
- Are online payments, transfer matching and automatic receipts available?
- Is debt information shown only to the person concerned?
- Are data location, backups and data handover at contract end in writing?
- Can existing records and opening balances be imported?
- Has the total annual cost been calculated, including SMS, POS and add-on modules?
Frequently asked questions
What is the late payment interest on apartment dues?
Under Article 20 of Condominium Law No. 634, a unit owner who fails to pay their share of expenses or advances on time pays a late fee of 5 percent per month for the days of delay. If there is any doubt about the calculation method, consulting a legal professional is recommended.
Can a list of residents with unpaid dues be posted in the lift?
No. The Personal Data Protection Board found that posting the details of residents with unpaid dues in common areas such as lifts, entrances and corridors is unlawful. Notifications should only be made through channels accessible to the individuals concerned.
Does a small apartment building need management software?
It isn’t mandatory, but even in buildings with a few flats, online payments, personal debt statements and announcements make the manager’s job much easier and prevent records from being lost when the manager changes.
How is the price of apartment management software determined?
It is usually based on the number of units, the selected modules and platforms. SMS packages and virtual POS commissions are often charged separately; comparisons should be made on total annual cost.
What should be done before suing over unpaid dues?
Since 1 September 2023, mediation has been mandatory before filing a lawsuit in disputes arising from the Condominium Law. Enforcement proceedings are also an option for receivables based on a finalised operating budget; seek a lawyer’s support for the process.
Final word
The right apartment management software lightens the manager’s load, speeds up dues collection and, most importantly, increases trust in the management. When choosing, focus less on shiny feature lists and more on whether dues calculations comply with the law, how easy collection is, KVKK safeguards, and migration and support processes.
If you would like to discuss the right solution for your complex or the buildings you manage, see KATSİS up close, or assess the need for software tailored to your own management processes, contact us.