Posts Tagged ‘PayLease’

Four Easy Steps to Safeguard Resident Information

Written by Apartment Management Magazine on . Posted in Blog

secure dataProtecting your business from hackers is a hot topic these days. Property management companies are particularly fearful of becoming the next Target, and rightfully so. With all the data residents need to provide on lease applications, property management databases are full of sensitive information like credit cards, Social Security numbers, previous address information, and date of birth. It’s a gold mine for identity thieves.

With so much buzz over data security, we recently hosted a webinar for property management professionals titled, “Safeguard your Business – Strategies to Improve Data Security and Protect Resident Information”. In case you missed it, here are some of the tips PayLease’s security experts discussed with the audience.

Hire Trustworthy Employees

Responsible and honest employees are crucial to data security. Job hunters are on their best behavior during interviews so it is important to run background checks and call each candidate’s professional references. Prospective employees should have multiple rounds of interviews within your organization, preferably with multiple people within the company.

Train Employees

The people you hire are your first line of defense in protecting resident data. Train employees how to properly handle sensitive resident information like Social Security numbers, credit card information, etc. Limit the number of employees who have access to this data. Furthermore, employees also need to know computer usage policies and email best practices, so make sure that they are not exposing your computers to unnecessary risk.

Invest in Physical Security

Your office doesn’t need to be Ft. Knox, but exercising some simple precautions can go a long way. Keep files locked. Shred any documents containing sensitive data. Either purchase a shredder for the office or hire a 3rd party to destroy these documents. Install security cameras and a key card access system for rooms where sensitive information could be accessed. But before you install cameras, be sure you check the privacy laws in your area. Some state laws require that employees be informed of security cameras.

Digital Security

Strong passwords are the most important aspect of digital security. Passwords should be at least 8 characters and contain an uppercase letter, a lower case letter and a special character. Never write down passwords and make sure you have multiple passwords for various systems.

Install a reputable antivirus software on all employee computers and make sure it runs daily. Research and choose a solution that is effective and fast, so it can run frequently on the computers without getting in the way. It should be easy to deploy and centrally manage.

Your organization should also have an email and internet policy within its employee manual. Also be sure to inform employees of the latest malware to prevent your systems from being infected with viruses.

For more tips on safeguarding resident information, view our recorded webinar, Safeguard your Business – Strategies to Improve Data Security and Protect Resident Information.


paylease logo PayLease | Company Website PayLease is a leading payments provider for the property management industry, specifically serving the Residential, Homeowner Association and Commercial markets. We provide property managers the ability to collect rent, dues and lease payments electronically, resulting in less administrative work and improved cash flow and funding time.

Survey Says! A Glimpse into PayLease’s 2nd Annual Market Survey

Written by Apartment Management Magazine on . Posted in Blog

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You may have heard that PayLease recently published our 2013 Market Survey about online payment usage in the property management industry. If you aren’t familiar with our survey, once a year we enlist New Heights Research to survey hundreds of HOA and multifamily firms nationwide about their usage of electronic payments. Firms participating in the survey are asked to indicate their portfolio type, the number of residential units under management, and if they offer residents online payment options.

This year’s survey revealed some interesting finds. So if you haven’t already downloaded a copy of the survey, here’s a preview of the results.

One of our favorite findings from the survey is the acceptance of online payments among all portfolio types has risen since 2012. Here’s the percentage of firms in the property management industry that offer electronic payment options:

  • All property management companies: 60%
  • HOA firms: 69%
  • Multifamily firms: 54%

The property management industry as a whole increased its usage of online payments by 7%, going from 53% in 2012, to 60% in 2013. More HOAs accept online payments, but multifamily firms added these solutions at a much higher rate. Multifamily firms increased their usage of online payments by 8%, going from 46% in 2012 to 54% in 2013. HOAs increased online payment solutions 4%, from 65% in 2012 to 69% in 2013.

This is just a glimpse of what is covered in our market survey. We also reveal and provide analysis on:

  • Acceptance of online payments by homes/units under management HOAs and multifamily
  • Percentage of firms who switched online payment providers
  • Percentage of companies that implemented online payments
  • Percentage of companies that added new payment methods to an existing solution
  • Our predictions for trends in 2014

To download a complimentary copy of the 2013 Market Survey, click here.