You’ve heard it before: "You get what you pay for." And nowhere is that truer than in managed IT services for Salt Lake City property management companies.
At first glance, a low-cost IT contract might seem like a smart play: lower fees, some baseline tech support, maybe even a few security tools bundled in. But peel back the layers, and what you often find are weak security safeguards, incomplete coverage, and a support model that fails you the moment your tenant portals go down or your leasing agents get locked out.
After reviewing dozens of property management IT setups across Salt Lake City, we’ve seen the same avoidable issues show up time and time again. Below are five common shortcuts we see from budget IT providers—and why they end up costing operations managers like you far more than the monthly invoice suggests.
- Weak (Or Nonexistent) Cybersecurity Protections
Basic antivirus is NOT enough to protect tenant data.
But you wouldn’t know that from some of the IT contracts we’ve reviewed. Many "discount" IT firms in Salt Lake City install the bare minimum and call it a day: no 2FA, no EDR, no security awareness training, and no layered defense for when phishing attempts slip through.
Why this matters: More and more cyber insurance policies require these advanced protections to remain valid. We've seen property firms in Salt Lake City get denied claims after a breach because their provider never implemented mandatory safeguards.
The fallout? Tens of thousands in recovery costs and a big dent in your credibility with owners and tenants.
- Cloud Backups That Leave Gaping Holes
Using AppFolio, Buildium, or Yardi? Your data might not be as backed up as you think.
Many SLC property managers assume their cloud apps handle all backup and disaster recovery. But most of these tools only offer minimal rollback features—not full data retention or ransomware recovery.
Cheap IT services often skip third-party backups for your email, tenant portals, and CRM platforms. And without immutable backups (which can’t be altered by attackers), you’re wide open in the event of a breach.
Think your data is covered? Ask your current IT provider what isn’t being backed up. The answer might shock you.
- Surprise Charges For On-Site or After-Hours Support
Here’s the play: offer a super-low monthly rate, then nickel-and-dime you when your leasing agent can’t print a lease at 7 PM or the VoIP phones go down on a Saturday.
It’s a pricing trick we see often in Salt Lake City—especially from IT firms that cater to "any business"—but know nothing about peak leasing season or 24/7 maintenance operations.
At Qual IT, we believe property managers shouldn’t have to second-guess calling for help. Our pricing is flat, predictable, and includes after-hours emergencies.
- No Help With Vendor Systems or Devices
"Not our problem."
That’s the answer many property managers hear when they call their IT provider about an issue with their HVAC dashboard, RingCentral setup, or onsite printer.
Some IT companies even charge extra just to talk to your vendor. Others won’t touch anything that isn’t on their “approved” device list.
At Qual IT, we act as your vendor liaison—whether it’s a broken VoIP line, a downed Wi-Fi access point, or a third-party portal issue. Because when systems are interconnected, finger-pointing wastes your time.
- Inexperienced Techs, Zero Strategic Guidance
One of the biggest red flags we see? IT firms that staff junior techs on 1099s, with no dedicated account manager, no roadmap, and no idea how AppFolio integrates with your network.
You might get support tickets answered, but you’ll never get:
- Strategic IT planning around leasing cycles
- Proactive security audits and compliance prep
- Budgeting for hardware or cloud migrations
- A trusted advisor who "gets" the property management grind
That’s not IT support. That’s reactive firefighting.
Bottom Line: "Cheap" IT Isn’t Cheap For Long
Too many Salt Lake City property firms don’t realize their tech is underpowered until it breaks—a ransomware attack during move-in, a compliance failure during audit season, or a day-long outage in the middle of renewals.
By then, it’s too late.
If you’re ready for IT support that understands the pace and pressure of Salt Lake’s property world, let’s talk. We offer a free, no-pressure network risk review specifically for firms running AppFolio, Buildium, or Yardi.
We’ll tell you exactly where your current setup is strong, where it’s falling short, and how to protect your business without surprise fees or tech jargon.
