What is an Accrual in Property Management?

In property management, an accrual refers to an accounting concept related to recognizing revenue or expenses when they are earned or incurred, regardless of when the actual cash transaction takes place. Accrual accounting is in contrast to cash accounting, where transactions are recorded when cash changes hands.

Here’s how accruals work in property management:

Accrued Revenue:

In property management, accrued revenue represents income that is earned but has not yet been received in cash. For example, if a tenant owes rent for a particular month but has not yet paid it, the property management company would recognize this amount as accrued revenue because they have earned the income by providing the rental property, even though the cash has not been received.

Example: If a tenant’s monthly rent is $1,000, and the month has ended but the tenant hasn’t paid yet, the property management company would record $1,000 as accrued revenue for that month.

Accrued Expenses:

Accrued expenses represent costs that have been incurred but have not yet been paid in cash. For property management, this could include expenses like maintenance or repair work that has been completed but not yet invoiced or utility bills that have been used but not yet received.

Example: If a property management company has contracted a maintenance service to repair a broken appliance in one of their rental units, and the work has been completed but not yet billed, the cost of the maintenance would be recorded as an accrued expense.

Accrual accounting provides a more accurate representation of a property management company’s financial performance because it recognizes revenue and expenses when they are earned or incurred, not just when the cash is received or paid. This method aligns better with the economic realities of property management operations.

Property management companies typically use accrual accounting for financial reporting and tax purposes, as it provides a clearer picture of their financial status and helps track income and expenses more accurately over time. However, they may still use cash accounting for day-to-day cash flow management since it reflects the actual cash available at any given moment.

Accruals help property managers plan for future financial obligations and accurately assess the profitability of their operations.

Read more: Real Estate Accounting Software for property managers