The Elephant in the Room
The property podcast for the thinking person.

Episodes

Episode 403: Kolmeo vs. the Old Model: Can Tech Fix the Property Management Space?

Property management has long been treated as real estate’s poor cousin — tolerated, underinvested in, and weighed down by outdated systems. But with rising tenant expectations, high staff turnover, and fragmented tech, the model can no longer keep pace. The question is: patch it up, or redesign it from scratch?

In this episode of The Elephant in the Room, Scott Bateman — strategist, innovator, and founder of Kolmeo — explains why the current system is failing and how a new rental property management platform could transform the way agencies operate. Rather than just another app for property management, Kolmeo positions itself as an automated property management solution that helps agencies scale, improves the experience of managing tenants, and restores trust across the rental ecosystem.

Scott brings insights from leading Australia’s largest property management business, where he saw firsthand that incremental fixes weren’t enough. Now, through Kolmeo, he’s building a platform designed to shift property managers from overworked admins to strategic advisors — using smarter processes and real estate technology to create lasting change.

We tackle the big questions shaping the future of property management:

  • If you were to redesign property management from scratch, what would you keep and what would you throw out?

  • Why has the industry resisted deep change for so long, even when the pain points are obvious?

  • How does disruption in property management differ from what we’ve seen in banking, insurance, and other service industries?

  • What role does technology — including apps for rental property management — play in rebuilding trust between landlords, tenants, and managers?

  • Looking ahead: will property managers evolve into strategic advisors — or risk disappearing altogether?

Listen now to hear why Kolmeo isn’t just another app for rental property management, but a rethink of the entire business model — and what the future could look like if the industry dares to reinvent itself.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Introduction: Is Property Management Broken?

01:41 – Why the Current Property Management Model Fails

05:25 – Tech: Part of the Problem or the Solution?

15:52 – Why the Industry Struggles to Embrace Change

17:20 – Market Shifts Reshaping Property Management

19:52 – How Tenant Behavior Is Changing the Market

21:36 – The Future of Property Management Technology

22:22 – Shifting Perspectives on Offshoring and Technology

23:20 – AI and the Promise of Radical Efficiency

25:08 – Challenges in Property Management Compliance

25:59 – Tenant Data, Bias, and the Rental Dilemma

31:26 – Can Property Managers Become Advisors?

36:26 – Balancing the Landlord-Tenant-Manager Triangle

41:42 – Why Scaling Property Management Is So Hard

42:19 – Lessons Learned: Rethinking the Industry

About our Guest:

Scott Bateman has firmly cemented himself as one of Australian real estate’s most influential voices on organisational strategy, technology, and innovation. With a career spanning banking, insurance, and property, Scott spent more than a decade at Westpac and IAG before leading the growth and transformation of Australia’s largest property management business.

In 2020, he launched Kolmeo, a game-changing property management platform now embraced by some of the country’s most innovative agencies, including Nelson Alexander, Xceed, Melbourne Real Estate, and Marshall White. Educated at Harvard Business School, Scott blends rigorous academic research with real-world practice, offering a unique perspective on how strategy and technology can reshape industries.

Connect with Scott:

Website: https://kolmeo.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/batemanscott/

X: https://x.com/batemanscott

Resources:

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Chris Bates