In today’s fast-paced property management sector, robust cybersecurity solutions are essential. A London-based real estate and property management company, faced mounting cyber risks and regulatory scrutiny as it grew. Their journey with Reflective IT Solutions Ltd, culminating in the adoption of a managed Security Operations Centre (SOC), offers valuable lessons for any SME seeking enterprise-grade IT security.

The Challenge: Scaling Security for a Growing Business

As a rapidly expanding SME in the build-to-rent property management sector, the property company's internal IT team was stretched thin. Backed by a U.S. public pension fund, the company faced high expectations for operational resilience and regulatory compliance.

• Limited internal resources for 24/7 threat monitoring and response
• Lack of real-time visibility into IT vulnerabilities across endpoints, networks, and cloud
• Investor-driven need to demonstrate mature, proactive risk controls
• Legacy cybersecurity tools that lacked automation, mobile protection, and reliable reporting
• Missed detections during critical incidents, such as the Microsoft power outage in July 2024

The Solution: Reflective IT’s Advanced SOC Service

Recognising these gaps, the company partnered with Reflective IT to deploy their Advanced SOC package. This comprehensive managed security service included:

• 24/7/365 attack detection and response: Expert-led, round-the-clock protection, freeing internal teams from manual configuration and response.
• Personalised threat intelligence: Tailored to Essential Living’s unique risk profile.
• Full incident lifecycle management: Including user support and clear escalation protocols.
• SIEM integration: Centralised logging, transparent metrics, and trend reporting.
• Automated threat response: Proactive, pre-configured protections against identity-based threats.
• Mobile device security: Extending coverage to all endpoints.
• Vulnerability assessments and contextual threat intelligence: Prioritising real risks and enabling direct action.
• Real-time reporting: Board-aligned dashboards and metrics for confident governance.

Reflective IT’s approach didn’t just replace old tools—it elevated the firm’s entire cybersecurity posture, aligning with governance and investor requirements.

The Results: Tangible Improvements and Strategic Value

• Microsoft Secure Score rose to 86%, with a steady reduction in risk exposure and clear targets for further improvement.
• Reduced internal resource strain: IT and governance teams could focus on strategic initiatives and customer service.
• Elimination of inefficiencies: Consolidating value into a single, fully managed service.
• Faster threat detection and response: Turning days into minutes, with automatic containment of incidents.
• Enhanced visibility and control: Monthly dashboards informed board-level risk discussions.
• Greater stakeholder confidence: Especially among U.S. pension fund backers, thanks to a matured, well-governed cybersecurity programme.

Testimonial

“The SOC service from Reflective IT has been a game-changer for us. It’s given us the eyes and ears we needed across our digital estate without the overhead of building it in-house. As a real estate SME with enterprise-grade governance requirements, this partnership has bridged the gap perfectly.”

— Head of Information and Governance

Reflections and Next Steps

The onboarding process was efficient, with minimal disruption to daily operations. Reflective IT worked closely with the client to tailor the SOC setup, prioritising key assets and compliance needs. Their ongoing, hands-on support continues to reassure as the threat landscape evolves.

Looking ahead, the business plans to build on this foundation with user awareness training, deeper threat hunting, and zero-trust architecture. Reflective IT is seen not just as a service provider, but as a strategic partner in long-term growth and risk management.

Conclusion

The client's experience demonstrates the transformative impact of a well-implemented SOC service. For SMEs facing similar challenges, partnering with a flexible, responsive provider like Reflective IT can deliver not just security, but operational confidence and strategic value.