Sixty enquiries by Monday lunchtime
A reasonably priced flat goes on the portals on Friday. By Monday there are dozens of enquiries in the inbox. Some are from people who could move next week, some want a place in four months. Some would need a guarantor, some have a dog, some are asking whether bills are included. The negotiator starts replying from the top, gets through a dozen, books viewings with whoever answers, and the rest hear nothing.
Meanwhile the landlord asks why the viewings are with people who cannot move until the spring.
Why rental enquiries overwhelm the team
Rental demand in many areas far exceeds supply, so each listing brings a flood of enquiries that sales listings rarely see. The enquiry itself tells you little: a name, a phone number and perhaps a line of text. The questions that decide whether a viewing is sensible, such as move date, household, pets and whether the rent is affordable for them, have to be asked one by one.
There are also rules about treating applicants fairly and not discriminating, which your compliance lead can set out. Ad hoc screening by different negotiators makes consistency hard to show.
| What the negotiator needs to know | How it is usually gathered |
|---|---|
| Move date | Asked on the phone, one at a time |
| Household and occupiers | Asked, or discovered at referencing |
| Pets | Mentioned, or not |
| Affordability and guarantor | Discovered at referencing |
| Questions about the property | Answered individually, repeatedly |
What overload costs
Good applicants who hear nothing move on to the next listing. Viewings are wasted on people for whom the property never worked. Landlords see slow progress and unsuitable applicants. Negotiators spend their day replying to messages rather than showing properties. And a first-come process that depends on who picks up the phone is hard to defend as consistent.
Your reputation takes a hit too. Applicants who enquire about several of your properties and never hear back form a view of the agency, and they share it. Some of those applicants will be landlords one day, or will know landlords. A prompt, polite reply to everyone, even when the answer is no, costs little once it is automated.
How we build enquiry handling
- Instant reply: every enquiry from every portal and your website gets an immediate response in your branch's name with the property's key details and a short form.
- Consistent questions: the form asks the same questions of everyone for that property, as agreed by your compliance lead, such as move date, household size and pets, plus anything the landlord has specified that you are permitted to ask.
- Property questions: common questions such as bills, parking or furnishing are answered from the listing details, and anything unusual is passed to the negotiator.
- Sorted list: completed forms are sorted against the property's criteria, with the reasons shown, so the negotiator books viewings from a clear list rather than an inbox.
- Viewing booking: applicants the negotiator selects receive viewing slots to choose from.
- Everyone is told: applicants not offered a viewing are told politely and can be kept on your applicant list for other properties.
Screening criteria are set by your business and landlord within the rules that apply. The system applies them consistently and records how each decision was reached.
What the lettings team notices
Every applicant hears back, straight away. The negotiator's morning starts with a sorted list instead of a full inbox. Viewings go to applicants the property actually suits, and the landlord sees that. Your team can show that every applicant was asked the same questions and treated the same way.
Is this your lettings inbox?
- Rental listings bring far more enquiries than you can answer.
- Many applicants never receive a reply.
- Viewings are booked with whoever answers first.
- Unsuitable applicants reach viewings or referencing.
- Screening questions vary between negotiators.