Letting agents who fail to embrace artificial intelligence risk falling behind competitors, according to former ARLA president Sally Lawson. Lawson, founder of Agent Rainmaker, believes AI adoption is accelerating across the lettings sector and argues that agency owners should focus on using the technology to reduce administrative workloads rather than expecting it to replace experienced staff.
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
Lawson says AI can help agencies handle routine enquiries, book appointments and reduce time spent on day-to-day administration. This would allow owners and staff to concentrate on client relationships, business development and managing their teams. However, she cautions against treating the technology as a substitute for human judgement.
“Let’s kill the fantasy first. AI is not going to run your agency for you. It’s not going to build trust with a landlord who’s been burned before, it’s not going to educate prospects on what they need to know (and why you’re the person they should be listening to), and it’s not going to lead your team through the RRA shakeup that’s rewriting the rulebook mid-sentence. None of that is a software problem. That’s the job – your job – and no tool changes that.
“But… And it’s a huge but, what it will do, and what doesn’t get talked about enough, is give you back the hours you need to do all the human-led parts of your job properly, instead of drowning in the admin – like answering queries or booking appointments – that’s currently stopping you doing any of it very well.
Operational Demands and the Renters’ Rights Act
Her warning comes as letting agents face mounting operational demands, including changes under the Renters’ Rights Act. Lawson argues that no agency owner or senior manager should still be knee-deep in day-to-day operations that someone or something else could be handling.
“None of that admin is glamorous. And no agency owner or senior manager should still be knee-deep in the day-to-day operations that someone, or something, else could be handling. Whether that’s because they can’t put the tools down and focus on strategy, or because they like being needed, it’s holding the business back either way.”
AI Adoption Could Widen Gap Between Agencies
Lawson believes the difference between agencies making effective use of AI and those resisting it will become increasingly apparent over the next year. She argues that the main opportunity lies in freeing up staff time rather than replacing jobs.
“This isn’t a ‘wait and see’ moment,” she added. “It’s about giving yourself the time and freedom to focus on the big picture. The growth decisions that need you as a leader. And it’s about giving your people the time back to do the parts only they can do: the human relationships that actually drive retention and delivery quality.
“That’s the whole argument. AI doesn’t replace the agent. It buys the agent their time back. What you do with that time is still entirely down to you, but agencies who aren’t even having this conversation yet are the ones who’ll be scrambling to catch up in twelve months’ time, when things will look even more different.
“It’s exactly what we’re bringing to the stage at AR Live this year, with Daniel Priestley as our headline speaker. We’ll hear from agencies who’ve actually embedded AI and can show the before and after. Real call volumes, real conversion numbers, real hours given back to owners who thought they’d never see their evenings again.”
