Lettings in 7 Years’ Time: Will AI Replace Relationships — or Redefine Them?
- Milton Jannusch
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
The lettings industry is changing quietly — but fundamentally.
Automation now handles tasks that once took teams of people. Chat AI is getting harder to spot. Clients are more digital, more remote, and more impatient.
And it raises a question many agents are thinking — but few are saying out loud:
👉 What will lettings and real estate actually look like in 7 years’ time?
👉 Will small, AI-powered agencies replace traditional models?
👉 And will winning business be about SEO and brand visibility — not personal relationships?
At Pro Property London, we believe the future isn’t binary. It’s not AI vs people. It’s about where humans add value — and where technology removes friction.
🤖 The Automation of “Process” Is Already Done
Let’s start with reality.
Most of the lettings process is already automatable:
Enquiry responses
Viewing bookings
Applicant matching
Rent reviews
Compliance reminders
Inspection reporting
Maintenance triage
In 7 years, this won’t be impressive — it will be expected.
AI won’t be the differentiator. How you use it will be.
Agencies still relying on manual admin will simply be too slow — and too expensive — to compete.
🧠 The Rise of the AI-Powered Micro-Agency
One of the biggest shifts we expect is scale without headcount.
In 7 years, a highly competent agency could look like this:
2–3 senior humans
AI handling comms, scheduling, documentation, reporting
Outsourced specialists for inspections, compliance, and maintenance
Strong supplier ecosystems instead of in-house bloat
Small teams. High margin. Highly systemised.
This doesn’t mean big agencies disappear — but it does mean small agencies can punch far above their weight.
🔍 Will SEO and Brand Replace Relationships?
This is where it gets interesting.
In an AI-driven world, discovery happens online:
Google
AI search
Reviews
Content
Brand authority
In 7 years, landlords won’t ask, “Who do you know?” They’ll ask, “Who looks credible, compliant, and trustworthy online?”
SEO, content, and brand presence will decide:
Who gets shortlisted
Who feels “safe”
Who looks established
But here’s the critical part:
👉 Brand gets you found. Relationships get you kept.
The race won’t be SEO instead of relationships — it’ll be SEO to earn the chance to build one.
🤝 What Human Value Will Still Matter?
Even with perfect AI, some things won’t disappear:
Trust in complex situations
Conflict resolution
Emotional intelligence
Strategic advice
Reputation management
Accountability when things go wrong
When landlords are stressed, tenants are emotional, or regulation changes overnight — they won’t want a chatbot.
They’ll want judgement.
🧭 The Agent of 2032: Advisor, Not Administrator
In 7 years, the best agents won’t be:
Chasing emails
Uploading documents
Manually booking inspections
They’ll be:
Interpreting data
Advising landlords
Managing risk
Protecting yield
Building long-term trust
AI will handle how. Humans will handle why and what next.
⚠️ The Risk for Today’s Agents
The biggest danger isn’t AI. It’s doing nothing.
Agents who:
Ignore brand building
Avoid tech adoption
Rely purely on personal relationships
Don’t systemise their operations
…will struggle in a world where visibility, speed, and consistency are non-negotiable.
Relationships without systems don’t scale. Systems without trust don’t retain.
📍 Our Take at Pro Property London
We believe the future of lettings will be:
✔️ Smaller teams
✔️ Smarter systems
✔️ Stronger brands
✔️ Deeper human value where it matters
AI won’t replace agents. But it will expose the difference between agents who add value — and those who just move paperwork.
The next 7 years won’t belong to the biggest businesses. They’ll belong to the most intentional ones.
📞 Want to future-proof your lettings operation without losing the human touch?
Let’s talk about how structure, systems, and service can work together.
📞 02038663808
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