Why Do Agents Keep Paying Endless Money to Portals — And Could CRM Data Be the Real Game Changer?
- Milton Jannusch
- Sep 8
- 3 min read
Every UK agent knows the pain.
Month after month, thousands of pounds leave the bank account and flow straight into the hands of the portals.
Rightmove. Zoopla. OnTheMarket.
The names are familiar. The invoices are even more so.
But here’s the uncomfortable question:
👉 Why are we still paying so much to advertise properties, when the data we already hold could unlock the same (if not better) reach?
💸 The Portal Problem
Portals dominate the market because they’ve convinced both landlords and tenants that they’re the only place to look for homes.
But this dominance comes at a cost:
Fees that rise year after year
Limited differentiation between agents on the same listings page
A system that reduces agencies to “data suppliers” rather than relationship builders
In short: agents create the listings, portals monetise them.
📊 The Untapped Goldmine: CRM Data
Here’s what often gets overlooked:
Every major agency already has access to a CRM full of leads, tenants, landlords, buyers, and historic enquiries.
Every tenant who ever enquired about a property
Every landlord who’s ever listed
Every buyer who’s ever booked a viewing
Every applicant who registered for updates
This isn’t dead data. It’s living, breathing opportunity. The same people who will browse Rightmove tomorrow are already sitting in your CRM today.
So why aren’t we recycling this data better?
🔄 Recycling Enquiries into Future Tenancies
Imagine this:
A flat comes up for rent in Hackney.
Instead of rushing to upload it to a portal, your CRM automatically matches it against 300 applicants who enquired about similar properties in the last 6 months.
Emails and texts go out instantly.
Viewings are booked before the property ever touches Rightmove.
Not only does this reduce marketing costs, it also creates loyalty loops. Applicants know you’ll reach out first. Landlords see properties let faster.
🧠 Why Don’t More Agencies Do This?
There are a few reasons:
Habit: Portals feel like the default.
Fear: Landlords expect to “see it on Rightmove”.
Fragmentation: Too many CRMs, too many unconnected systems.
Mindset: Agents see themselves as portal users, not data owners.
But with the right mindset and the right tools, the data already exists to reduce portal dependency significantly.
🚀 What Agency Could Look Like Without Portals
In 5 years, the smartest agencies may:
Use portals as secondary exposure, not primary reliance
Build direct-to-tenant ecosystems through CRMs and branded apps
Offer landlords faster lets through exclusive pre-portal databases
Create tenant membership models where applicants pay to be matched directly before properties hit the open market
The net result? Agencies keep more control. Landlords see faster results. Tenants build stronger loyalty to the brand — not the portal.
📍 Our Take at Pro Property London
We’re not saying portals are going away tomorrow. But the agents who thrive long-term will be those who:
✔️ Harness their CRM data
✔️ Automate applicant matching
✔️ Build communication systems that rival portals
✔️ Market their own brand — not just Rightmove’s
At Pro Property London, we’re already supporting this shift by helping agents handle the operational side of tenancies — from inventories to inspections — so they can focus on smarter, more strategic growth.
📞 Want to start future-proofing your agency beyond portals? Let’s chat.
📞 02038663808
Comments