See how this independent agent has used Alto to grow its lettings business through Renters’ Rights, manage 300 properties and save around a day a week.
At a glance
- Who: Spencer & Leigh, an independent sales and lettings agency in Brighton with two branches and around 300 fully managed properties.
- The challenge: The Renters’ Rights Act brought more compliance, more admin and more pressure to support and retain landlords.
- What they did: Introduced an auto-enrolment programme for rent guarantee insurance, giving landlords more protection and creating a new source of revenue.
- How Alto helps: Bridge AI books qualified viewings overnight, Alto Prospecting finds landlords, AutoCert handles certificate renewals and rent is processed in Alto.
- The result: Lettings income has increased, the agency has grown from one branch to two and Alto saves the team around a day a week.
Lots of letting agents have seen their everyday operations, and in some instances their revenue, take a hit since the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act.
The new legislation means more compliance to manage, more admin for already-busy teams and more pressure to support and retain landlords as they adjust to the changes.
But for Spencer & Leigh, the challenge posed by the new regulation has been turned into an opportunity.
The Brighton-based agency introduced an auto-enrolment programme for rent guarantee insurance. It has given landlords more protection and created an additional source of revenue for the agency, with lettings income actually increasing as a result.
Of course, growing a lettings business while the workload and regulatory pressure are increasing only works if you have the right CRM for estate agents in place.
Spencer & Leigh has Alto.
The estate agency CRM has sat at the heart of its sales and lettings operation for almost a decade, helping the team manage its growing portfolio and spend less time on everyday admin.
Letting Alto do the heavy lifting
Co-founder and director Leigh Brand says: “It’s been a really uncertain time in lettings recently, but we’ve been able to turn some of that uncertainty to our advantage. I think part of that is down to having a really solid CRM at the heart of everything we do.
“There’s inevitably more work and pressure that comes with a change this big, but having dedicated workflows and features in Alto means a lot of that is absorbed by the software rather than the team.
“Alto has also offered us a lot of support as the Renters’ Rights Act has rolled out, which has made us feel more confident.”
As the UK’s leading CRM for estate agents, Alto brings sales, lettings and property management together in one place. With AI built in, it can also take on more of the work that would otherwise fall to busy agency teams.
For Spencer & Leigh, with around 300 fully managed properties on its books, that’s a major advantage.
Alto helps the team handle incoming leads, find new landlords and keep on top of compliance without adding more work to the day.
Alto Prospecting helps Spencer & Leigh identify and contact potential landlords before the competition, while automated certificate renewals help the team stay ahead of key compliance dates without having to manage every step manually.
Alto Lead Flow, powered by Bridge AI, qualifies applicants and books suitable viewings straight into the diary, based on rules set by the agency.
Starting the day with a full diary
Leigh says: “It’s amazing to come in in the morning and see our diary already filled with viewings that Alto has arranged based on leads that have come in since 6pm the day before.
“It saves the team having to start their day ringing and emailing people when they’ve got other things they could be getting on with. And we don’t have to worry about whether the people booked in are suitable because we can set the rules used to qualify them.
“Prospecting is really useful for us too. In sales, getting listings isn’t our biggest challenge at the moment but with lettings it’s more of a challenge. Landlords are much harder to reach because they don’t live at the properties.
“Alto helps us find them at their home address so we can contact them directly. We actually had a new landlord come through that way just yesterday.
“Then there are the everyday things. Processing rent through Alto is really straightforward and saves us a lot of time. When you put all of that together, you realise that Alto takes a lot of work off the team and makes managing a portfolio of this size much easier.”
With AI already handling key tasks like lead management, Spencer & Leigh is starting to see what else it could do across the agency.
Alto Intelligence includes built-in skills that can handle whole jobs from start to finish, from building appraisal reports and matching properties with applicants to writing listings and drafting client messages.
Getting ahead with AI
Alto IQ can also answer plain English questions about performance using an agency’s own data, giving teams a quicker way to find information without having to search through records or manually build reports.
With all of Alto’s AI skills, agencies can set their own criteria and rules so agents can have peace of mind that nothing reaches a client without approval.
“I think some of the automation and AI that’s possible in Alto is genuinely life-changing,” says Leigh.
“It reminds me of when I got my first Tesla and tried the autopilot. The first time I was driving down the motorway and switched it on, I was really nervous. But once you start using it and see that it works, it quickly becomes second nature.
“I think AI in estate agency will be similar. There’s naturally a bit of nervousness about letting technology handle more of the work, but we’re already seeing what it can do. If Alto can take care of more of those everyday jobs in the background, while we stay in control, it’s only a good thing.”
Freeing up a day a week
With Alto embedded into the agency’s everyday operations, Spencer & Leigh has successfully expanded from one branch to two and is keen to use the time Alto frees up, which Leigh estimates to be around a day every week, to focus on further growth.
He adds: “I’ve used other systems before but Alto is noticeably better in every way.
“For me, being a director of the business means making life as easy as possible for our staff and giving impeccable service to our clients.
“Alto means we achieve both. I recommend it wholeheartedly.”
Frequently asked questions
How has Spencer & Leigh grown its lettings business through the Renters’ Rights Act?
Spencer & Leigh grew its lettings income through the Renters’ Rights Act by introducing an auto-enrolment programme for rent guarantee insurance. It gives landlords more protection and has created an additional source of revenue for the Brighton agency.
How does Alto help letting agents with the Renters’ Rights Act?
Alto helps letting agents handle the extra compliance and admin from the Renters’ Rights Act with dedicated workflows, so more of the work is absorbed by the software rather than the team. Alto’s AutoCert also automates certificate renewals, so key compliance dates aren’t missed.
How much time does Alto save Spencer & Leigh?
Alto saves Spencer & Leigh around a day a week, according to director Leigh Brand. The agency is putting that time into further growth, having already expanded from one branch to two.
How does Alto book viewings outside office hours?
Alto uses Bridge AI to qualify applicants and book suitable viewings straight into the diary, based on rules the agency sets. At Spencer & Leigh, the team starts each morning with viewings already booked from leads that came in since 6pm the day before.
How does Alto help letting agents find new landlords?
Alto Prospecting helps letting agents identify landlords and contact them at their home address before the competition does. Spencer & Leigh uses it because landlords are much harder to reach than sellers, as they don’t live at the properties.
How long has Spencer & Leigh used Alto?
Spencer & Leigh has used Alto as the CRM for its sales and lettings operation for almost a decade.
Wondering if Alto should be your next move? Book your free, no-obligation demo now.
