A few weeks ago, Mark Wells warned agents to “be careful what they wish for” when it comes to AI. Whilst he raised some valid points about how technology could change the industry, at Dwelly we believe those concerns are misplaced.

The property sector doesn’t need protection from AI; it needs to embrace it.

The real threat isn’t automation – it’s inefficiency. Agents have long been held back by outdated systems, repetitive tasks and fragmented processes.

AI removes that friction, helping agents to serve more clients each week, answer faster, and take all the context into account when matching tenants and landlords. It doesn’t diminish the role of the agent; it enhances it.

Rentng reforms

As the Renters’ Rights Bill heads towards Royal Assent, that distinction matters more than ever. The Bill is reshaping how agents, landlords and tenants interact, and many agents are already shouldering the increasingly heavy administrative burden that comes with such monumental legislative changes.

This is leading to increasing pressure on agents to handle higher workloads, respond faster, and deliver better outcomes – all without compromising service quality and in the face of a weaker economy and higher living costs driving salary growth.

AI is going to make agents unstoppable. When we integrate AI within the agencies we acquire, the effect is transformative. We can find a tenant in one or two days, resolve maintenance issues 40% faster, and reduce admin workloads dramatically. These improvements don’t come from replacing people, but from giving them back the time and clarity to focus on what really matters – service, relationships and growth.

At Dwelly, we call our approach ‘buy and empower’. We acquire established, well-run letting agencies and strengthen them with technology that streamlines operations behind the scenes. Each agency retains its brand, its team, and its local expertise – the AI simply takes care of everything else. Maintenance tracking, tenant updates, and workflow management all happen seamlessly, freeing teams to spend more time where they add the most value.

Technology can process data faster than any human, but it can’t build relationships, negotiate trust, or understand the human nuances of a transaction. That’s where great agents shine – and AI gives them the bandwidth to do it better.

In the post–Renters’ Rights Bill market, the agents who adapt will be the ones who thrive. Without AI, many will find themselves snowed under by growing compliance, tighter timelines and rising demand. With it, they’ll work smarter, serve faster, and strengthen the human touch that defines great agency.

AI isn’t the enemy of the industry. It’s the tool that will define its future. And those who embrace it now won’t just survive the next decade – they’ll lead it.