RRA increases admin workload for three-quarters of lettings professionals

Propoly commissioned a survey of lettings industry professionals to examine how the new RRA rules have affected the workload and processes of lettings professionals more than 100 days after The Act came into force on 1st May 2026. Respondents were asked about the areas of their business most affected by the changes, the technology and processes they use to manage the additional workload, and the operational challenges they expect to face going forward. 

The findings suggest that the additional administrative burden is being felt across the sector. Almost three quarters of lettings professionals (73%) reported an increase in administrative workload, with one in four (25%) saying that the impact on their organisation has been ‘significant’. 

Compliance and record keeping was cited as the area contributing most to the increased workload, accounting for 18% of responses. This was followed by rent reviews (16%), and possessions and tenancy endings (14%). 

The changes are also affecting the way teams work together. Half of respondents (50%) said that their lettings and property management teams are having to work much more closely as a result of the new rules. 

However, the technology used to support this additional workload remains fragmented for many businesses. 

Just 17% said their business uses one primary technology system to help manage the new administrative demands. The same proportion, 17%, said they are still relying heavily on emails, spreadsheets and other disconnected processes, while 66% said their business has a number of different, disconnected technology systems in place. 

When asked where better integration between systems would be most beneficial, respondents highlighted landlord communication and decision making (17%). Tenant referencing, compliance, and tenant communications followed with 16% respectively. 

This need for greater connectivity is reflected in the amount of manual work still required during a tenancy. Some 61% of respondents said their teams have to spend time manually transferring, re-entering or duplicating information between different systems over the lifetime of a single tenancy. For 16%, this happens frequently. 

As a result, more than half of respondents (52%) said that better integration between their systems would improve operational efficiency. Just 5% believed greater integration would have a negative impact. 

Looking ahead, lettings professionals believe the biggest operational challenge arising from the Renters' Rights Act will be keeping up with compliance requirements, cited by 28% of respondents. Maintaining profitability while managing the additional work required was the next biggest concern at 21%, followed by the general management of the increased administrative workload at 16%. 

Sim Sekhon, Group CEO at Propoly, commented: 

"More than 100 days on from the introduction of the Renters' Rights Act, it is clear that the impact is being felt not only in terms of the additional work required, but also in the way lettings businesses need to organise their people, processes and technology.

The challenge for the sector is not simply dealing with more administration. It is making sure that information can move efficiently between the teams and systems involved in managing a tenancy, without creating unnecessary duplication or additional manual work. 

As the new requirements become embedded into day-to-day operations, businesses will be looking for ways to manage compliance and service delivery efficiently while maintaining profitability. Technology has an important role to play, but the value comes from reducing fragmentation rather than simply adding another platform to an already crowded process."

 Survey results

• *Survey of lettings professionals carried out by ProperPR on behalf of Propoly via consumer research platform, FindOutNow on 27/08/2026. Sample size: 549.

• Full survey results can be viewed online here