The problem
Each portal inquiry needs the same reply asking the same questions before a viewing can be booked. At about 150 inquiries a month and 5 minutes each, that is 750 minutes, 12.5 hours a month, and the applicants who hear back first are the ones who view first.
What the AI does
Put a link to a Tally form in your adverts and in your standard reply. The form asks for the property, preferred move date, who would live there, pets, whether the advertised rent is affordable, and contact details. A two-step Zapier automation starts on each new response and emails the applicant the next steps, such as how viewings are booked and what documents referencing will need. A negotiator reads each response and books viewings. Tally's free plan includes the form, conditional logic and the Zapier integration; at this volume Zapier needs its paid Pro plan.
A worked example
A letting agency in Luton markets about 6 properties a month and gets about 150 inquiries. One negotiator answers each by hand; the agency adds a Tally form and an automatic next-steps email through Zapier.
Before
150 inquiries a month answered by hand at 5 minutes each: 750 minutes
After
150 form responses read at 1.5 minutes each: 225 minutes
What it's worth
About $233£175€208A$336C$329 a month saved, against a $20£15€18A$29C$28 to $29£22€26A$42C$41 cost. That is 525 minutes, about 8.75 hours a month, valued at $27£20€24A$38C$38 an hour. Tally's free plan does the form; 150 emails a month is over Zapier's 100 free tasks, so Zapier Pro is needed at $19.99 (about $20£15€18A$29C$28) a month billed annually or $29.99 (about $29£22€26A$42C$41) monthly.
How to set it up
- Write the questions you really need before a viewing, and leave out anything you can't lawfully use to choose a tenant.
- Build the form in Tally and add a line explaining how the applicant's details will be used, linking to your privacy notice.
- In Zapier, start a Zap on each new Tally response and add one action: email the applicant your next-steps message.
- Put the form link in every advert and in your standard reply to portal inquiries.
- Check the responses twice a day and book viewings, and compare Zapier's history with Tally's responses weekly.
What goes wrong
- In England, the Renters' Rights Act makes it unlawful to refuse tenants because they have children or receive benefits. Don't ask questions designed to screen them out.
- Rental bidding is banned in England. Ask whether the advertised rent is affordable, never what the applicant would offer.
- Zapier can fail silently, leaving applicants without a reply. Check its history against Tally's responses each week.
- Collect only what you need at this stage under UK GDPR; save identity and income documents for referencing.