The problem
Chasing late rent is one of the jobs agents like least, and a tone-deaf or wrong-figure letter makes things worse. If 10 tenants are late each month, each gets two reminders, and each takes 12 minutes to write, that's 240 minutes, 4 hours a month.
What the AI does
Take each late account from your rent ledger and give ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini the amount, the due date, the days late and your tone (friendly first reminder, firmer second). Leave out names and addresses; use 'the tenant' and add them when you copy the text into your system. The assistant drafts a reminder and a request to get in touch if the tenant is in difficulty. A property manager checks the figures against the ledger and sends it. Possession notices and anything that sounds like legal advice are not drafted this way.
A worked example
A letting agency in Chesterfield manages 120 properties. About 10 tenants are late in a typical month and each gets a first and a second reminder.
Before
12 minutes to write each of 20 reminders: 240 minutes, 4 hours a month
After
About 5 minutes to draft, check and send each: 100 minutes, about 1.7 hours a month
What it's worth
About 2.3 hours a month saved (7 minutes x 20 reminders = 140 minutes), worth around £47 if staff time is worth £20 an hour. The free plans can do this; a paid plan costs up to about £20 a month for one person.
How to set it up
- Write two or three template wordings you like (friendly, firm, offering a call) so the assistant matches your voice.
- For each late tenant, give the assistant amount, due date and days late only, without name or address.
- Check the figures against your rent ledger and the tenancy agreement before you send.
- Copy the text into your own email system, add the tenant's details and send.
- Record the reminder on the tenancy record and diarise the follow-up in your management system.
What goes wrong
- A wrong figure in an arrears letter damages trust and can be disputed. Check every number.
- Don't use AI to draft possession notices or advise on your rights; the rules are strict and a mistake can invalidate the notice. Use a solicitor or your landlord's insurer.
- Tenant names, bank details and addresses stay out of consumer AI plans.
- Tone matters when a tenant is struggling. Read each draft as the tenant would.