Advertise on podcast: The Voice of the Agent Podcast

What does estate agency look like when we stop viewing it solely through our own experiences? Simon Leadbetter is joined by Verona Frankish, CEO of Yopa and Chair of Women in Estate Agency, and Ben Madden, founder of The Boys Club, to examine findings from The Voice of the Agent research involving 326 estate and letting agents. This frank conversation explores the different workplace experiences of men and women, language disguised as harmless banter, the lack of female representation in senior positions and why resilience should never mean tolerating damaging behaviour. They also discuss mental-health challenges within the industry, employers’ responsibilities, psychological safety and how leaders can discover what their teams are genuinely experiencing—rather than assuming silence means everything is fine. Challenging, thoughtful and occasionally uncomfortable, this episode asks everyone to look beyond their own bubble and help create an industry where people can speak openly, access support and thrive.

Moving day is one of the most emotional moments in the customer journey—but are estate agents doing enough to make it memorable? Simon Leadbetter is joined by Adrian Camp, Managing Director of Home Move Box, to explore why a small physical gesture can create a powerful and lasting impression in an increasingly digital world. Adrian explains how branded welcome boxes containing treats, useful household products and exclusive retailer offers help agents thank clients at the moment of completion. They discuss personalisation, handwritten cards, QR codes and flexible options for everyone from independent agents to large national businesses. The conversation also explores customer loyalty, recommendations and positive online reviews, as well as why the human touches provided by a great local agent cannot easily be commoditised. If you want to transform completion from a routine key handover into a memorable brand experience, this episode is packed with practical ideas. https://homemovebox.com

What if you could create all the marketing content needed for a property listing from just one visit? Simon Leadbetter is joined by Samy Jeffries from Giraffe360 to explore how technology is transforming property presentation—and why the way agents market their listings can directly influence whether sellers instruct them. They discuss the hidden cost of DIY photography, floor plans and fragmented marketing processes; how agents can produce professional photographs, virtual tours, videos and other digital assets without juggling multiple suppliers; and how Giraffe360 turns a single property visit into a complete suite of listing content. The conversation also examines affordability, customer support and the importance of creating technology around what agents genuinely need. For agents looking to produce more consistent marketing, impress prospective sellers and spend less time wrestling with content creation, this episode reveals what a smarter property-media workflow can deliver. www.giraffe360.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/THISISGIRAFFE360/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giraffe360/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@giraffe360LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giraffe360/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/giraffe360

Estate agents don’t necessarily need more technology—they need the technology they already use to work together. Simon Leadbetter is joined by Victoria Lambden, Business Development Manager at GlueDog and a former estate agent with more than 20 years’ experience in the property industry. They explore how disconnected systems create duplicated admin, incomplete information, avoidable errors and hours of wasted time. Victoria explains why integration is becoming essential, how GlueDog connects supplier platforms directly with estate-agency CRMs and what agents should expect from their technology providers. They also discuss the true cost of integrations, the value of agents’ time and why good PropTech should quietly remove friction rather than creating yet another system to manage. If your team is repeatedly entering the same information, switching between platforms or relying on workarounds to make systems communicate, this episode reveals what a properly connected agency could look like. https://gluedog.ai/

Estate agents are producing more video than ever, but is any of it genuinely earning attention, building trust or generating business? In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by Chris England, founder and director of PVS Media, to discuss the difference between creating effective video and simply producing content to tick a box. Chris shares what PVS Media has learned from working with estate agents across the country, from property tours and social media videos to brand films, podcasts and major event coverage. They explore how locally focused content can help an agency become a recognisable and trusted authority, even when the video is not directly promoting a property. Simon and Chris also tackle the growing flood of low-quality content. Authentic, self-filmed video undoubtedly has its place, but poor sound, lighting, presentation and a lack of strategy can undermine the very brand an agent is trying to build. The conversation covers how to define the purpose and audience before filming, when professional production is worth the investment, and why one strong piece of content can deliver far more value than dozens of forgettable videos. A frank and entertaining conversation about making video people actually want to watch. https://www.pvsmedia.co.uk/

What if one of the most frustrating and time-consuming stages of lettings could be reduced from three or four hours of administration to around 15 minutes? In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by Kristjan Byfield, co-founder of The Depositary, to discuss why the end of a tenancy still creates so much chasing, confusion, delay and stress for agents, landlords and tenants. Kristjan explains how The Depositary streamlines the journey from notice and checkout through to deductions, negotiations and deposit repayment. He also shares striking results from one agency that reduced its average reconciliation time from 35 days to 12 days within its first month, and then to fewer than five. The conversation explores why genuinely useful PropTech should solve real operational problems rather than simply add more features, how to win over team members who are resistant to new technology, and why successful implementation matters just as much as the software itself. Simon and Kristjan also discuss changing customer expectations, increasing regulation, complaints and compliance, and how better data can help agencies make more confident decisions. A practical and refreshingly honest conversation about removing unnecessary administration, improving the customer experience and giving property managers their time back. https://www.thedepositary.com/

How many instructions are hiding inside the enquiries your team never properly follows up? In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by SalesRook co-founders Max Hardy and Richard ‘Remi’ Remington to explore why response speed, not simply lead volume, is one of estate agency’s biggest commercial opportunities. They discuss how SalesRook uses transparent, AI-powered WhatsApp conversations to respond to enquiries 24/7, qualify applicants, identify buyers with properties to sell, uncover mortgage opportunities and hand negotiators genuinely engaged prospects rather than another list of names to chase. The conversation covers why so many enquiries arrive outside traditional office hours, what happens to opportunities buried inside agency CRMs, whether customers prefer messages or phone calls, and how AI can support skilled negotiators rather than replace them. They also share real-world results from agencies using the technology, including faster responses, more viewing bookings and valuable instructions uncovered from leads that might otherwise have been missed. A practical conversation about AI, customer experience and turning everyday property enquiries into measurable revenue. https://salesrook.com

In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by Matt Baldock of Charles David Casson for a practical conversation about one of the property industry’s most persistent frustrations. Conveyancing. The discussion explores why the relationship between agents and conveyancers still feels strained, what is genuinely broken in the system, and why so much poor process has simply been normalised over time. They look at upfront information, referral fees, mortgage lenders, surveys, and the gap between anecdotal frustration and structural failure. Alongside that, the conversation broadens into agency growth, self-employment, brand, and what the future of the independent model may look like. Not blame. Better process. A clear-eyed episode about friction, reform, and what needs to change if the industry wants better outcomes for agents, buyers, sellers, and everyone caught in the middle.

In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by Kristjan Byfield, co-founder of The Depositary, for a conversation about one of the least loved, but most important, parts of the lettings process. End of tenancy. The discussion explores why deposit disputes so often become emotional, where agents add value, and why so much of the process still creates unnecessary friction for landlords, tenants and property managers alike. They examine the gap between law, contract and evidence, the role of inventories and checkout reports, and how better systems can reduce workload while improving fairness. The conversation also looks ahead to what agentic AI could mean for tenants, complaints, and the future of dispute handling. Not more complexity.Better process. A sharp and practical episode for anyone involved in lettings, property management, or the systems that sit behind the rental experience.

In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by Graham Paterson, CEO and co-founder of Jitty, for a conversation about the growing role of AI in property search. Not as theory. As behaviour. The discussion explores how AI is changing the way buyers search, what makes Jitty different from a traditional portal, and why the future of discovery may look very different from the model the industry has relied on for years. They look at habit, adoption, information asymmetry, and the likely shift from fixed search filters to guided discovery. Along the way, they ask a bigger question: if AI becomes the starting point for search, what happens to portals, agents, and the structure of the market itself? A practical conversation about technology, timing, and what the next phase of property search may actually look like.

In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by David Opie, owner of Today’s Media and editor of Today’s Conveyancer, for a practical conversation about one of the property industry’s most persistent problems. The home moving process. The discussion explores why the relationship between agents and conveyancers so often feels strained, where delays really come from, and why the system still starts too late for everyone involved. They look at the role of communication, referral fees, staffing pressures, technology, lender influence, and the growing case for instructing solicitors at the point of listing. Not blame. Better process. Grounded in industry research and real experience, this is a clear-eyed discussion about what needs to change, what already is changing, and how the sector moves forward from here.

In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Simon Leadbetter is joined by Chris Harmer of The ESTAS Group in conversation to explore a topic often talked about but rarely understood properly: customer service. The discussion moves beyond the idea of “good service” during smooth transactions and focuses on the moments that actually define it — when things go wrong. They unpack why negative feedback is not something to fear, but something to use. From turning complaints into opportunities, to understanding the real impact of how issues are handled, the conversation highlights a simple truth: service is proven under pressure. The episode also explores:⭐ Why complaints are often more valuable than compliments🔁 How to turn unhappy clients into long-term advocates📣 The amplified risk of poor service in a social media world🧠 Why most businesses collect feedback but fail to act on it⚙️ What high-performing companies do differently when things go wrong Drawing on real-world examples, including how major brands handle negative reviews, this is a practical and honest conversation about what service actually looks like in practice. For agents and business owners alike, it is a reminder that reputation is not built when everything works — but when it doesn’t. A must-listen for anyone serious about delivering service that lasts.

What does a good lettings business look like in 2026? In this episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcast, Toby Martin is joined by Sophie Lang, co-owner of multi-award-winning Lang Llewellyn & Co, to go deep on the realities of running — and growing — a lettings business in the year ahead. Using fresh insight from the January Voice of the Agent report, the conversation explores why landlord numbers are proving more resilient than headlines suggest, how agents are turning the Renters’ Rights Act into a growth opportunity, and why education — not fear — is the key to winning new instructions. Sophie shares practical, hard-earned experience on converting self-managing landlords, managing expectations around rents, and why many landlords exiting the market are being replaced by a more professional, business-minded generation. The episode also tackles some of the industry’s most uncomfortable questions: 🏠 Is 10% really enough for full management? 📉 Why let-only services may be living on borrowed time 📈 How acquisitions can outperform organic growth 🧠 What makes a lettings book genuinely valuable ⚖️ And how to future-proof your business without panic This is a candid, experience-led discussion for lettings professionals who want clarity, not chaos — and a reminder that while 2026 will bring change, it also brings opportunity for agents who are prepared. 📊 Download the full January Voice of the Agent report here: https://www.weareunchained.co.uk/thevoiceoftheagent

Estate agents don’t need more tech, they need less friction. In this episode, Simon is joined by Victoria Lambden, Business Development Lead at GlueDog (and a former estate agent who’s lived the spreadsheet-and-duplicate-data nightmare). Together they unpack why so many agencies keep adding tools… yet don’t see the output improve, and how the real unlock is integration. You’ll hear Victoria’s “traffic light” way of spotting bottlenecks, why integration is finally shifting from “nice-to-have” to non-negotiable, and what proptech should feel like when it’s working properly: it disappears into the background. They also get into: ✅ PropTech overload (and how to audit your stack without losing the plot) ✅ Why teams use less than 50% of their CRM ✅ Training, adoption, morale, and the human side of tech change ✅ AI in agency: brilliant assistant, terrible replacement agent If you’re still typing the same address 16 times into 4 systems, this is a must listen.

What’s actually happening in the property market — and how do agents really feel about 2026? In this episode of The Voice of the Agent, Toby Martin and Simon Leadbetter unpack the January 2026 Voice of the Agent report, focusing on residential sales and lettings, and cutting through the noise to reveal what the data really says. They explore agent confidence, transaction levels, fees, competition, and growth expectations — and why the market feels cautious on the surface, yet quietly optimistic underneath. You’ll hear why many agents grew in 2025 despite negative headlines, what the data reveals about house prices and rental values in 2026, and where the biggest opportunities (and risks) lie for agency owners right now. The conversation also digs into the structural realities of estate agency: 🏠 Why sales-only businesses remain exposed 🔁 Why lettings still underpin long-term business value 💰 How fees really work across price brackets ⚔️ Just how competitive most local markets actually are 📈 And why finding new vendors and landlords remains the industry’s biggest challenge This episode is less about predictions, and more about perspective. If you want to understand where you sit relative to your peers, and how to use insight rather than instinct to guide decisions in 2026, this one’s essential listening. 📊 The full report is available free on the Unchained website 📩 Subscribe to the newsletter to receive future reports early