Perfect outcomes are becoming more repeatable — and agents can prove it
July brought another increase in tenancy conclusion activity, with 2,363 tenancies processed through The Depositary during the month. That takes the platform’s cumulative total to 89,630 conclusions and continues the upward movement expected through the busier summer period.
The more interesting story, however, is not simply one of volume. Across businesses of different sizes and operating models, more agents are achieving strong results consistently across whole teams and portfolios. In several cases, they are securing every proposed liability on behalf of landlords while also completing reconciliations substantially faster than the wider market.
That combination matters. The average UK agent manually reconciles deposits in around 28 days, compared with an average of approximately 12 days for agents using The Depositary. Our ambition remains to help agents reach an average of 10 days or less, and July’s data shows that benchmark becoming increasingly realistic for a growing number of users and teams.
Around a third of July’s completed tenancies — 865 cases — concluded with no liabilities proposed. A further 223 cases, equivalent to just over 9% of all conclusions, were escalated for independent adjudication. Another 50 potential disputes were resolved through our Final Offer functionality before adjudication became necessary, meaning nearly one in five potential disputes was prevented from proceeding.
That ability to reach agreement is becoming increasingly important. Tenants appear more willing to test and challenge proposed liabilities, influenced by a more rights-aware rental environment and, in our view, by easier access to AI tools capable of helping people construct objections quickly and confidently. In that environment, agents need more than speed. They need well-evidenced claims, consistent processes and a clear audit trail.
Performance at scale
At LRG, the depth of fast performance was again striking. In July, 58 users averaged reconciliations of five days or less, 146 averaged 10 days or less, and more than 200 completed reconciliations in 14 days or less — at least twice as fast as the manual agent benchmark. At the same time, 116 members of staff secured 100% of proposed liabilities.
At Charters, the Main Office averaged refunds in just 7.3 days, while every user averaged under 11 days. One team member combined a 10.5-day reconciliation average with 93.59% of proposed liabilities secured, neatly illustrating that speed and strong outcomes can sit together.
Pat Robson has also adopted the platform quickly, reaching a company-wide average of nine days, with two team members averaging a remarkable five days. At Haslams, one third of the team averaged 10 days or faster.
These figures show that sub-10-day tenancy conclusion is no longer limited to occasional standout performers. In the strongest businesses, it is beginning to spread across teams.
Speed without sacrificing landlord outcomes
Some of July’s clearest examples came from agents combining rapid reconciliations with extremely strong claims results.
Cooper Green Pooks delivered an exemplary month, averaging just 10 days to reconcile while securing 100% of proposed dilapidations across the business. Paramount Properties averaged 13.5 days while securing 98.26% of claims for managed landlords, with half of its team achieving perfect 100% averages.
At Sandersons, two-thirds of the team averaged 12 days or less, while the company secured nearly 97% of proposed claims. These are commercially meaningful results because they show that faster conclusion does not require agents to compromise their landlord’s position.
Perfect outcomes are becoming less exceptional
The most notable feature of July may be the number of agents producing perfect or near-perfect claims outcomes across significant proportions of their teams and portfolios.
At National Home Move, operating through Your Move and Reeds Rains, more than 80% of the team secured 100% of proposed liabilities. Johns & Co saw a quarter of its team achieve perfect outcomes, while Jones Robinson and Richard James both secured 100% of claimed deductions for landlords across July.
Penny & Sinclair averaged 98.2% of claims secured, with two-thirds of the team achieving perfect averages. More significantly, the business secured 100% of proposed claims on 90% of all tenancies concluded during the month — a perfect outcome in nine out of every ten cases.
At The Frost Partnership, more than 60% of the team averaged 100%, while perfect outcomes were secured on over 80% of concluded tenancies.
Taken together, these figures point to something broader than isolated good months. Agents are increasingly able to demonstrate, with evidence, how effectively they handle tenancy conclusions and protect landlord interests. That creates real commercial value in a market where landlords are scrutinising service, expertise and measurable performance more closely.
The impact behind the numbers
The operational impact of July’s activity was substantial. The 2,363 tenancy conclusions processed during the month saved agents around 5,900 working hours and removed 37,808 days of waiting for landlords and tenants expecting funds.
Using a typical full-time working year of 1,750 hours, July alone returned the equivalent of around 3.4 full-time working years to agency operations. At an average property manager cost of £22.43 per hour, that represents more than £132,000 of equivalent staffing time.
The waiting-time impact is equally significant. The 37,808 days removed in July equate to more than 103 years of waiting eliminated in a single month. Compared with the nearly two-month average associated with self-managed landlords, July’s conclusions represent approximately 106,000 days, or more than 290 years, of additional waiting avoided.
The cumulative figures are more striking still. Across 89,630 tenancy conclusions, The Depositary has now saved agents around 224,000 working hours — the equivalent of 128 full-time working years and more than £5 million of equivalent staffing time.
The platform has also removed around 1.434 million days of waiting for landlords and tenants, equivalent to almost 3,930 years. Using the same comparison with the self-managed market, the total volume processed to date represents more than 4 million days, or approximately 11,000 years, of waiting avoided.
Those figures help translate process improvement into practical business value. The hours saved can be redirected into winning instructions, strengthening compliance, progressing renewals, improving landlord communication and supporting residents. The days removed mean money reaches landlords and tenants sooner, reducing frustration at one of the most sensitive stages of the rental journey.
July’s Index reinforces the direction seen in previous months. Volumes are rising, disputes remain a live operational challenge, and the strongest agents are responding by becoming faster, more consistent and better able to evidence their results.
Tenancy conclusion has historically been difficult for landlords to assess when choosing an agent. The growing body of data is beginning to change that. More agents can now prove not only how quickly they conclude a tenancy, but how effectively they secure fair, evidenced outcomes on their clients’ behalf.
That is a meaningful shift — and one likely to become increasingly important as measurable performance becomes a bigger part of how professional agents demonstrate their value.
