Tenants in the United Kingdom are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to challenge disputes with letting agents, leading to a notable rise in formal complaints and potentially more balanced outcomes in rental agreements. This trend has emerged alongside recent regulatory changes aimed at strengthening renters’ rights.
Data from Propoly, a property management software company, shows complaints filed by tenants against letting agents surged by 47.4 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, with around 4,220 complaints recorded. This follows a rise of 19.6 percent in 2024. Most grievances relate to deposit deductions, rent payment issues, and perceived poor service. Propoly's group CEO, Sim Sekhon, attributes this increase partly to the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act in May 2026, which has heightened tenant awareness and willingness to contest disputes.
Tenants, particularly younger generations like millennials and Gen Z, are turning to AI models such as ChatGPT to draft informed, clear, and legally substantiated complaints. These tools assist users in organising facts, citing relevant legislation—including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Housing Act 2004—and maintaining a professional yet firm tone without resorting to hostility or legal jargon.
Matilda Davies, a London renter who has recently purchased her first home after a decade of renting, shared her experience of successfully contesting an unfair deposit deduction with the help of AI. She highlighted the relief AI technology provided, enabling her to navigate complex legal rights without needing a lawyer, something she had previously found inaccessible and time-consuming. Similar stories have emerged from other tenants facing maintenance and repair issues where AI-supported correspondence has increased the urgency and effectiveness of their complaints, sometimes resulting in quicker resolutions.
Industry voices observe that AI’s role is not only empowering tenants but also challenging letting agents to improve their services. Dan Lifshits, co-founder of Dwelly, a letting management platform with integrated AI functions, described a "tenfold" rise in AI-augmented tenant disputes, noting that property managers were often unprepared for well-crafted, legally informed tenant arguments. He expressed optimism that this enhanced informational parity is making deposit management and complaint processes fairer across the rental market.
Despite the rise in complaints, there is evidence that dispute resolution has become slightly more efficient. Propoly’s analysis indicates that cases resolved promptly increased to 53 percent in 2025, up from 50 percent the year before. Sekhon suggests this improvement reflects both tenants' increased confidence in asserting their rights and the growing compliance and administrative demands on letting agents, which may affect their ability to focus on tenant experience.
While AI tools are helping tenants advocate for better treatment, some industry representatives caution that the influx of complaints is not always the result of intentional poor service but sometimes due to agents' stretched capacities. Nonetheless, tenants welcome the support AI provides in navigating rental disputes, viewing it as a vital aid in counterbalancing an often complex and imbalanced housing system.
As the use of AI continues to grow, both tenants and letting agents are likely to adapt their approaches, potentially leading to more transparent and equitable interactions in the rental market.