Choosing the right phone system for estate agents comes down to one simple question: what happens when a call isn’t answered? For a sales or lettings branch, an unanswered call can be a lost valuation, a viewing that goes to a competitor or a tenant who gets more frustrated about a repair. This guide explains how a modern hosted phone system helps agencies handle calls across branches, after hours and on the move.
It’s written for owners and branch managers of independent agencies, typically with 8 to 50 staff, who are reviewing their phones before the UK’s analogue lines are switched off.
Why phones still matter so much to estate and letting agents
Portals, email and messaging apps have changed how buyers and tenants first find a property. But when someone is ready to act, they still pick up the phone. Vendors call to book a valuation. Buyers call to arrange a second viewing or make an offer. Landlords call about rent and compliance. Tenants call when the boiler stops working.
Many of those calls are time-sensitive. A vendor who rings three agents to book valuations will often instruct whoever is quickest and most helpful. A buyer making an offer wants to speak to someone now, not tomorrow. That makes call handling a core part of the service, not an admin task.
The common problems we hear about
- Each branch has its own landline, so calls can’t easily be passed between offices.
- Negotiators are out on viewings and calls go unanswered at the desk.
- Out-of-hours repair calls go to a personal mobile or a voicemail nobody checks.
- Nobody can see how many calls were missed, or when the busy periods are.
- Old phone lines are due to be switched off and nobody is sure what to replace them with.
What a hosted phone system for estate agents does differently
A hosted (cloud) phone system runs over your internet connection rather than traditional copper lines. Your phone system lives in a secure data centre and your team connects to it from desk phones, computers or a smartphone app. You can read more about how this works on our hosted PBX page.
For an agency, that shift opens up some very practical features.
One system across every branch
Instead of separate phone lines at each office, every branch sits on the same system. Staff can transfer a call to a colleague in another branch with a short extension number, just as if they were in the same building. If one office is short-staffed, its calls can overflow to another branch automatically.
You keep each branch’s existing local number, so your signage, boards and portal listings don’t need to change. Moving your numbers across is free.
Calls that follow your negotiators
With the mobile app, a negotiator’s desk extension rings on their smartphone too. They can answer a vendor’s call between viewings and the caller sees the office number, not a personal mobile. When they’re off duty, they simply set themselves as unavailable.
Ring groups for sales and lettings
Ring groups let you send calls to the right team. A simple menu (“press 1 for sales, 2 for lettings, 3 to report a repair”) gets callers to the right people without a receptionist having to transfer every call. If nobody in the group answers within a set time, the call can move on to another group or to voicemail.
Handling out-of-hours and repair calls
Lettings and block management teams often need to take calls after the office closes. A tenant reporting a leak at 9pm needs a response, and the landlord will want to know it was dealt with.
A hosted system lets you set office hours rules. During the day, calls go to the branch. Out of hours, calls can be sent to an on-call mobile, a rota of staff, or an emergency line, with everything else going to voicemail. You change the rota in the system, rather than asking staff to forward personal phones.
Voicemails can also be emailed as audio files, so the morning team can see what came in overnight without dialling into a mailbox.
Call recording and reporting
Call recording can be useful for agencies. It can help settle disputes about what was agreed on an offer or a repair, and it’s a good training tool for new negotiators. If you record calls, you need to tell callers and handle the recordings in line with UK data protection law. A short message at the start of the call is the usual approach.
Call reporting shows how many calls each branch received, how many were answered and how many were missed. Many agencies are surprised by how many calls arrive at lunchtime or just after closing. Once you can see the pattern, you can adjust rotas to match.
The PSTN switch-off and what it means for agencies
The UK’s traditional telephone network (PSTN) and ISDN lines are being retired, and the deadline for the switch-off is 31 January 2027. After that, traditional analogue lines will no longer be available, and calls will run over digital, internet-based services.
For an agency, that means older office phone systems that rely on these lines will need replacing or reconnecting. It’s also worth checking anything else connected to a phone line, such as alarms or card machines. Our guide to the PSTN switch-off explains what to check and when.
Moving now, rather than close to the deadline, gives you time to plan the changeover around your busiest periods.
What does it cost?
Our business phone system is priced from £13.49 per user per month on yearly billing, or £14.99 per user per month on monthly billing. As an example, a 12-person agency across two branches would pay from about £161.88 a month on yearly billing.
The system includes features such as ring groups, call recording, office hours rules, voicemail to email and the mobile app. Number transfer is free.
How to choose a phone system for your agency
When comparing providers, these questions are worth asking:
- Can it link all our branches? Look for internal extension dialling and call transfer between offices.
- Does the mobile app show our office number? Negotiators shouldn’t need to give out personal numbers.
- Can we set out-of-hours routing ourselves? Rotas change often in lettings.
- Is there call reporting? You can’t fix missed calls you can’t see.
- Can we keep our numbers? Your existing numbers are on boards and portals for a reason.
- What does support look like during the move? A planned cut-over avoids downtime on a busy Saturday.
If your agency is in Yorkshire, our Leeds business phone systems page covers how we support firms in the area.
Getting started
Moving an agency to a hosted phone system is usually straightforward. We start by mapping how calls flow today: which numbers ring where, who covers which branch and what happens after hours. We then build the new set-up, transfer your numbers and switch over at a time that suits you.
If you’d like to talk it through, call us on 0333 307 3500 or request a quote and we’ll put together a set-up that fits your branches.
Frequently asked questions
Can we keep our branch phone numbers?
Yes. In most cases your existing numbers can be transferred to the new system, and number transfer is free. Callers keep ringing the same numbers they always have.
Will negotiators be able to take office calls on their mobiles?
Yes. The mobile app lets staff make and take calls on their extension from a smartphone, showing the office number rather than their personal number.
Can we send repair calls to an on-call person out of hours?
Yes. You can set office hours rules so that calls after closing go to an on-call mobile, a rota or voicemail, and change them whenever you need to.
Do we need new handsets?
Not always. Some existing IP phones can be reused, and staff can also use the computer or mobile app. We’ll check your current equipment as part of the quote.