In this razor-sharp episode of The Viking Chats, Kristjan Byfield sits down with one of PropTech’s original pioneers—Mal McCallion—to unpack the message every UK letting agent, estate agent and landlord needs to hear:

AI isn’t coming. It’s already here.

And if you’re not on board? You’re at risk of being left behind.

🧠 From PrimeLocation to Prophetic Predictions

With 24+ years in property and tech, Mal’s résumé reads like a PropTech hall of fame: launching PrimeLocation, rolling out Zoopla, and building tools for The Guild, GetAgent and more. Now heading ModelProp, he helps agents understand and adopt AI—before it’s too late.

Kristjan and Mal don’t hold back. They describe AI not as evolution, but revolution. Kristjan puts it best: “This is our generation’s industrial revolution.”

🤖 AI is Rewriting the Rules of Search, Service & Success

Forget SEO. Landlords are skipping Google and asking ChatGPT for their ideal agent—and it’s working. Kristjan shares real-world examples of Base Property gaining clients via AI prompts like:

Future clients won’t search by area—they’ll search by values. Only AI-literate, values-driven agents will stand out.

🔍 How Portals Could Be Dethroned

Rightmove, beware. Mal critiques the portals’ complacency and highlights how AI-powered search offers more than listings: from Offsted school checks to panoramic views and nuanced prompts, AI is reshaping property discovery.

Soon, tenants will say: “Find me a home near work, with a kind landlord and a dog-friendly policy.” And AI will deliver—instantly.

💬 Let Machines Handle Machine Work

AI won’t replace agents—it will free them. Picture this:

• Voice AI answers enquiries and books viewings 24/7
• Maintenance is triaged before your team even sees it
• Clients get fast, consistent replies—even out of hours

It’s not perfect. But as Kristjan says, neither are humans. Speed, reliability and service win.

📉 Let Go of Perfectionism—Or Get Left Behind

Agents often expect 100% perfection from tech—yet settle for 75% from staff. That mindset is outdated. The competition isn’t other agencies anymore—it’s the AI that never sleeps.

Adapt or risk irrelevance.

💡 How to Embrace the AI Advantage

This episode doesn’t just theorise—it delivers tactics:

• Try ChatGPT’s Deep Research for prospecting
• Audit your suppliers: no AI strategy = red flag
• Explore tools like Ask Vinnie and voice AI

Kristjan also reveals how The Depositary is using AI to boost performance and fairness in tenancy conclusion—minimising dispute friction and maximising outcomes.

🚀 A Call to Agents & Landlords

London landlords: this is your glimpse into modern agency. Agents: this is your blueprint for staying competitive.

📢 Tune in now and take your first step into the AI-powered future—because it’s already transforming our industry.

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In this special anniversary edition of The Viking Chats, Kristjan is joined by his "work wife" and Base Property (and The Depositary) co-founder An Deckers to celebrate a huge milestone—21 years of running one of London’s most distinctive and award-winning independent lettings agencies.

Expect laughter, honesty, a little nostalgia, and a masterclass in how to build a values-led business that puts people first—from tenants and landlords to the team that makes it all possible.

🏗️ From Back Bedrooms to Best in Class

This episode isn’t just a trip down memory lane—it’s a candid blueprint for how Base built a boutique agency from two laptops and matching Clios into a multi-award-winning business. Kristjan and An reflect on the early years of bootstrapping, long before PropTech made things slick, when Word documents and spreadsheets ran the show.

They share what it's really like to build an agency from scratch, how the lack of funding became their biggest asset, and why staying small (and smart) has always been their secret weapon.

🔧 Tech, Tenants & Trust

In 2008, everything changed. Base adopted their first CRM—long before cloud software became the norm. This was the start of their PropTech journey, partnering with Jupix and co-conceiving what became Alto’s PropertyFile landlord and tenant portals. But while tech played a big part in Base’s growth, people have always come first.

From a focus on tenant experience (long before it was fashionable) to nurturing 20+ year landlord relationships, Kristjan and An explain why tech should empower service—not replace it.

They also recount the radical moves they made during COVID—pivoting operations overnight, and sending heartfelt letters to all tenants urging openness and support. It’s one of their proudest moments—and a reflection of the care that defines Base.

🏆 Awards, Accolades & Authenticity

What started as a quirky agency in East London became a UK leader in customer service. From their first ESTA award in 2012 to winning five consecutive Grand Prix titles (and Zoopla’s coveted 10-Year Excellence Award in 2020), Base has proven that small doesn’t mean second-best.

But these awards aren’t just silverware—they’re validation of an ethos: honesty, humanity, humour, and hustle. Kristjan and An have never aimed to be the biggest, only the best—for their clients, their team, and their community.

🎉 Celebrating the Base Family

From their 10th anniversary bash at White Rabbit to their 20th at Shoreditch Arts Club, Base has always celebrated in style. But these events aren’t corporate puff—they’re about people. The guests are landlords, suppliers, residents, and friends. Many have been with Base since 2004.

They even share the full-circle stories: tenants who became landlords, landlords who became friends, and long-term clients like Philomena and Tom—each representing over a decade of trust, transparency and terrific service.

🔮 Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Base?

While this episode is rooted in the past, it’s all about the future. An and Kristjan reflect on:

• The evolving lettings landscape post-Renters Reform
• The role of AI and marketing in tomorrow’s agency
• Why true service—real conversations, coffee meetings, and trusted advice—will matter more than ever

And yes, they’re already plotting the 25-year anniversary party in 2029.

👥 For Agents & Landlords Alike

This episode is a gift to the industry. Whether you’re an agent building your brand, a landlord looking for a better way, or just love hearing how real businesses grow with integrity and impact, this episode offers inspiration, insight—and plenty of laughs.

📢 Tune in now to hear how Base Property Specialists became the agency that London landlords trust, tenants stay loyal t

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In this powerful episode of The Viking Chats, Kristjan Byfield is joined by the sharp, funny, and endlessly insightful Toby Martin—a former agent turned consultant who’s on a mission to help agencies thrive in a tech-powered world.

This episode isn’t just about AI—it’s about how you, your team, and your business can stay ahead of the curve, remain unmistakably human, and stop sounding like every other agent in town.

🚀 AI: The New Industrial Revolution?

Kristjan opens with a bold claim: AI is our generation’s Industrial Revolution—and it’s moving at warp speed. From automating operations to powering marketing, AI is transforming every layer of the property industry. But for many agents, it feels overwhelming. Toby gets it—and offers clarity.

Together, they explore two sides of AI:

1. Embedded AI – Your suppliers (like The Depositary) are integrating AI into your platforms for you.
2. Direct AI Use – Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini that agents can use to save time, generate content, and boost creativity.

You don’t need a computer science degree to get started. You just need curiosity—and a good prompt.

🧠 From Chaos to Clarity: Getting Started with AI

Toby lays out a super-practical roadmap to get agents from “Where do I start?” to “Why wasn’t I doing this sooner?”

His advice?

• Treat AI like a top-tier assistant or co-pilot
• Give it your brand guidelines, customer personas, and tone of voice
• Learn to write better prompts—or ask AI to help you write them

Agents can begin simply. Want a marketing plan, video script, social media carousel, or localised blog? Ask the right questions and AI delivers—fast, consistent and tailored.

🎥 One Podcast = Ten Content Assets

Kristjan shares how Base Property and The Depositary take a single podcast and transform it into a dozen powerful pieces of content using AI:

• Full video and podcast
• Social video snippets via Opus Clip
• Blogs, email campaigns, and Google posts
• AI-generated LinkedIn content and graphics

All in about 30 minutes of effort. For smaller agents with tight budgets and busy teams, it’s a game-changer.

🎯 The Biggest Risk? Sounding Like Everyone Else

AI can make you faster—but also dangerously generic. That’s the warning bell Toby rings throughout the episode.

He urges agents to use AI to amplify their humanity, not erase it. His approach? Use ChatGPT’s Projects feature to train AI with your brand tone, values, services and customer voice—so that every output sounds like you.

Because in Toby’s words:

🔍 Differentiate or Disappear

The duo reflect on a real-world scenario: an agent couldn’t name a single thing that made them different from two local competitors. No surprise, then, that fees were in a race to the bottom.

Their advice? Use AI to audit your competitors. Feed it websites, social media content, and ask: What actually makes us different—and how do we say that louder?

💡 Final Thoughts: Don’t Fear AI—Talk to It

You don’t need a plan. You don’t need a strategy. You don’t even need to know what you’re doing.

Just open ChatGPT and start a conversation. Ask a question. Explore an idea. Repurpose a blog. Build a brand.

Toby and Kristjan’s message is simple: if you start now, AI can elevate your marketing, sharpen your brand, save your time, and help you truly stand out.

🎙️ Listen now to learn how to make AI work for your agency, your team, and your voice.

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In this episode of The Viking Chats, Kristjan Byfield welcomes Nick Lyons, founder of No Letting Go and Kaptur Software, to dive deep into the evolution of the inventory sector—and how technology, AI, and data are reshaping it for agents, landlords, and property managers across the UK.

🚀 From early dictaphones and manually edited Word docs to a national franchise network processing 10,000 reports a month and a platform producing 300,000+ compliance inspections annually, Nick shares how he turned a scrappy startup into the UK’s largest inventory provider—all built on three core values: reliability, accountability, and consistency.

💡 You’ll hear:

• How Nick’s early obsession with operational excellence built a franchise model that delivers local expertise at national scale.
• Why No Letting Go and Kaptur are more than just inventory tools—they’re risk mitigation and compliance allies for agents, landlords, and institutional operators.
• The reality of trying to build an inventory business with actors as clerks (spoiler: it didn’t go to plan).
• The importance of seamless data transfer and how the Connect product allows agents to dynamically blend internal and external resourcing based on seasonality and business needs.

🔄 But this isn’t just about the past. Kristjan and Nick dig into the tech future of our industry:

• The complete rebuild of Kaptur and how it now integrates fully with The Depositary and Reapit Foundations—creating an end-to-end, circular ecosystem from tenancy start to final refund.
• How AI is powering next-gen features—from auto-curating checkout dilapidations to auto-generating negotiation proposals and even benchmarking team performance with voice-activated insights.
• The future of data: why it’s not just about insights for your agency, but about protecting clients, identifying risk early, and making smarter, faster decisions.

💥 Expect actionable insights, witty asides, and powerful reasons to review how your agency handles the “final third” of the tenancy journey. Whether you outsource or do it in-house, the message is clear: if you're still manually processing reports, extracting meter readings, or wasting hours negotiating deductions, you're leaking time and risking compliance.

🎯 Who should listen?

• Agents fed up with clunky, manual workflows
• Ops leaders juggling seasonal staff pressure
• Landlords (especially portfolio and institutional) demanding real-time data and transparency
• Forward-thinking agencies ready to scale efficiently without sacrificing service

It’s tech-meets-operations-meets-real-agent-life, all wrapped in a frank and funny chat between two industry veterans who’ve seen it all—and then built the platforms to fix it.

📦 Bonus? Get the lowdown on upcoming AI tools from The Depositary that will transform how you negotiate with tenants, streamline disputes, and slash admin time from 60 hours per month to 6.

This episode is your blueprint for automating the complex, freeing up your team, and future-proofing your lettings business.

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Hold onto your helmets, Vikings — in this latest voyage across the turbulent seas of property, technology and business, Kristjan Byfield welcomes a true industry legend (or should we say lovable rogue?): Simon Whale, known for his time at Reapit, his antics with Kerfuffle, and for generally causing "productive chaos" in the world of PropTech and estate agency.

In this epic chat, Kristjan and Simon dive deep into the fast-evolving landscape of property technology and what it really means for modern estate and letting agents. No corporate spin here — just honest, practical insight (and plenty of laughs) from two people who have seen the good, the bad, and the occasionally ridiculous side of agency tech.

Together, they explore:

• How "PropTech fatigue" crept into the industry — and why it’s finally turning into real, usable solutions.
• The evolution of the agent’s role: why technology should be your crew not your captain.
• The harsh truth about CRM systems, integrations, and why agencies must demand more from their suppliers.
• Why COVID was a brutal but necessary accelerator for technological change in agency operations.
• How AI is reshaping agency life — from marketing and lead gen to operational workflows — and why ignoring it could sink your business faster than you think.
• The myth of "people buy from people" — and why that phrase, while still true, needs a serious 2025 upgrade.
• Why customer experience (for clients and your staff) must now sit at the heart of agency business models.
• How small, independent agencies can (and should) outmaneuver the big corporates by being faster, smarter, and more adaptive with tech.

Simon also shares his candid (and very funny) stories about building Kerfuffle, life after selling Reapit, and why he believes the future of PropTech must focus less on flashy features and more on actual business outcomes.

In classic Viking Chats fashion, the conversation is unfiltered, irreverent and packed full of golden nuggets — whether you're a small indie agent, a growing network, or a corporate giant, you'll leave with fresh ideas (and maybe a few uncomfortable truths) about how you need to adapt your business for the years ahead.

Plus:

• Why building tech with agents, not for agents, is the only way forward.
• The importance of "getting your ship in order" before adopting new tech.
• How to turn grumpy customers and hesitant staff into your strongest advocates.
• Why many agencies fail at onboarding new systems — and the simple fixes that could save you thousands.
• A peek into the weird and wonderful world of early-stage PropTech innovation — and the dangers of buying into the hype too soon.

If you're serious about building a future-proof, profitable, and enjoyable business, this episode is your compass.
Whether you’re sailing calm waters or battling 10-foot waves, Kristjan and Simon give you the map, the mindset, and a few battle scars to help you chart your next move.

Set sail with us — this is one journey you don't want to miss.
⚓🎙️

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Are you stuck in a loop of “free valuations”, “stunning homes”, and “professional photography”? Do your marketing materials look suspiciously like your competitors’? Then buckle up, because this episode of Viking Chat might just blow the doors off your agency's entire approach to branding.

This week, Kristjan Byfield – industry troublemaker and Base Property founder – is joined by the ever-creative Tom Durrant, CEO of DCTR (formerly known as Dr. Photo). What starts as a friendly chat about creativity quickly becomes a full-throttle, no-holds-barred deep dive into why most estate agency branding is flat, forgettable, and dangerously dull—and, more importantly, how to fix it.

🔥 Key discussion points include:

• Why “blending in” is killing your margins – and your soul.
• The problem with industry homogenisation (and how to escape the sea of sameness).
• How Hat and Home, Marsh & Parsons, and Location Location are absolutely nailing branding through distinct stories and visual identities.
• Why focusing on “free valuations” and “floorplans” reduces your value proposition to price alone.
• The emotional power of storytelling and why it beats features and stats every time.
• What Snickers, Nike, and Yves Klein’s blue pee have to teach us about estate agency marketing (yes, really).

💡 “Creativity is not optional. It’s your only chance to stand out in a world where AI, templates, and tech have levelled the playing field.” – Tom Durrant

Tom shares how DCTR evolved from photo retouching and AI-driven visual enhancements to a full-blown creative agency helping property brands build bold, compelling identities. He lays out a simple but powerful framework for creativity: Originality, Emotional Engagement, and Quality Execution.

And Kristjan? He delivers some classic Viking truths. Like the tale of an agent who watched his fees plummet by a third—simply because he couldn’t articulate a single reason why a vendor should choose him over three nearly identical competitors. Ouch.

But this isn’t just about getting listings or raising fees. This episode dives into something much deeper: How to build an agency that people want to work for, buy from, and talk about.

Expect laughs, revelations, and the occasional rant (in true Viking Chat fashion). Whether you're a high street stalwart or a startup indie with big dreams, this episode is a creative reset button for your brand.

✨ BONUS TIPS:

• What to ask your kids to discover your brand’s real purpose.
• How to steal inspiration (the right way) from brands outside property.
• Why your next hire might be a storyteller, not a negotiator.

🔗 Want more?
Tom name-drops the unmissable white paper “The Extraordinary Cost of Dull” from System1, which proves—through 60,000 ad campaigns—that bland brands bleed money. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

So… ready to stand out, speak up, and finally tell a story that matters?

Hit play. Then hit reset

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In this powerhouse episode of Viking Chat, industry trailblazer Kristjan Byfield sits down with Tim Frome, legal and compliance heavyweight from Hamilton Fraser, for a deep dive into the ever-evolving landscape of the private rented sector (PRS). Buckle up for a fast-paced, insight-rich ride through the trends, tensions, and tectonic shifts affecting agents, landlords, and tenants alike.

Tim unpacks Hamilton Fraser’s 2024 annual report—a digital-first, data-driven, interactive document that’s setting new standards for how compliance can be communicated. From the increasing importance of alternative deposits to the dramatic rise in complaints (up 20% year-on-year and 44% over two years), this chat doesn’t shy away from the sector’s growing pains. But the headlines aren’t just alarm bells—they’re rich with opportunity and lessons for the proactive agent.

⚖️ Key Talking Points Include:

• The true drivers behind the 68.5% of agents worried about Section 21 abolishment—and why Kristjan thinks it might be the least significant part of the Renters Reform Bill.
• The alarming 15% of agents unaware of the Renters Reform Bill’s contents and the urgent call to action for industry professionals to educate themselves before change hits.
• An insider look at the surge in sourcing-related complaints, where “property experts” promise riches but deliver disputes.
• The communication crisis: Why poor documentation and broken information chains—not just bad service—lie at the heart of many complaints.

💥 Firecracker Stats from the Report:

• Over 19,000 individual agents now registered with Hamilton Fraser’s schemes, including CMP, MyDeposits, and PRS.
• Expelled agent numbers up 40%, but it’s not all doom—context is everything.
• Just 2.4% of tenants are using deposit alternatives, despite affordability challenges being cited by 30% of renters.
• Nearly 33% of surveyed tenants consider Section 21’s removal the most important part of the bill—a stat Kristjan challenges head-on with nuance and realism.

🤝 Why You Should Listen: This episode is more than a data dump. It’s a passionate, pragmatic exploration of what’s changing and how agents and landlords can adapt with purpose. Kristjan and Tim don’t just talk compliance—they talk strategy. Expect honest reflections, industry anecdotes, myth-busting insights, and even a chuckle over MPs claiming "pet rent" on expenses.

Whether you’re a seasoned letting agent, a landlord trying to navigate reform, or a newcomer seeking clarity in chaos, this episode delivers the clarity, caution, and calls to action you didn’t know you needed.

🔗 Pro Tip: Stick around to the end for sharp soundbites on rent review tribunals, indefinite tenancies, and how AI is about to change tenant awareness forever. Plus, get Kristjan’s no-nonsense advice on the tenant-landlord relationship in a post-reform PRS.

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In this engaging episode of The Viking Chats, Kristjan Byfield—co-founder of The Depositary and self-proclaimed industry innovator—sits down with the brilliant Vicky Bibiris, Managing Director at award-winning agency Location Location, to explore one of the most underappreciated yet transformative elements of running a successful agency: process.

Let’s face it—“process” doesn’t always sound exciting. But as Kristjan and Vicky reveal in this thought-provoking conversation, getting your processes right is the bedrock of consistent, scalable, and exceptional service in the property sector.

🧩 Why Process Matters
Vicky passionately unpacks why having clearly defined, well-documented processes is non-negotiable in today’s competitive market. From onboarding landlords and progressing tenancies, to handling viewings and managing maintenance, the agency's success hinges on replicable, trackable systems. It’s not about robots—it’s about delivering a reliable, high-quality experience for every single client, every single time.

📏 From Instinct to Insight
Kristjan and Vicky discuss how strong processes enable data-driven decisions. Once your workflows are mapped and measured, you can identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or gaps—and improve them. It’s about evolving your agency from relying on gut instinct to building on measurable insights.

👩‍💼 Culture, Accountability & Empowerment
Process isn't just about operations—it’s about people. Vicky shares how empowering her team with clear processes creates a culture of accountability, ownership, and confidence. Staff know what’s expected, how to deliver it, and where they can go above and beyond. That clarity reduces stress, boosts morale, and supports professional development across the board.

🛠️ Tech as a Process Partner
Naturally, technology plays a starring role in this conversation. The duo explore how PropTech can underpin and streamline processes—without stripping away the human touch. It’s not about doing less; it’s about doing more of what matters. Automating the admin frees agents to focus on relationships, results, and reputation.

🌟 Why This Episode is a Must-Listen
Whether you're a seasoned agency leader, a start-up entrepreneur, or part of a growing lettings or sales team, this episode is packed with practical insights and “aha” moments. Vicky’s clear-eyed approach to operational excellence will inspire you to look at your own agency processes not as a chore—but as your biggest opportunity.

👂 Tune in now to hear how one of London’s most respected agents built a reputation for five-star service, not by doing everything—but by doing the right things, the right way, every time.

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