Improving the Rental Process: Why Chaos Arises – Even Though Everyone is Doing Their Best

Inquiries come in, viewings are coordinated, contracts are prepared – and yet the follow-up work piles up. The phone is ringing, queries are coming in via three channels, and no one can tell where a specific case currently stands.

The actual problem is not a lack of procedures, but rather the lack of connections between them. Each step works individually, but the overall system remains unmanageable.

Leasing chaos is not a personnel problem. It is a management and control problem.

Anyone who understands this stops trying to optimize people – and starts managing processes.

To improve the leasing process, it is not enough to speed up individual steps. In this article, we explain why chaos arises between steps – and how control and manageability change that.

What does a "chaotic leasing process" really mean?

A chaotic leasing process is not a process without structure – but a process without manageability. The difference is crucial: manageability means keeping track of the overall process at all times and actively leading it.

Individual steps – posting listings, processing inquiries, organizing viewings, preparing contracts – can each run smoothly. The chaos arises where these steps meet: at handovers, changes of responsibility, and status requests.

The three signs of a lack of manageability:

• No overall overview: No one can tell at a glance which cases are in which state.

• No defined states: It is not specified when a process step is considered completed.

• No connected systems: Information switches between portal, email, Excel, and telephone – losing context in the process.

Why does it fail in practice today?

The cause is structural, not individual. Most property management companies work with processes that have grown organically and were never designed as a complete, unified system.

Many tools, no connection

From the practical experience of typical property management companies, we know that property managers regularly work with several unconnected systems in parallel – portal, email, Excel, ERP, telephone. Each system fulfills a function, but none of them connect the steps.

Breaks between systems cause loss of information

Information changes systems and loses context in the process. An inquiry comes via the portal, is discussed by email, scheduled by phone, and documented in Excel. With each switch, knowledge is lost.

Lack of defined states makes management impossible

No one knows where a case stands. "In progress" can mean anything – from "inquiry viewed" to "contract almost ready". Without clear definitions of states, there is no steering or management, only constant inquiries.

Less than 10% of real estate organizations work fully digitally end-to-end (ZIA/Bitkom 2023). And 61% cite interface problems as the greatest obstacle to digitalization (Bitkom 2022).

Our article on the biggest time wasters in leasing explains exactly where time is lost and why this can be systematically measured.

What it costs – effects and ROI

Risks of a lack of process control

Coordination effort: According to an international study (McKinsey, Service Operations), 35 to 45% of total working time in leasing is spent on coordination and alignment – not on actual processing.

Vacancy: Every unnecessary week of vacancy costs 200 to 400 euros per unit (EverReal practical estimation). With a portfolio of 500 units and one week of avoidable extra work per residential unit and year, this adds up to 100,000 to 200,000 euros – a realistic figure based on the practice of typical property management companies.

Inquiries: A lack of visibility generates internal inquiries that tie up capacity and cause frustration.

Efficiency gains with structured steering

What changes when processes are connected and states become visible – empirical values from the field:

• Up to 30% fewer internal inquiries

• Handovers at the touch of a button instead of shouting across the room

• Overall process manageable as a unit for the first time

Practical example

A property management company with 400 units, three employees, and four parallel systems. The core problem: inquiries were processed, but no one had an overall view. Every employee knew the status of their own cases – but not those of their colleagues.

The result after introducing a structured process logic with defined states and handover rules:

• 30% fewer internal inquiries

• Handovers visible at the touch of a button

• For the first time, a complete overview of all ongoing cases

No additional tool was introduced. Structure was created – structure instead of paperwork chaos.

Step 1: Process mapping – where are connections between steps missing?

Document every step from initial contact to key handover. Identify where information changes systems, where responsibilities are unclear, and where waiting times occur.

• List all steps (not just your own)

• Note the systems involved for each step

• Mark the handover points

Step 2: Define states – what is considered completed and when?

For each process step, define when it is considered completed. "Viewing conducted" is only complete when the viewing report is on file and the next step has been triggered.

• Define completion criteria for each step

• Define responsibility for the transition

Step 3: Set up control – who sees what, when, in which system?

Create a central overview of all cases and their states. This does not have to be a new tool – but a clear system that shows where each case stands.

• Set up a central dashboard or overview

• Establish a regular steering rhythm (e.g., weekly)

Chaos in leasing does not stem from poor work, but from missing connections between the process steps. Manageability is the foundation of any functioning leasing process.

Those who make states visible today will reduce effort, errors, and dependencies tomorrow – and save real money.

Our guide to optimizing the leasing process explains what this means in the bigger picture and how operational manageability is built systematically.

Why does leasing seem chaotic even though processes exist?

Because the individual steps are not connected. Each step works in isolation, but handovers, responsibilities, and states are not defined. This creates inquiries, duplication of work, and a lack of overview.

What is the difference between process and manageability?

A process describes what is done. Manageability describes the ability to oversee, actively guide, and predict the overall process at any time. Many organizations have processes – but lack manageability.

How do I recognize a lack of manageability in daily leasing operations?

By three symptoms: No one has a complete overview of active cases. There are no clear definitions of states for each step. And information switches between several systems without a unified logic.