Property owner details are easiest to keep in three layers: the person and their contact details, the property and the listing agreement, and the status of the listing together with the history of conversations. Each layer holds only the information the work requires, who can see it is decided at the outset, and what happens to the record when the job is done is clear. With this routine in place, when an agent goes on leave or leaves the agency, the risk of the portfolio disappearing with them goes down. Below you will find sample record fields, points to watch with personal data, and messages you can send to owners.
What follows should be read as general suggestions. An owner's name, phone number, address, title deed and identity details and bank account are personal data; it is advisable to follow the rules on the protection of personal data regarding how this information is collected, how long it is kept and with whom it may be shared, and to consult a lawyer whenever you are unsure.
Why Owner Details End Up Scattered
In many agencies the owner's number sits in an agent's phone contacts, the agreement date in a folder, and the last price discussed inside a WhatsApp chat. When information is this scattered, even simple questions take time: "When does the agreement on this flat end?", "Which price did the owner last approve?", "Who has the key?" If the only person who knows the answer is out of the office that day, the work waits. The same scattering is also a personal data risk; the more places information is copied to, the less clear it becomes who holds what.
Three Layers in the Record
The person and contact details
The owner's full name, a phone number they can be reached on and their preferred contact time are enough for most tasks. Since the property address already sits in the property record, there is usually no need to note the owner's home address as well. If you deal with a relative or a representative instead of the owner, that person's name and what they can decide on are noted in this layer.
The property and the listing agreement
The property's address, type and main features, the start and end dates of the listing agreement, and whether the agreement was given to your agency alone or to several agencies belong in this layer. Instead of the full title deed details, only enough to identify the property correctly is written down; the documents themselves are kept in a separate, protected place.
Listing status and conversation history
Whether the listing is live, the price the owner last approved and the date of that approval, who holds the key, and a short dated note of every conversation with the owner are kept here. Notes are written clearly and briefly enough for the next agent to read and understand: who called, what was discussed, what the next step is.
Sample Record Fields
The table below shows the fields that can be kept for a single property. The fields work the same way in a spreadsheet or in a portfolio program.
| Field | Sample value | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | [Full Name] | Responsible agent, agency manager |
| Contact | [phone], weekday evenings | Responsible agent, agency manager |
| Property | [neighbourhood], flat, [number of rooms] | Whole agency |
| Agreement | This agency only, ends: [date] | Whole agency |
| Last approved price | [amount], approved: [date] | Whole agency |
| Key | At the office, [agent name] responsible | Whole agency |
| Conversation note | [date]: photos to be retaken | Responsible agent, agency manager |
The "Who sees it" column is the part of the record most often skipped. The features and price of the property are shared knowledge across the agency; the owner's phone number and conversation notes are useful only to the people working on that property.
Who Sees It, Where It Is Kept, What Happens When the Job Ends
- Access: the responsible agent and the agency manager can reach the owner's contact details; other agents see the property information but not the owner's details.
- Storage: the record is kept not on personal phones or in messaging apps but in one shared, password-protected place. If documents such as a copy of an ID or a photo of the title deed are needed, they sit in a separate folder with narrower access.
- When the job ends: once the sale or letting is completed, or the agreement ends without renewal, documents that are no longer needed are deleted or returned to the owner. A lawyer's opinion can be sought on which information should be kept for a period.
The owner's details are not opened up to buyers, tenants or listing portals. The listing carries information about the property; the owner's name and phone number do not go into the listing text, into a photo or into the listing description.
Messages You Can Send to the Owner
Having a written trace of important conversations with the owner can reduce later disagreements of the "I never said that price" kind. The messages below are short examples written to leave that trace.
Confirming the agreement and the price
"Hello [Mr/Ms Surname], I would like to sum up today's conversation: you have given our agency the agreement to sell your flat at [address] until [end date], and we agreed on [amount] as the asking price. If anything is wrong, simply reply to this message; otherwise I will prepare the listing with these details. [Agent Name], [Agency Name]"
Listing updated notice
"Hello [Mr/Ms Surname], I have updated the listing for your flat: new photos have been added and the description has been edited as we discussed. As agreed, I have also added the parking and storage details; I have not changed the price. I can send you the link if you would like to see the listing. [Agent Name]"
What to Avoid
- Sharing a copy of the owner's ID or a photo of the title deed in the agency's WhatsApp group
- Keeping the owner's bank account details inside listings or chats with clients
- Leaving family photos, addressed envelopes or personal documents visible in property photos
- Leaving access to the records open for an agent who has left the agency
- Passing on personal circumstances the owner has shared (such as debts, a divorce or an inheritance dispute) to the listing or to clients
Common Habit and a Better Way
| Common habit | A better way |
|---|---|
| Getting back to the owner only when an offer comes in | Letting them know briefly whenever there has been a viewing |
| Discussing a price change on the phone and leaving it there | Confirming the change in a written message |
| Handing over a record by word of mouth when the agent changes | Passing the record and conversation notes to the new agent |
| Sending a separate message for every small change | Gathering changes into a single message |
End-of-Month Checklist
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Is a listing whose agreement has expired still live? | An unauthorised listing can cause problems with both the owner and clients |
| Is the live price the same as the last approved price in the record? | Clients are not quoted a price the owner has not approved |
| Does the same owner appear in two separate records? | Information is updated in one place and no contradictions arise |
| Can the phone numbers in the record still be reached? | You are not late reaching the owner when an urgent offer comes in |
| Is there an up-to-date backup of the record file? | The portfolio is not lost when a device breaks down |
| Does the assistant's listing pool contain only property information? | Owner details do not slip into the field shown to clients by mistake |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an agency ask the owner for a copy of their ID?
In most cases, seeing the ID and checking the name against the record may be enough. If a copy of a document needs to be kept, it is advisable to tell the owner clearly for what purpose and for how long it will be kept, and to consult a lawyer on the matter.
What should be done if a buyer wants to talk to the owner directly?
The owner's number is not shared with the buyer without asking the owner first. If the owner agrees to talk, the number is given with their consent, or the meeting is arranged at the office with the agent present.
How should the record be kept if the owner has also listed with other agencies?
The most common problem in this situation is the price appearing differently across agencies. Asking the owner whether they tell the other agencies when they change the price, and adding the answer to the conversation note, can help avoid clients being quoted different prices. Noting through which agency a client came can also reduce disagreements that might arise later.
What happens if the owner asks for their details to be deleted?
The request is recorded with its date and information that is no longer needed is deleted. If some information must be kept because of an ongoing contract or transaction, a lawyer's opinion can be sought on which information that is, and it is explained to the owner.
What if the owner lives abroad and works through a representative?
The representative's name, contact details and the scope of their power of attorney are noted in the person layer; the original power of attorney is seen. It is advisable to consult a lawyer on whether the power of attorney is sufficient for the sale or letting.
An assistant that tells clients about the property, not the owner
Within Kılman's Real Estate Automation System, the assistant works from the location, number of rooms, price, floor area and main features recorded in your listing pool; it passes on only this recorded information to the client and does not guess. Owner contact details do not reach the client as long as they are not entered into these fields. For a property the client likes, it creates an appointment and sends a separate email to you and to the client. How the listing pool is set up and which fields it contains is explained on the Real Estate Automation System page.
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