The Applications stage is where you record the details of anyone interested in renting a property. Recording an application here doesn't guarantee it will be progressed - you choose which application to accept at the end of the stage.
Applications are the NEW Lettings progressions journey's equivalent of Offers in the classic Lettings progressions journey.
Create an application
A tenancy progression starts as soon as a property is Instructed and listed as Available.
To create a new application against a property:
- Click Progressions in the main navigation bar, then click NEW Lettings progressions in the dropdown menu. Alternatively, click the Progressions tab on the property side menu
- Find the property you need and click the address to open the property progression
- Click Add new application
- Search for and select a lead tenant, or add a new contact. Then, click Create Application
This creates an application linked to the property. You can record multiple applications against the same property at this stage.
Note
- Only properties that are Available on the market, and don't already have an ongoing progression in the classic Lettings progressions journey, will appear in this list
- If at step 4 above you add a new contact, you'll be taken out of the progression. After adding the contact record, return to the progression by repeating steps 1 and 2 above
Warning
The NEW Lettings progressions journey supports one person per contact record. If there is more than one landlord for the property, or more than one tenant on the application, each person needs their own separate contact record
Add the application terms
Once an application has been added, add the terms to record the rent and deposit being offered and the length of the tenancy.
- Click Progressions in the main navigation bar, then click NEW Lettings progressions in the dropdown menu. Alternatively, click the Progressions tab on the property side menu
- Find the property you need and click the address to open the property progression
- Click View next to the application you want to add terms to
- Click Add terms
- Add the Tenancy details, including the Deposit amount, Deposit provider and the Holding deposit amount
- Add the Tenancy term details, including the desired Start date and the Reference used for payments
- Select the Document templates you'd like to use for the Tenancy agreement, Holding deposit terms and Guarantor agreement, from the dropdown list of available documents
- Click Create terms
The progression now sits in the Applications stage.
Add a guarantor, tenant, or permitted occupier (optional)
You can add a guarantor, an additional tenant, or a permitted occupier to an application.
- Click Progressions in the main navigation bar, then click NEW Lettings progressions in the dropdown menu. Alternatively, click the Progressions tab on the property side menu
- Find the property you need and click the address to open the property progression
- Click View next to the application you want to add people to
- Expand the People card on the right-hand side and click Add alongside the contact type you want to add (for example, Guarantor)
- Enter the person's details and click Add or Submit to confirm. To add more than one, click the Add button again for the contact type
Note
Each person you add must have their own contact record in Alto
Accept an application
Once you've decided which application to accept, mark it as accepted to begin the next stage. Accepting an application automatically rejects all other applications for the property, so you only need to action the successful one.
- Click Progressions in the main navigation bar, then click NEW Lettings progressions in the dropdown menu. Alternatively, click the Progressions tab on the property side menu
- Find the property you need and click the address to open the property progression
- Click View next to the application you want to accept
- Click Accept Application
- On the Accept application screen, tick the criteria used to accept the application: Affordability, Credit history, Move-in Date, Employment type, and/or Property suitability
- Add any Further details in the optional free-text box
- Click Confirm
How rejection reasons work
When you accept an application, Alto uses your selected criteria to automatically add a rejection reason to every other application on the property that hadn't already been rejected. This keeps a consistent record of why each applicant was unsuccessful, which supports fair and transparent decision-making under the Renters' Rights Act.
You stay in control of what's recorded:
- Rejection reasons are not automatically shared with the rejected applicants - they're for your records unless you choose to share them
- To give a more specific reason on an individual application, click View next to the application, then click Edit rejection reasons on that application and amend it
Note
Under the Renters' Rights Act, you can't accept an offer above the property's listed price, and the rent on the application is capped at the current marketed price. If you try to enter a higher figure, Alto displays an error
Accepting the application completes the Applications stage and moves the progression on to Let Agreed, where you'll send the draft tenancy agreement and take any holding deposit.
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Related Help Centre articles that you may find useful.
The Classic Lettings progressions section of the Help Centre
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Related e-Learning/video training as part of Alto Skills. Alto Skills offers self-paced digital learning in the form of skills.