Alto and Thirdfort have launched a new integration that embeds fast, digital anti-money laundering (AML) and identity (ID) checks directly into Alto’s estate agency CRM, aiming to reduce compliance friction and speed up property transactions for agents across the UK. The link-up forms part of Alto’s broader strategy to offer a connected, AI‑enabled platform that unites communication, document signing and compliance within a single workflow.
Partnership overview
- Alto, an AI‑native property CRM and part of the Zoopla group, has partnered with client due diligence platform Thirdfort to deliver in‑platform ID verification and AML checks for estate agents.
- The integration is available to Alto customers using the Property Workflow module, who can activate Thirdfort via their Alto account manager.
- The collaboration targets the growing regulatory and operational burden on agents by replacing manual checks and scattered tools with a single, integrated compliance journey.
How the AML integration works
- Thirdfort’s digital checks are now embedded within Alto’s interface, allowing agents to initiate and track ID and AML verification without logging into separate systems or uploading documents manually.
- Clients complete checks via Thirdfort’s secure technology, with results and status updates feeding back automatically into Alto, where each verification is stored to create a complete, auditable compliance record.
- This approach is designed to keep all compliance evidence in one place, aligning with regulator expectations around record‑keeping while giving agents a real‑time view of onboarding progress inside their existing workflows.
Key features and technology
- The integration supports biometric passport scanning using NFC, liveness detection to prevent spoofing, and screening against politically exposed persons (PEP) and sanctions lists, reflecting current UK AML requirements for estate agents.
- Agents can also opt to use open banking‑enabled source‑of‑funds checks, allowing buyers to share digital bank statements to evidence affordability and funding in a more secure and efficient way.
- Thirdfort’s technology incorporates ongoing monitoring capabilities, drawing on thousands of live data sources to alert firms to changes in client risk profiles, including sanctions status and other red‑flag indicators.
Benefits for estate agents and clients
- Alto reports that agents using its consumer portal Keyflo, which now includes the Thirdfort integration, are saving six to eight hours per week on manual administration and compliance tasks.
- Integrated signing and ID checks within Keyflo are said to reduce deal delays by up to 30%, with AML checks averaging around 14 hours to complete and onboarding times cut by up to two days per transaction.
- For clients, the process is designed to be app‑driven and mobile‑friendly, reducing the need for physical documents and in‑branch visits, while giving agents a smoother, less intrusive way to meet statutory customer due diligence obligations.
Industry context and prior results
- Research with conveyancer Thomas Legal and a major estate agency has previously indicated that Thirdfort’s KYC, AML and source‑of‑funds tools can shorten property transaction times by around 21 days, equating to a 16% reduction in end‑to‑end conveyancing timelines.
- When combined with wider digitisation of forms and property searches, Thirdfort‑powered processes have been linked to a reduction in time from agreed terms to exchange of contracts from about 133 days to 59 days, a 55% improvement in that specific study.
- Thirdfort already integrates with several property and legal platforms, including case management and search providers, positioning the Alto deal within a broader strategy of offering API‑led AML and risk management across the conveyancing and estate agency sector.
Statements from Alto and Thirdfort
- Stuart Pick, Director of Partnerships at Alto, said compliance remains a major concern for agents and described the Thirdfort integration as a way to remove complexity while giving firms confidence that they are protected and saving valuable time.
- Pick characterized the partnership as part of Alto’s ambition to be “the last CRM” agents need, supporting growth without creating additional operational strain.
- Amie Hornegold, Strategic Partnerships lead at Thirdfort, said the collaboration is focused on making life easier for agents by embedding simple, secure checks in the tools they already use, helping them save hours on compliance and focus more on client service and deal progression.
Regulatory and risk management implications
- UK estate agents fall within the scope of AML regulations overseen by HMRC and must perform customer due diligence, ongoing monitoring, and appropriate record‑keeping, with enforcement activity and fines increasing in recent years.
- Digital ID and AML solutions such as Thirdfort are increasingly used to address risks around identity fraud, property‑related money laundering and the complexity of verifying source of funds in cross‑border and high‑value transactions.
- By embedding this functionality within a mainstream CRM, Alto and Thirdfort aim to make regulatory compliance more routine and less disruptive, potentially raising the baseline standard of AML controls across a wide pool of UK estate agencies.