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Who Is a Field Agent?

A Field Agent is a Welile agent who runs rental business directly inside a community: finding tenants, putting them on Rent Plans, paying landlords, and collecting repayments day after day.

It is the role most Welile agents hold, and the one this section documents in full.

Where a Field Agent sits​

The platform handles the records, the money and the approvals. The Field Agent is the person on the ground connecting it to real people and real houses — tenants, landlords, properties, Rent Requests, sub-agents and collections.

Nothing on Welile starts without somebody standing outside an actual house. That is the job.

You may also hear "Operational Agent"​

Welile's internal documents call this role an Operational Agent — the agent who originates and operates rental business in the field. It is the same role this section describes; Field Agent is the name used with agents and tenants.

If you see "Operational Agent" on a form or in a message from the office, it means you.

Who a Field Agent works with​

  • Tenants — registering them, explaining the plan, collecting repayments.
  • Landlords — verifying them, listing their houses, paying them their rent.
  • LC1 Chairpersons — confirming a tenant belongs to the village.
  • Sub-agents — recruiting and supporting them, if you build a team.
  • Welile operations and support — reviews, verification calls and account questions.

How the role differs from the other agent roles​

Different agent roles handle different money and answer for different work. Knowing which you are matters, because it determines what you can do and what you are accountable for.

Field Agent (Operational Agent)​

Onboards tenants, posts Rent Plans, collects repayments, lists houses, verifies landlords and LC1 Chairpersons, and pays landlords.

Holds operational float, landlord float and their own earnings. See what a Field Agent does.

Sub-agent​

Does the same field work, under a parent agent who recruited them, trained them, and reviews their submissions before they reach head office.

See Sub-agent Help.

Proxy Agent​

Works with Supporters — the partners whose capital funds Rent Plans — rather than with tenants. Arranges Promissory Notes and sees committed capital through to an active portfolio.

Does not register tenants or collect rent. See Proxy Agent Help.

Merchant Agent​

A cash-out point. Pays out other users' withdrawals from company float or their own Mobile Money line, and earns 0.5% of each completed payout.

Does not originate Rent Plans. See Merchant Agent Help.

Financial Agent​

An internal role, handling operational expense requisitions through approval steps. It holds no float and does no field work.

Financial Agent documentation is not published

If you hold that role, this help centre does not cover your work — the description above is only for telling the roles apart. Contact your Welile contact or support for guidance.

Why the roles are kept apart​

A Field Agent does not disburse other users' withdrawals, and a Merchant Agent does not originate Rent Plans. The separation exists because the money is different in each case: company float for rent, a merchant's own Mobile Money balance, a Supporter's capital. Mixing them would mix money that has to stay accountable separately.

Compare the agent types

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