Being a landlord can be rewarding—but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. Whether you’re short on time, new to the world of letting, or simply want peace of mind, a letting agent could be the key to stress-free property management. Here’s how to decide if it’s the right move for you.
Is a letting agent for you?
Letting agents can manage some or all of the work involved in letting a property to a tenant. You may want to use a letting agent if the following apply to your situation:
- You do not have enough time to fulfil all the responsibilities
- You do not have much experience of being a landlord
- You would prefer to have someone else deal with tenant issues and relations
- You do not have a good awareness of relevant regulations and legislation
- You are letting property in a different area from where you live
What does a letting agent do?
Letting agents can manage some or all of the work involved in letting a property to a tenant. Here are the different service options explained:
A let only agent is responsible for finding a tenant and moving them in. The agent will market the property for you and host property viewings. They will find the right tenant for you by performing background checks and will collect necessary information from an interested tenant. Once a suitable tenant has been found, the agent will draw up the tenancy agreement, create an inventory of the property, and move the tenant in. After the tenants have moved into the property, the responsibility goes back to you, the landlord.
Full management is exactly what you might expect. With full management, your letting agent takes care of everything from finding a tenant to sorting out maintenance issues to ensuring your buy-to-let investment is always aligned with the latest laws and regulations. Whether you have just one property to let or multiple, this is a safe and easy option for any landlord.
How to choose the right letting agent
Are you looking for someone to find you a tenant, then take it from there or would you like to have someone look after your investment for you? Once you have made a decision, you can research which agents provide the best overall service for what you require.
Professional bodies provide members with the latest Government guidance and advice, which is vital information for ensuring your property investment is operating legally and safely. Is the agent a member of a professional body, such as The Guild of Property Professionals, the National Approved Lettings Scheme, The Association of Residential Letting Agents or The UK Association of Accredited Letting Agents?
Looking at reviews from tenants and landlords will give you an indication of how others have found their service.
Ask for a full list of services they provide, what their process is, and how they conduct their services. Here are a few things you might ask about:
- Marketing strategies – does the agent offer virtual services?
- Paperwork
- Contact hours
- Maintenance and repairs
- Protocols for late rent payments and other potential issues
- Your contract with the agent
Comparing fees can help you find the best value for money. However, don’t immediately opt for the cheapest option you can find, as you may discover that cheaper fees can sometimes indicate a less than satisfactory quality of service.
The Renters’ Reform Bill
Letting agents play a crucial role in supporting landlords with compliance and management responsibilities, especially when new legislation like the Renters’ Reform Bill comes into effect. Letting agents keep landlords informed and compliant with new legal obligations introduced by the Renters’ Reform Bill, including:
- Abolition of Section 21: Helping landlords understand the new process for regaining possession using amended Section 8 notices.
- New grounds for possession: Guiding landlords through legitimate grounds (e.g., wanting to sell the property, repeated rent arrears).
- Periodic tenancies: Managing the shift away from fixed-term contracts to rolling tenancies.
Your agent can also conduct thorough referencing to reduce the risk of problematic tenants and help landlords select reliable tenants, which becomes even more important with stronger tenant protections. If an issue arises, letting agents handle communication with tenants and assist with issuing the correct notices (e.g., Section 8). They can also handle arrears through communication and, if needed, legal processes compliant with the new laws. Plus much more.
