Letting Agents in the UK
An agent to find a decent tenant and reference them properly, full management so the 2am boiler call goes to someone else, a flat to rent this month, an agent who will consider benefits, a block to manage, or someone who knows what the new rules mean for a landlord: find a local letting agent people trust.
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Finding a good letting agent in the UK
Letting agents sit between landlords and tenants: for landlords they value, market and show the property, reference and sign up tenants, take and protect the deposit, and, on full management, collect the rent, handle repairs and inspections, deal with the tenant and the law and the renewal; for tenants they list the homes to rent, run viewings, reference and set up the tenancy, and on managed properties are the people to call. Every agent in England must belong to a redress scheme and a client money protection scheme, and the good ones are members of Propertymark or RICS and know the Renters' Rights Act, the licensing rules and the compliance certificates a landlord must hold.
Choosing well as a landlord is about the service and the fee: let-only, rent collection or full management, what each includes — inspections, renewals, compliance, contractor margins, court fees — and the percentage and the fixed charges; the agent's tenant referencing, rent guarantee and how they handle arrears; and their local knowledge of rents and demand. As a tenant, it is about the listings and the speed, a clear list of the permitted fees — none beyond the deposit and rent under the Tenant Fees Act — and an agent who answers repairs. Both should check the redress scheme, the client money protection certificate and the reviews.
The listings here show each agent's services and fees, management options, areas and stock, redress and client money protection, memberships, tenant policies and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who manages properly, and whose service landlords and tenants in your town rate.
What letting agents do
Let-only and tenant find: valuation, photographs and marketing, viewings, referencing, right to rent checks, the tenancy agreement, inventory and deposit registration, then the landlord takes over.
Rent collection and full management: collecting rent and chasing arrears, repairs and maintenance through contractors, inspections, compliance certificates, renewals, deposit returns and, when needed, possession.
Tenant services: listings, viewings, referencing and guarantors, tenancy set-up, deposit protection, repairs reporting and the end-of-tenancy process.
Compliance: gas and electrical certificates, EPCs, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, licensing, deposit protection and the Renters' Rights Act requirements.
Block and portfolio: managing blocks of flats and HMOs, portfolios for investors, guaranteed rent schemes and short lets.
Choosing a letting agent
- Check the redress scheme and the client money protection certificate; both are compulsory and displayed.
- Look for Propertymark, RICS or Safeagent membership; it means trained staff and audited accounts.
- Compare fees on what is included: inspections, renewals, compliance, contractor mark-ups and court and eviction costs.
- Ask how tenants are referenced, whether rent guarantee is offered and how arrears are handled.
- Ask how repairs are reported and authorised, and the spending limit before they call you.
- As a tenant, expect no fees beyond the rent, a five-week deposit and a holding deposit of one week; anything else is unlawful.
What letting agents charge in the UK
As a rough guide, tenant-find or let-only costs 50 to 100 per cent of one month's rent or a fixed £400 to £900, rent collection 5 to 8 per cent of the rent, and full management 10 to 15 per cent plus VAT of the monthly rent, with set-up fees of £200 to £500, inventory £100 to £250, renewals £50 to £150, inspections £50 to £100 if not included, and contractor mark-ups of 10 to 15 per cent at some agents; rent guarantee insurance £150 to £350 a year; tenants pay nothing beyond the rent, a holding deposit of one week and a deposit of five weeks; and block management runs £150 to £400 per flat per year. Online agents charge £50 to £150 to list and £30 to £100 a month to manage.
Full management at 12 per cent of a £1,000 rent is £120 a month, or the price of never taking the boiler call and never getting the deposit dispute wrong.
How do I find a letting agent near me?+
Look at the letting agents listed for your town, which show the services and fees, areas, memberships, redress and client money protection and reviews from landlords and tenants; most high streets have several and the online agents cover everywhere. Ask two or three to value the property and quote for the service you want.
How much do letting agents charge landlords?+
Typically 50 to 100 per cent of a month's rent or £400 to £900 for tenant-find, 5 to 8 per cent of the rent for rent collection and 10 to 15 per cent plus VAT for full management, with set-up, inventory and renewal fees on top at many agents; compare what is included, since inspections, compliance and contractor mark-ups vary. Online agents are cheaper for landlords who do the rest.
Can letting agents charge tenants fees?+
No, beyond the rent, a refundable holding deposit of up to one week's rent, a tenancy deposit of up to five weeks, and charges for late rent, lost keys or changes you ask for; referencing, admin, inventory, check-out and renewal fees to tenants have been banned in England since 2019 and in Wales and Scotland too. Report an agent charging them to Trading Standards.
What is the difference between let-only and full management?+
Let-only finds and references the tenant, sets up the tenancy and protects the deposit, then hands over to the landlord; full management does that and then collects the rent, handles repairs, inspections, compliance, renewals, arrears and the end of the tenancy for a monthly percentage. Rent collection sits in between. Landlords who live far away or have several properties usually choose management.
What protections should a letting agent have?+
By law, membership of a redress scheme — the Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme — and a client money protection scheme that covers rent and deposits held, both displayed in the office and online; deposits must be in a government-approved protection scheme within 30 days. Propertymark, RICS or Safeagent membership adds training, audits and a code of practice.
Do letting agents accept tenants on benefits?+
They must not refuse on that basis alone — blanket bans on tenants receiving housing benefit or Universal Credit are unlawful discrimination and the Renters' Rights Act bans them outright — but affordability is still assessed, so a guarantor or evidence of income helps; the listing says which agents actively welcome benefit claimants, and councils run bond and rent deposit schemes.
How do I get my business listed?+
It is free. Add your business in about two minutes to appear on this page and your local town directory. Upgrade to Featured for £2.49 a month to sit above the free listings.