Fully Managed Letting Services – Do YOU Really Need It? Probably Not

Fully Managed Letting Services

So, I’m not a fan of ‘fully managed’ BTL letting services.

Actually, that’s not fair, more accurately, it’s not that I’m not a fan, I just think it’s a service that’s mostly mis-sold or misunderstood, and often symptomatic of frivolous spending.

Yup, of course, fully-managed letting services do have their place, and they’re the perfect solution for some landlords, but do YOU truly understand the service enough to know if they will provide you with actual value? Let’s discuss…

I don’t usually mind being rubbed the wrong way, but I’m still bitter after disintegrating my pennies almost a decade ago, when I paid through the ass for a fully managed letting service that I didn’t need. Yes, still bitter. I’m not blaming the agents… for selling me junk, I’m just saying I blindly purchased an unnecessary and expensive piece-of-shit because I was too much of an idiot to know any better.

But I’m certain I’m not the only landlord guilty of said idiocy! I’m convinced many landlords have purchased, some of whom are currently still throwing money at, a fully managed service they don’t actually need or use. If I’m right, that means there’s a butt-tonne of unnecessary spending going on. And for those of you that haven’t dropped the cash on one yet, but are currently ‘in the market’, there’s a good chance you don’t really understand what’s inside the package you’re eyeing up…

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The natural ‘thing to do’ for new landlords

For most new and upcoming landlords (I was no exception), the perceived blueprint for becoming a landlord is usually the following:

  • 1) Buy property
  • 2) Use letting agent to find and manage tenant/property
  • 3) Sit back, relax, and watch the cheese roll in.

Look/sound familiar?

Ahhh, sweet ignorance.

Whether letting agents realise it or not, “consumer ignorance” is probably their most valuable commodity. An ignorant punter to an agent is like a lame zebra to a pack of malnourished lions!

Most novice landlords don’t even realise there are other sensible options available besides from going fully-managed from the offset. I didn’t, and that’s because using a managed service seemed like the biological make-up of being a new and average landlord, and perhaps that’s why so many of us needlessly opt into the service. Consumer ignorance.

No one’s to blame, but I do think there is a massive misunderstanding of what a ‘fully-managed service’ actually is, and that’s why I want to better define it (based on my experience).

What should you expect from a fully managed letting service?

The perceived idea of a fully managed service is that you’re paying an agent to take care of the entire running of your BTL, so you have very limited involvement, if any at all. Unfortunately, the reality is usually somewhat different, but I’ll get to that shortly. First, let’s take a look at what a typical fully-managed package should provide you:

  • Advertising
  • Viewings
  • Referencing of prospective tenants
  • Inventory
  • Prepare all tenancy agreements and documents
  • Register tenancy deposit
  • Rent collection
  • Regular property inspections
  • Maintenance handling & co-ordination
  • Notice processing
  • Final inspection & deposit dispute handling

That seems like a lot, and I guess it is. But I think it all seems more elaborate and time-consuming than it actually is. The majority of that list is ticked off at the beginning of the tenancy.

Fully managed letting service fees (how much they cost)

Generally speaking, traditional high-street letting agents will typically charge landlords around 10-15% of the monthly rent collected for a full management service (yes, ouchie, indeed!). So, for example, if your agent’s fee is 10% and your rent is £1000 PCM, the agent will keep £100 and send you £900 every month.

There are a few caveats, which I’d be clumsy for not flagging:

  • Not all management packages are created equal – some will offer more features than others, and that can swing the price. For example, some packages include various insurance policies (e.g. Rent Guarantee Insurance, BTL Maintenance & Emergency Cover etc.).
  • Prices in London tend to be higher. No surprise there.
  • Some letting agents are open to haggling.
  • Note that the fees I discuss are specifically relevant to traditional high-street letting agents, and that’s because there are significantly cheaper alternative fully managed services offered by online letting agents (more on that shortly… or, you can skip right to it if you don’t want to read more of my fluff).

The reality of fully-managed services from my experience

Firstly, let’s go straight for the kill… fully managed services are crazy expensive; 8-15% of my annual rent + other notoriously bogus fees (which are often tucked away discreetly in the small print, and only come to light at the worst possible time) in exchange for a service which is overwhelmingly unused, and when it is, often served at sub-par standard. Yup, fuck that!

I’ve already crunched the [debatable] numbers and taken a closer look at how much the average letting agent charges… it ain’t pretty. According to my feeble calculations, for a BTL that achieves £750 PCM, you’re looking at around £1.8k per annum. Truly eye-watering. That could feed a family of 50 for 500 years and some.

Secondly (and perhaps more crucial than the whole price issue), a fully managed service doesn’t actually resolve or alleviate any of my workload (and I think this is what many landlords overlook), or at least, not proportionality to the price-tag. So, if my life doesn’t get noticeably better/easier after purchasing a product which is meant to do exactly those things, then side-stepping the offer, like a date that won’t put-out after footing the bill for a steak dinner, becomes an obvious no-brainer. Right?

Don’t get me wrong, we all purchase products and services to make our lives easier because they fulfil tasks that are utterly beneath us. For example, I could instead easily pluck away at my own monobrow with my own delicate hands instead of splashing out on Mable, my beautician. Sure, the finish wouldn’t be as precise, but I could do a reasonable enough job to ‘pass’. I’m not talking about those scenarios. What I’m talking about is paying for a service that wouldn’t actually make any noticeable difference to our lives if it ceased to exist. That’s just a complete waste of money.

How managed services usually work in real-life (which usually doesn’t match up to expectations)

  • Repairs & Maintenance
    Many landlords are a bit mental with their unrealistic expectations when it comes to ‘fully managed’ services, because they think they’re handing over complete responsibility and buying peace. In our defence, that’s often what we’re told they’re being sold.

    But the reality is, there’s ALWAYS going to be an element of management required from our part, or at least ‘decision making’, unless you’re happy coasting along and relying on an agent to making decisions with our best interest at heart (Oh, we can only dream), which could result in throwing 20k on repairing a leaking tap via their contracted suppliers.

    Exhibit A:

    Landlord Maintenance Costs

    The average experienced landlord won’t give complete control to agents to orchestrate repairs and maintenance issues, because we want to ensure the issues are legitimate and the quotes aren’t laughable before giving the greenlight.

    Sadly, many landlords initially give their agent ‘complete control’, but that soon changes after they get a whiff of how much is deducted from the rent to cover basic repair work… and then begins a frantic search for how to get out of this expensive mess.

    Needless to say, after that sting, landlords generally start to pay attention and demand the ability to moderate and approve all maintenance issues. Eventually what ends up happening is that the landlord realises that the whole ‘fully managed’ gig doesn’t really equate to ‘silence’, but rather a gigantic expense.

  • Good tenants don’t need managing
    Most high-street agents will argue that you should use their “tenant-find” service because they’re trained experts at referencing and finding awesome tenants, and you’re not. At best, you’re an untrained dick-weasel.

    “Leave it to the experts, dick-weasel”

    So, if the agents are experts at finding good tenants (and you’re not), then why would we need to splash out on a fully managed service?

    So my point is, by definition a “good tenant” is someone that pays rent on time, takes care of your property, and is generally courteous and respectful. Why would I need to pay someone to manage someone so utterly delightful?

    They either find you a shit tenant that needs managing, or they find you a good one that doesn’t. Which one is it?

  • Rent Collection service
    Continuing from my previous point; if you’re benefiting from the perks of having a good tenant, ‘rent collection‘ is usually what your ‘fully managed service’ boils down to, so you’re really just paying a stupid amount for a ‘money transfer’ service. Yup, it’s real hard to find value in that.

    Hindsight is a bitch. I’m still reluctant to accept that I was actually paying someone a disgusting amount to do that. But fair play to the agent, they legally ripped me a new asshole while laughing to the bank.

    But what happens in the worst case scenario, when the tenant falls into arrears? The agent will chase up the tenant, maybe a couple of times. But that’s about ALL the agent can do; they won’t be able to ‘force’ the tenant to pay if they don’t want to. Not anymore than you can, anyways.

  • Responsibility always leads back to one person
    It doesn’t matter how much money you throw at a premium service, any problem of significance will navigate its way back onto your hairy little shoulders. Your agent will not be held accountable or lose sleep over your clumsy tenant, or the fact that you haven’t complied with the latest legislation. It’s all on you.

    Again, this comes back to the lack of common sense and a warped reality of what landlords expect from a fully managed service. Agents don’t stop or prevent problems, they mostly just act as the middle-man and negotiate in resolving problems. They don’t have access to greater powers, because we’re all wielded by the same landlord laws.

    Moreover, I’m sure many landlords will be surprised by how little letting agents are legally responsible for when shit hits the fan. In short, the landlord is generally liable for everything done by the agent.

  • Paying premium prices for a service that isn’t really premium
    Whenever I’ve gone a little nuts about agent prices in the past, a common defence I’m offered is the emphasis on how much time they spend on resolving problems for their clients (the landlords). For example, to arrange a repair, there’s a lot of back-and-forth between the tenant, the landlord and suppliers. That all eats into time, which needs to be accounted for.

    I get it, and I agree. Everyone should get paid for their precious time.

    I’m not disputing the amount of time an agent may (or may not) spend on managing a property, my issue is with the ROI (i.e. what I’m actually paying for).

    When I pay an electrician to fix my sack of broken vibrators, I’m paying for his time and skill. But when I’m paying an agent to orchestrate a repair, I’m not actually paying a premium for a skill, I’m paying premium prices for someone to ‘relay messages’. A cock-eyed donkey could do that for a stack of hay.

    To get true value, I’d either have to own a piece-of-garbage property which is constantly in disrepair and/or a shit-for-brains tenant that is overly demanding and a general pain in the ass. In any case, a fully managed service won’t resolve either of those problems, but you’ll at least get your money’s worth from the service. Of course, the true solution would be to refurb the property and/or get rid of the problem tenant. In the meantime, most agents aren’t ‘actively’ managing your property 24/7… because it typically ‘just works’ on autopilot. Most of the labour is done at the beginning of a tenancy, and most rudimentary ‘tenant-find’ packages cover that stretch of the relay.

When you should NOT use a fully managed service

  • Just because it feels like the ‘natural thing to do’
    As discussed, you don’t need to use a fully-managed service, so don’t just blindly opt for it because it seems like the natural step.
  • When the objective is to maximise profits
    Turning a profit in today’s climate is hard enough, and it’s only getting more difficult as our running costs are continuing to rocket. So if you want to stand a fighting chance, one of the best ways of achieving it is by running the show yourself, because one of the most crippling running costs are agent management fees.

    The whole ‘ditching the agent’ step may seem overwhelming, but that’s only what they want you to believe. FIGHT IT! Or at least, look into the other options. A good starting point would be to dive into my guide for new landlords.

  • When you have good tenants
    Yup, I firmly believe that most landlords are shitting money down the drain if they’re paying for a managed service while harbouring decent tenants.
  • Only to benefit from routine & regular inspections
    Make no mistake, I can’t overstate the importance of routine inspections. Under no circumstances should they be avoided altogether or even skipped.

    Inspections are crucial, because they’re the best way to spot any early problems e.g. leaks, messy tenants, illegal activities, like Pablo Escobar style cannabis farming etc.

    Many landlords pay through the nose for management services just to benefit from a routine inspection service alone. And actually, for a time, I would have said that’s a perfectly plausible reason, and the net benefit was sufficient. But I don’t think that’s the case today.

    Let me introduce you to my affiliate partner Viewber.

    Viewber provides a popular ad hoc hosted viewings and inspection services for landlords. No contracts or tie ins, just use and abuse when required.

    In my opinion, an on-demand hosted viewing and inspections service provided by Viewber used to be the missing bridge to enable long-distance (and lazy) landlords to self-manage.

    I’ve already written a detailed overview of Viewber’s services, but here’s a quick summary of their inspection service:

    Property Visits & Checks Service
    SupplierRatingNotes / IncludesPrice from
    Rating

    4.6

    Google Reviews
    Service details

    Routine or one-off property condition check service.

    • UK-wide inspection service
    • Book a time and place online through your dashboard
    • Feedback including Photographs, Video and Opinion
    • Ensure your property is being kept in good condition
    • Professional property visit service - live or streamed
    • Routine Property Inspection report example

    How Viewber Works

    • Book a time and place
    • A viewber attends on your behalf (The Viewber collects the keys, or alternative key holding arrangements are possible)
    • Receive feedback directly to your inbox immediately after the viewing
    Price From
    £44.5+ VAT
    More Info

    Please note, I try my best to keep the information of each service up-to-date, but you should read the T&C's from their website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

  • If you’re generally rational, organised & have common sense
    I think a lot of novice landlords over-complicate the role of a landlord. It really isn’t that complicated, especially now more than ever, when information is so ridiculously easy to access.

    If you’re rational, organised & have a shred of common sense… you don’t need someone to manage the ship.

  • When you require ongoing support & guidance
    I’m guessing a bunch of landlords use managed services for the ongoing support and guidance, which includes keeping up with all the legalities. Being kept in the loop is important, and every sensible landlord will want to keep their finger on the pulse of the ever-changing landlord law.

    However, I personally don’t think agents are the best outlet for keeping up-to-date. Not only is their information often lousy, but they also have this annoying habit of transforming every newly introduced legislation into a needless money-making opportunity.

    If you’re looking for ongoing support, guidance and the need-to-know news, I recommend signing up to a reputable landlord association instead. Not only are they a hell of a lot cheaper, but they’re also able to provide much more reliable and accurate support.

    Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just sayin’

  • Dealing with problem tenants, evictions and other legal issues
    As said, I think there’s a common misconception when it comes to understanding the actual role of a letting agent, and I’m saying that in defence of all agents, even the ones in their Uncle’s oversized suit and greasy slicked-back hair.

    While they can offer a certain degree of support when dealing with tenants that need evicting, it’s important to note that they are not solicitors, nor are they [usually] qualified to give legal advice, and their managed service won’t typically include anything more than ‘middle-man’ correspondence and serving an eviction notice (which you can easily do yourself). So when landlords opt into a managed service because of the added perk of non-existent ‘specialist legal support’, they also may as well turn up to a knife fight with a banana.

    My point is, don’t sign on the dotted line if you’re looking for ongoing legal support from your agent in case shit hits the fan. They aren’t the best people to turn to in those situations, because most of the time they don’t even understand the law themselves. Their job is to manage your rental, not enforce the law. I’m often reminded of that when I look through the tenancy agreement contracts they use- they’re usually riddled with clauses which aren’t even enforceable because they contradict statutory law. A couple of classics are unfair ‘late payment fees’ and ludicrously early end of tenancy notification periods they require from tenants.

    At best, it’s embarrassing.

    In conclusion, if you’re dealing with problem tenants and eviction looks like it’s on the cards, whether you’re using a managed service or not, your best bet is to talk directly to a professional eviction company. They will have a better understanding of the law and subsequently know how to deal with the situation most efficiently.

    FYI, readers of this blog have access to free landlord legal advice to help assist with problem tenants and evictions, more information over here on how to drain that resource!

  • When you think you can’t change your mind!
    I really like this point…

    You can find a tenant and manage your property independently, and then if due to unforeseen circumstances (whatever they may be), you can easily find a local agent to assist and take over.

    However, if you use an agent from the offset to manage your property, and then realise you’re paying them for nothing, it’s not so easy to shake ’em loose. It’s kind of irreversible.

    Not only will you need to see out the contract terms (which is perfectly reasonable), but most agents will consider the tenant their ‘client’, so if you want to continue holding onto your tenant after cutting ties with the management service (which is typically always the case), you’re going to face an eternity of painful tenancy renewal fees and other potential legal complications.

    You think your mother in-laws face is bumpy, just wait until you get pulled through that storm.

    It’s really easy for an agent to take your money and provide you with support, but it’s incredibly difficult to get them to let go after that.

When you should use a fully managed service

It may seem like I’ve rendered a fully managed service as total bullshit, but that’s not true.

So this is where I even out the argument, and make it clear that while it is a service a vast amount of landlords are paying for unnecessarily (which is the actual point of this blog post), it is still a service that will always be rightfully needed, and serves a genuine purpose…

  • Overseas/distant Landlords
    This makes total sense, and for obvious reasons.

    If you’re an overseas landlord or unable to access your property relatively easily due to geography, a fully-managed service is cool.

  • Portfolio landlords
    Assuming ‘managing’ isn’t the full-time occupation, a landlord within a certain range of properties is well optimised for a fully managed service. But, I must emphasise, it makes most sense within the confinement of a specific range, because at some point, a growing portfolio may require its own employee(s) to handle the entire management. Here’s more on landlords managing their own portfolios, and whether it’s the right option for you!
  • Zero communication with tenants
    Some landlords literally want ZERO communication with the tenant; they would rather shove their head into a blender, which also means they’re prepared to pay the big bucks to ensure it doesn’t have to happen.

    I, so get it.

    Dealing with people can be soul-destroying. People are idiots.

  • 100% no hassle
    For those landlords that want absolutely no hassle, fully-managed may provide that peace. But let me be specific, because this could cause confusion, as earlier I said maintenance issues will always boomerang back round to the landlord, as will the responsibility.

    What I’m referring to here is granting the agent permission to make all the decisions and just ‘get on with it’ without the need to relay messages or tapping you on the shoulder to facilitate in managing the day-to-day issues (minus emergency cases).

    I must stress though, ‘hassle-free bliss’ is a luxury, so it often costs a small fortune.

    Finding an agent that goes out of their way to find competitive rates for labour, and doesn’t add their own chunk on top, will be a challenge. I’ve heard they exist, so if you manage to unearth one, hold onto them for dear life (many of these awesome agents read this blog :) ).

  • Short-lets & Holiday-lets (Airbnb)
    Airbnb has made short-let tenancies (i.e. holiday-lets and tenancies under 6 months) ridiculously popular… and profitable! Apparently, short-lets achieve on average 30%+ more revenue than your regular ol’ long-term tenancies.

    However, one of the major differences between long-term and short-term tenancies is the amount of extra work required to manage the latter, purely because you have to deal with a constant flow of new occupants. Which of course, means more marketing, more cleaning, more maintenance, and generally more pissing headaches.

    Yeah, no thanks! I’d rather throw money at that soul-sucking venture!

    Not all of your typical high-street letting agents will provide a fully managed service for short-lets, but some will, so you may have to shop around for a solution. There are specialist Airbnb management companies that ONLY deal with short-lets, and they take care of everything, from finding occupants to complete housekeeping. The only problem is that they currently only service the most popular cities and touristic hotspots, like London, Manchester, Devon, Bath, and Edinburgh, so pretty much useless for the majority of landlords that don’t have prime real estate in the most lucrative and expensive UK cities.

I have nothing against agents or fully managed services

I just want to re-clarify, I’m not going after agents or demonising fully-managed letting services. I’m just saying, many landlords opt for the premium fully-managed service needlessly, and it’s such a waste of time and money. But when purchased and utilised under the right circumstances, it’s all good.

However, if you’re sitting there now, paying through your big, fat nose for a fully-managed service, but only benefiting from a rent collection service, then you can probably realise that you’re not really getting a whole lot of bang for your buck.

Cheaper alternative Fully Managed Letting Services…

I feel this blog post would be incomplete without mentioning some honourable and modern day alternatives to the traditional high-street agent and their fully-managed services.

While the ever-growing list of online letting agents initially focused on assisting self-managing landlords that simply wanted a cost-effective and easy way of finding tenants by listing their property on Rightmove (for prices high-street agents simply can’t compete with), that’s definitely no longer the case. Online agents now offer managed services at equally desirable rates (which, yet again, the high-street simply can’t compete with).

One of the best perks of using one of these alternative online fully managed letting service is the fixed fee aspect, especially if your property demands a particularly large rate, because unlike traditional high-street letting agents, the monthly rate is fixed, and not based on a percentage of the rental income you receive. So, for example, a property that receives £5,000 PCM will pay the same low-rate as one that receives £100 PCM.

Here are a few very different offerings that standout by Letting A Property, and 99Home, which operate on a month-by-month basis, all of which are online agents that I have no qualms with recommending.

I’m not going to pick my favourite because I think each agent’s management package offers something a little different, so I recommend choosing one which best meets your requirements.

Search Filters

Require any of the following?

  • Tenant-find service

    Tenant-find serviceThe premium listing is a popular upgrade which increases exposure to your Rightmove listing by highlighting it in the search results. Rightmove say Premium listings on average 35% more click-throughs than regular listings.

    X

  • Hosted viewings

    Hosted viewingsA local agent will take viewings and show potential tenants around your property. Please note, some agents limit how many viewings they will take, so please read the T&C's carefully.

    X

  • Rent collection

    Rent collectionAgent will collect rent from tenant and then send it to you.

    X

  • Inventory service

    Inventory serviceThe agent will arrange for an independent inventory clerk to create an inventory report.

    X

  • 24/7 customer service

    24/7 customer service24/7 customer support available.

    X

  • Home emergency cover

    Home emergency coverHome Emergency insurance cover is a policy protecting against unexpected incidents such as leaks, boiler breakdowns, loss of keys and sudden loss of electrical or gas supply.

    X

  • Rent protection / guarantee

    Rent protection / guaranteeIncludes some form of rent guarantee and/or protection, so you're protected against rent arrears.

    X

  • Repairs & maintenance management

    Repairs & maintenance managementAgent will manage repairs and maintenance issues.

    X

  • Routine inspection

    Routine inspectionAgent will conduct routine inspection(s).

    X

  • Eviction support

    Eviction supportAgent will support and/or manage end of tenancies and evictions.

    X

  • Legal compliance & assistance

    Legal compliance & assistanceAgent will assist with any legal matters and help comply with your landlord legal obligations.

    X

Online Fully Managed Letting Services
Letting AgentRatingTermIncludes / NotesPrice
Rating
4.8
Google Reviews
Duration
12 months
Includes / Notes

Basic package
  • Key features
  • Tenant-find service
  • Rent collection
  • Eviction support
  • Legal compliance & assistance
  • Money-back guarantee - let you property in 28 days or get a full refund of your setup fee.
More details

More features included

  • 2 x tenant references
  • Deposit registration
  • Digital Contract Maker
  • Legal & eviction cover
  • Rent payment recovery
  • Property damage protection
  • Criminal prosecution defence
  • Contract disputes protection

*Payment Options

£139 (includes £10 discount, normal price £149) upfront setup fee, and then either:

  • Annual payment option (£120 saving): £588 inc. VAT (equivalent to £49 per month) deducted from initial rent
  • Monthly payment option: £59 per month (inc. VAT) deducted from monthly rent

Portfolio landlord discounts available, ranging from 10-50% off monthly subscription fees. Book a call to discuss.

Price

Discount available

PER MONTH*£49 Inc VAT

FIRST YR TOTAL£717Discount included

Visit WebsiteBook a call to discuss£10 Discount Code: PIP10
Rating
4.8
Google Reviews
Duration
12 months
Includes / Notes

Essential package
  • Key features
  • Tenant-find service
  • Rent collection
  • Rent protection / guarantee
  • Eviction support
  • Legal compliance & assistance
  • Money-back guarantee - let you property in 28 days or get a full refund of your setup fee.
More details

More features included

  • 2 x tenant references
  • Deposit registration
  • Digital Contract Maker
  • Legal & eviction cover
  • Rent payment recovery
  • Property damage protection
  • Criminal prosecution defence
  • Contract disputes protection
  • Deposit dispute assistance
  • Rent protection

*Payment Options

£139 (includes £10 discount, normal price £149) upfront setup fee, and then either:

  • Annual payment option (£240 saving): £828 inc. VAT (equivalent to £69 per month) deducted from initial rent
  • Monthly payment option: £89 per month (inc. VAT) deducted from monthly rent

Portfolio landlord discounts available, ranging from 10-50% off monthly subscription fees. Book a call to discuss.

Price

Discount available

PER MONTH*£69 Inc VAT

FIRST YR TOTAL£967Discount included

Visit WebsiteBook a call to discuss£10 Discount Code: PIP10
Rating
4.8
TrustPilot Reviews
Duration
Month by month
Includes / Notes

Gold package
  • Key features
  • Tenant-find service
  • Rent collection
  • Inventory service
  • Repairs & maintenance management
  • Routine inspection
  • Legal compliance & assistance
More details

Price breakdown

  • *£85 / month + £79 + £39 setup fee

More features included

  • Advertise on 50 property portals such as Zoopla and Primelocation, until let complete
  • Tenant fully referenced
  • Professional photography & floor plans
  • Digital tenancy agreement
  • Ongoing rent management
  • Deposit registration
  • Carbon monoxide & smoke alarm test
  • Rent collection
  • Legal assistance
  • Gas safety check
  • Inventory report
Price

Discount available

PER MONTH*£85 Inc VAT

FIRST YR TOTAL£1059Discount included

Visit Website£40 Discount Code: PIPMgmt40
Rating
4.8
Google Reviews
Duration
12 months
Includes / Notes

Complete package
  • Key features
  • Tenant-find service
  • Rent collection
  • Rent protection / guarantee
  • Repairs & maintenance management
  • Eviction support
  • Legal compliance & assistance
  • Complete rent cover (Rent always paid to you on time - even if the tenant doesn't pay!)
  • Money-back guarantee - let you property in 28 days or get a full refund of your setup fee.
More details

More features included

  • 2 x tenant references
  • Deposit registration
  • Digital Contract Maker
  • Legal & eviction cover
  • Rent payment recovery
  • Property damage protection
  • Criminal prosecution defence
  • Contract disputes protection
  • Deposit dispute assistance
  • Repairs & maintenance management
    • Recording and responding to property issues
    • Obtaining competitive quotes
    • Instructing contractors
    • Monitoring progress
    • Confirming job completion

*Payment Options

£149 upfront setup fee, and then either:

  • Annual payment option (£240 saving): 4% rent + £1188 (equivalent to £99 per month) inc. VAT deducted from initial rent
  • Monthly payment option: 4% rent + £119 per month (inc. VAT) deducted from monthly rent

Portfolio landlord discounts available, ranging from 10-50% off monthly subscription fees. Book a call to discuss.

Price

Discount available

PER MONTH*4% rent +£99 Inc VAT

FIRST YR TOTAL4% rent +£1327Discount included

Visit WebsiteBook a call to discuss£10 Discount Code: PIP10

Please note, I try my best to keep the information of each agent accurate and up-to-date, but you should read the T&C’s from the agents’ website for the most up-to-date information.

So, over to you, butt-munch! Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with managed services; do you use a managed service, and how is it working out for you? Are you one of those landlords that are paying for an unused service?

Love & Peace xoxo

45 Join the Conversation...

Guest Avatar
sheralyne 13th July, 2017 @ 06:43

Management is not for everyone. Many agents offer different packages to suite landlords needs.
I offer 3 and provide exactly what is offered. My reviews on facebook and my website speak for themsleves reviews are from landlords and tenants alike.
I am a small agent who runs my own business from home to keep the cost down for all. I do not have staff to assist with wages to pay, I do not run at a hugh profit either. I simply earn enough to give me a little spending money each month which is nowhere near the national wage limit but thats me I love my job and that is why I do it.
My landlords and landladies get exactly what is listed below.
The Standard Management Service Includes;
• Free Appraisal
• Advertising and generally marketing the Property on many websites along with Social
media sites.
• Interviewing prospective tenants and taking up full credit check, Present/Previous Landlord checks along with character references. When necessary additional checks would be requested by means of a guarantor.
• Accompanied Viewings
• Arrangement of all Safety Certificates include EPC
• Complete the Mandatory Landlord requirement for letting of the property
• Take a deposit from the tenant, and place the deposit under the requirement of Deposit Protection Scheme until the end of the tenancy. Once the property has been inspected for any damage with the exception of fair wear and tear with the tenant and Eden Property Lettings the DPS will be notified to return deposit minus any agreed monies for damage.
• Preparation of Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement, renewing Tenancy agreement where necessary at the end of the tenancy term.
• Collection of rental income pcm and paying over to the Landlord (within 7 working days) less any fees or expenses due or incurred for the period. Payments will be made by Direct Bank Transfer and provide a monthly statement which will be forwarded to the Landlord,
• Take and notify (gas, electricity, water and local council) of meter readings and advising of the transfer of service to the tenant at the beginning and end of each tenancy.
• Carry out 8 weekly inspections to include full report to Landlord to include up to date photos if required.
• Conduct Move out inspection/inventory in preparation for new tenant to include up to date photos.
• Conduct with the Landlords consent the Mandatory Right to Rent checks.

All the above for a One off management payment of £125 and 10% of the monthly rental.

ALL AGENTS ARE NOT OUT TO GET RICH OF LANDLORDS SOME OF US JUST LOVE THE JOB

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Lou 13th July, 2017 @ 07:04

Brilliant blog post! So true in every way.
I've been a landlord for ten years and have four properties. I started with a manager but then went solo after three years. I joined a well known landlord association (am I allowed to mention its name?) and for just £85 a year I get a plethora of fabulous support services, including all the documents and advice I need.
I'm fortunate to have been a tenant too. I use the word 'fortunate' as this has helped me to understand the other side of the coin. Now I'm a landlord and a manager I've been in all three roles. A bit of an eye-opener!
Anyway, I've only recently joined you guys and find your work immensely enjoyable and full of useful info. Thank you so much.

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Katy whittall 13th July, 2017 @ 07:38

I agree with your blog. I do have a couple of points to add about agents.

Credit Checks by agents are often limited to - Are they on the electoral roll? and do they have a CCJ? - oh and can they produce a reference from a previous landlord - which could easily be their mate down the pub as no investigation is done to prove the validity of that reference. They might do an employers reference but that often isn't worth the paper it's written on either. I know a tenant - not mine fortunately - who passed their processes with a 100k of gambling debt and a zero hours employment contract. Easily done.

Another issue with some agents is - they always keep the tenants they believe are the best for their managed properties. If you just have a tenant finder service - you will get second best tenants, as they won't be dealing with them in the future.

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Agnes Bruna 13th July, 2017 @ 07:56

I live abroad for long periods of time but have always managed without a letting agent. I like your blog, it sets out the pros and cons very clearly. And you are right, when things go wrong, it always comes back to the Landlord anyway. Maybe there should be letting agents who only deal with the finding of tenants and the beginning of a tenancy? After which we can normally manage by ourselves.

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Nige 13th July, 2017 @ 09:06

A lot depends on the agent you choose. There are many :new start: agencies who really have no clue and have pretty signwriting on their new minis.
I have a friend who has been in the agency business for more years than she will admit and has grown up with the multitude of changes. She worked for a very long established agent (small but well respected) . She lost her job after 2 large landlords took their portfolios away. So in desperation to pay her mortgage she took a lower position in a very large estate agent/letting agent.
Oh the stories she tells me of 20 year old office girls who are paid more than she is and they really haven't got a clue.
The number of times she has to whisper in their ears that they cannot do this or that because regs have changed.
Basically the agency will take anyone who smiles nicely and promises to pay the rent which ends up with all the associated problems.

My daughter uses the old agency and in 5 years has only had minor repairs which are carried out by yours truely but that house is in as good condition as the day it was let. The reason being that the old school agency was not in a rush to stick anyone who smiles into the property and creates an impartial buffer between landlord and tenant. Its much easier because they are not ;friends; and if the tenant says the door handle fell off. Yeah Yeah. the tenant is told to fix it or the agent will charge. So using this particular agent means a very good buffer for my daughter.

Story of the week.
I was in my local corner shop where the owner is a landlord.
In front of me is a woman. Bags of sweets, cans of lager, crisps, fags and a bottle of vodka. Total £28.
When she left the shopkeeper says to me that she is one of his tenants who hasn't paid rent since xmas and the bailiffs are evicting her in 3 days time. The bare faced cheek of spending money on booze etc and laughing in the face of the landlord knowing there is little he can do. At least he recouped some money through the sales.

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CBG 13th July, 2017 @ 09:50

I fell for it, it felt like the right thing to do. I had bad nonpayer they couldn't do any more than I, in fact even less than I could've done to collect the money I am still owed if i didn't have Fully managed (CCJ). Now I have great tenants soo what am I paying for? Its so sad.
Now I feel stuck I want to get rid of the agents but don't know how to without losing the good tenants. Will you write an advice blog on that? What about selling a place with Tenants in vs eviction to sell as vacant?

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Benji 13th July, 2017 @ 11:19

Wow! 6000 words on letting agents and not one mention of the biggest change in years that will change the face of the industry- Banning tenant fees.

Good to see you're on the pulse.

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 11:31

Oh dear, I received a disgruntled email from someone that was deeply offended by my comment regarding putting-out after footing the bill :/

She's no longer a reader/subscriber of my blog.

Is everyone else ok? Benji, you ok (minus your beef with my flimsy coverage)?

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 11:34

Hi @ sheralyne

I'm definitely not questioning your service, or any other agent's service. I'm sure you do a fine job and offer real value. And I totally agree, not all agents are out to get rich off landlords.

However, that was never point. I was just saying that landlords often pay (a lot) for a service they don't need or use.

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 11:39

Hi @ Lou,

Thanks, appreciate it :)

Of course you're allowed to mention the association. And yes, they can be so useful!

I'm a fan of crediting where credit is due (when it's genuine).

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 11:44

Hi @ Katy whittall,

Ahh yeah, good points.

I've written a post on the whole issue of some agents providing laughable credit checks- I question whether or not they're even worth anything. I always think landlords should do their own checks, or at least interrogate/confirm the methods their agent uses.

I can't personally verify your second point regarding agents keeping the best tenants, but I wouldn't be surprised at all, and it makes perfect sense. I've had high-street agents provide me with some real dud tenants when I was only using their 'tenant-find' service!

Thanks for your comment.

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Benji 13th July, 2017 @ 11:46

Must confess I was also deeply offended by your extravagance in splashing out on a steak dinner to get your evil way.

What's wrong with a kebab?

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Bigmax 13th July, 2017 @ 11:58

Excellent piece Mr Landlord......I too got caught by the agent, it was my first rental and I wanted to do right by my prospective tennant. BIG MISTAKE - 12 months of pure hell from the agents (one of the larger names in the high street)! - crap ..well non existant service and to top it all they made my tennant pay 6 months in advance due to her being a new divorcee and having no references...so no work for them!

She then did not pay the second 6 months on time, they never even chased her or told her the payment date was due! Hence their first experience of me hammering on their door and threatening death to all inside.

She did pay and is still my tenant - we have sorted matters out and it seems they treated her abysmally also!

I sacked them and made a formal complaint that rolled on for 12 months...eventually getting half of the management fees back. I could have gone further but was just so fed up with it.

My opinion - and this is based on using another high street big company of agents to find a tennant for my second rental property as well - steer well clear of agents they are all bent, I haven't found one I could even start to trust yet!

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 12:11

Hi @ Agnes Bruna,

Thanks, appreciate it :)

As sheralyne said (comment #1), most high-street agents can provide tailored packages, so you should be able to negotiate a 'tenancy sign-up package' of some sort.

Not to keep pushing Upad, but they also offer a package which sounds similar to what you're describing, a tenant sign-up service, which includes: credit checks, tenancy agreements, deposit registration, first month's rent collection, and setting up a standing order mandate, for £170 Inc VAT (you should be able to use the £50 discount voucher, which will make it £120).

So back to my point, there are always options available.

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 12:19

@Nige
"A lot depends on the agent you choose", no doubt about it. However, it can be aspirating separating the wheat from the chaff, and by the time you've done it (after plenty of trial and error), you've usually already lost a small fortune.

Haha, nice story of the week. Unfortunately, not surprising at all, though. The audacity of people baffle me every day!

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 12:28

Hi @ CBG,

Ahh, sorry to hear that. I think you pretty much summed up my 20,000 word blog post in a couple of sentence! You pretty much highlighted the main issues with fully managed services, in my opinion.

I think your current situation depends on a couple of variables, but mainly how reasonable your agent is and what your contract with the agent stipulates. An agents stance on this situation can drastically vary.

Have you tried speaking to them directly? They might be cool about it...

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 12:32

@Benji

3,000 ACTUALLY! GET A CLUE, DUMBO!

I didn't think the tenant-fee ban was actually relevant to my blog post, which is ultimately about 1) there are other options than going fully managed for new landlords 2) many landlords pay for a managed service when they don't even use it.

Plus, the tenant fee ban will apply to both online and high-street agents.

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 12:39

@Benji
See, that's the difference between you and I; I date the kind of women that will only put out after a steak meal, or at least a meal of that calibre. They're called 'classy women'

You, on the other hand, busy loitering around Wetherspoons for drunken scraps, who consider a £5 greasy kebab an equivalent to caviar.

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CBG 13th July, 2017 @ 12:39

'how reasonable your agent is' - hahahaah i am going to refer you to all your posts about the Agent being utterly utterly useless.

'Have you tried speaking to them directly? They might be cool about it...'
Speaking to the Agents? I think I better dig out my contract with them and see the 'Escape from Hell clause'

Speaking to the Tenants? - uh i am now thinking of asking them if they want to buy the house from me before i look at selling. (not via my current letting agent thats for sure.)

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rachel 13th July, 2017 @ 12:41

i pay for a fully managed gold star service from a highly recommended and recognised high street letting and estate agent. the tenant i have at the moment gave notice to quit and was expected to - and indeed did carry out viewings for any prospective new tenant. i find this really disconcerting as it opens up the opportunity for abuse and was wondering if this is standard practice.

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 13:00

Hi @ Bigmax,

Thank you :)

Generally, the bigger and well known agents are the ones that offer the most sloppy service. I'd rather go for a small independent agent any day of the week. Plus, they don't have as much capital to throw at any legal battles, so are more usually more inclined to resolve problems.

Great to hear you got some of the money back (albeit, after what sounds like a long and frustrating process), that is usually unheard of! Inspiration for all in similar situations.

Thanks again.

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 13:06

Hi @CBG,

Ha, in my defence, I do always add a disclaimer, saying that not all agents are the same (while quietly making the point that any landlord/tenant will have their work cut out to find a decent one, though).

Yeah, best bet is to shuffle through the T&C's first, and then think of a game plan to escape their hold. You never know, you might hit the jackpot- their T&C's might be unconventional :)

In my opinion, if a landlord plans on selling, they should always give the tenant first dibs, even if only out of courtesy. And also, plenty of notice. From a legal standpoint, the tenants can't stop you either way.

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The Landlord 13th July, 2017 @ 13:08

Hi @rachel,

I'm not sure if I fully understand. So are you saying that the tenant took the viewings (I hope I didn't understand correctly)? :O

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Lou 13th July, 2017 @ 13:32

Thanks for allowing me to mention the association I joined, the Residential Landlords Association (RLA). The manager I used at the start of my landlordship did a good job and seemed on the ball. It was just that, like many others, I looked at what I was paying for and thought 'I could do that'. Information is key, so I looked for a group/body to join so that I could learn. The RLA run courses and I did the lettings course, which I learned so much from. A bi-monthly magazine, loads of resources online, a forum and someone at the end of the phone is well worth the membership fee. I'd say to anyone entering the world of property letting - keep your options open and do your homework. Read blogs like this and the conversation that follows. Being well informed is part of your armour.

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Caroline 13th July, 2017 @ 14:17

I have successfully renovated and found tenants for three properties, all managed with my hubby's diy skills and my diligent internet research on property management, including this brilliant site where I gained the knowledge and confidence to go it alone without an agent.(I did advertise via openrent, again found on this site, who's services were exceptional).I have now purchased a property via auction with a sitting tenant which has been managed via an agency.

I rang them to advise of a change of ownership and to try and get some details from them, but they were very vague. I decided to contact the tenant direct, even though I am yet to complete on the property, I wanted a heads up of what to expect. The lady tenant advised me she has been in the property 10 years and has never seen an agent at the property. She was called into the office in February this year to sign a new 6 month contract due to the property being put up for sale, she signed her previous contract in 2008.

I am told that there is a lot of updating to do and will see the property for the first time this evening ( no internal viewing prior to auction), luckily I expected this and paid well below market value.

I am just so surprised that a large (supposedly reputable) high street agency has done nothing with this property for 10 years, she hasn't even had a rent increase, which will come as a shock to her when we discuss new terms once the property is renovated.

I am so glad I am self managing, a little difficult sorting the first property,making sure everything was done, but then simple to replicate procedures for each subsequent property.

Thanks again for all your postings of help, advice and useful links to other sites, I was so close to using an agent till I found you, disaster avoided!

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Borrieboy 13th July, 2017 @ 16:42

I've got 3 places that I've had now over 10 years and never used a managed service. I've been abroad for the last couple of years and still don't bother with managed. Once you have reliable people to do stuff for you - painters/decrtrs, plumbers, sparks etc. then the task is much easier. I do come over every few weeks as it doesn't cost a shed-load, and check my places when here. So far, so good, and at, say, 8% fee for a total income of around £20k equals a saving over 10 years of........£160k....!!!!

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The Landlord 14th July, 2017 @ 09:01

@Lou

RLA are one of the most popular, along with the other two big ones, which are Guild of Residential Landlords and NLA. To be honest, I've heard good things about all three of them.

Thanks for sharing, I'm sure other landlords will find it useful to know you've had a positive and worthwhile experiencing with an association.

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The Landlord 14th July, 2017 @ 09:13

@Caroline
Oh nice. Great story/experience, and I'm pleased and thankful to hear that my ramblings have helped you along the way.

I'm not sure how surprised I am that the tenant has been undisturbed for 10 years, although it's flippin' crazy! But I'm definitely not surprised to hear that agent is a large agency. Many of them manage so many properties that it almost becomes impossible to service them all properly.

I guess both the landlord and agent were just happy she was paying rent. No doubt, horrendous service by the agent, but equally, the previous landlord also sounds incompetent.

In any case, hopefully your experience will encourage other landlords to self-manage. When landlords actually do cross over, I mostly just hear sighs of relief.

Once again, thanks for sharing, and good luck with your new purchase.

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The Landlord 14th July, 2017 @ 09:48

@Borrieboy
Yup, £16k, that's stupid money to throw at agents over a 10 year period!

I agree, having reliable people at your disposable is key. But it's not always easy to find those people. If you're living abroad, the key is also having properties in good repair, which need little maintenance.

Awesome to hear it's all going well for you, and another reminder that even if you live far away from your property, you still don't need to splash out on fully-managed services (if you have the right pillars in place).

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Richard Manning 15th July, 2017 @ 10:51

Absolutely brilliant presentation of the "property management traps" offered by (generally incompetent) letting agents and other money-grabbers. BTL landlords! Essential you keep up to date with the excellent work you are doing in this field. And, perhaps too, find out more about the upcoming "UKLA: UK Landlords Alliance" project.

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Luke 15th July, 2017 @ 20:05

Have been letting for four years, first property bought with tenant, next two I used tenant find, last one I used UPAD through one of your discount vouchers. Manage all of them myself and always have as they are all in good condition & I have trusted tradesmen it's a small effort v. Big savings !! Also enjoy keeping them up to scratch and managing them myself. Would not even use tenant find service again best to vet all the tenants yourself ... and using UPAD saves me 100's £££ ...

Get good tenants and keep properties up to date and you can manage yourself easily :-)

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The Landlord 16th July, 2017 @ 09:37

Hi @ Richard Manning,

Thanks Richard, appreciate it :)

I Googled for "[UKLA] UK Landlords Alliance" but couldn't find anything on it. I'm assuming it's another association-type-thing. In any case, once it starts surfacing (whatever it is), I'm sure I'll get wind of it.

Thanks again.

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The Landlord 16th July, 2017 @ 09:40

Hi @ Luke,
Great to hear.

Agreed! I think the general consensus is that if you have good tenants, a property in good condition and have trusted contacts, self-managing should be a stroll in the park.

Pleased to hear you took advantage of those Upad discount vouchers, I've only ever heard good things about their service (and that's why I have no problem endorsing them).

Thanks for sharing :)

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BBN Network 11th August, 2017 @ 14:59

It's not the cheapest, but if you can afford it, why not. Peace of mind

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Kaz 7th October, 2017 @ 16:26

Hi I have a fully managed property, as I felt it would be easier, However, I have ran into a slightly different issue... Each time the agency emails me to say there is a problem and they have got quotes, I promtly reply stating if it needs doing get it done, new windows in conservatory as 3 large ones were misting up, shower leak requiring tiles taken down and refitted, toilet leak, sink leak, tree issue etc.My latest issue is in January this year they send me a quote for lifting the floor of the bathroom at a cost of £600c as water had swollen the boards underneath and tiles needed relaying. It appeared that the tiles came lose some 6 weeks later as the guy did a crap job, neither the tenant or the agency can get hold of the guy and the agency now says that the contract was with me and him, sent me his number and told me to try chasing him!! I have said that I think they will find the contract is with them as I never instructed the tradesman directly they did, I didn't know who he was. They had a guy from the agency (with a trade contracting background) to go and check the floor and he tried saying it was the toilet leak and the sink leak that probably did it, I pointed out that they were both over 2 months after the tenants had reported to them the floor tiles had lifted again. So now apparently I should pay a further £600 and chase the tradesman they instructed, surely this is not correct??

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Notsonewbielandlord 13th February, 2018 @ 01:26

Thank you for this amazing site. Thanks to your advice I secured the most amazing tenants in the world. Unfortunately they are now leaving, but I have quickly managed to find two separate very strong couples keen to take the tenancy (again, thanks to your advice). My question is how do you let somebody down gently when the decision literally comes down to the flip of a coin? You don't want to alienate them in case the person you chose fell through, but also it is simply not nice to be the one who dashes someone's dream, especially when you'd had a nice rapport with each other. I figure you will have had lots of experience with this.

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The Landlord 13th February, 2018 @ 09:16

Hi @ Notsonewbielandlord,

Thank you!! Amazing to hear my blog has been so useful for you :)

I've been in that situation many times, and it's both a tough and good position to be in. If both are equally qualified (i.e. good references, stable relationship, good jobs/salary etc), then I leave it to my gut instinct. Usually one appeals more than other applicant(s), even if only slightly.

My only advice would be to refrain from letting anyone down until you have secured a tenant - until they have signed tenancy agreements, paid a deposit and first months' rent, because as you said, tenancies fall through all the time. That may seem a bit selfish, but the reality is, most tenants are looking at other properties anyways, even when they have shown interest. It's the nature of the beast.

To buy time, I always just tell applicants that I have arranged X amount of viewings and I'll make my decision until everyone has seen the property. During that time, I usually try and secure a deal with my favoured applicant.

But yes, ultimately, it's a case of letting down the other applicants gently (but only after actually securing tenants).

Good luck :)

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Mark 9th April, 2018 @ 21:07

Light hearted approach and intelligent. A pleasure to read.

The links to NoAgent at the end look like an ideal solution for me - as I am not local to the flats BUT the letting agents I am with at present are charging a small fortune and performing "sub-par" at best.

I am of course glued to them with the existing tenant though with some of their recent screw-ups, I suspect they would probably NOT do well in court if things became unpleasant. They have repeatedly charged for work NOT consented to (keep losing the mandate I gave them), sent in a plumber who, when his quote of over £200 to replace a cistern valve was not accepted, stole the contents of the cistern!

In the interests of a simple life thought, I will let the existing ones carry on until the tenant gives his notice - and then it looks like no-agent will be the folks I use.

Thanks again for an informative article - and especially for the links at the end.

Mark

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John 18th April, 2018 @ 12:33

wow

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John 23rd January, 2019 @ 20:03

Hi there,

Good site and quite fascinating. I am renting out my flat currently with a fully managed local estate agency and wondering whether I should switch to one of the online solutions during my tenant's contract since its a lot cheaper. Any issues if I do that now?

I am more of an accidental landlord since I am simply renting out my flat while I am abroad for a few years and my flat needs just regular maintenance, etc since its in excellent condition so I feel like the whole "fully managed" aspect by the estate agent is simply a waste because I organise anything anyhow.

Appreciate your thoughts!

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The Landlord 23rd January, 2019 @ 21:46

Hi John,

Thank you, glad you find it interesting :)

Whether you can switch or not will most likely depend on your agreement with your current agent i.e. are you tired into a contract. I know the online agent Howsy (listed above) offer a "switch service", where they assist landlords transition from their high-street agent to their online management solution i.e. they look at your contract with your current agent and will tell you if/when/how you can switch agents. So it might be worth getting in touch with them to take advantage of that service (I don't believe it costs anymore than their regular base package listed above, it's just part of their standard service)!

Personally, I think online solutions are great, especially since they operate on a month by month rolling contract, so even if you don't like them, you can just kick them to curb relatively easily.

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John 24th January, 2019 @ 21:01

Hi,

Absolutely makes sense. I will consider this. Thanks for the advice! Frankly I wish I had signed up for one of the online agents when I started renting out my flat just over 12 months ago but I wasn't aware of any at that point (though I thought I had searched online but perhaps I just had the traditional agents hounding me more and somehow thought their "local knowledge" that they sold me on actually meant something).

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John 2nd February, 2019 @ 13:08

I have checked the contract and it says that the fee is due as long as the tenant resides in the property. Is this standard in your experience? As this does not seem right to me and inherently unfair as you are then locked in with that provider. In addition in my case, the tenant was found by myself and not the property management company/estate agent!

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The Landlord 2nd February, 2019 @ 14:03

@John
Sounds like a standard clause to me, but I'm not sure how enforceable it is. There's a good chance the agents can't lock you in like that, so I recommend talking to a service like Howsy.

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John 4th February, 2019 @ 01:06

Even if they were trying to enforce that - then I could simply say to the agent that I will be giving notice to the tenant and in essence they would be forcing the tenant out of the property as a result of such a clause! And I would simply tell the tenant they could move back in under a new tenancy agreement with a new provider therefore they would leave one day and come back the next! Ludicrous. Yes I will reach out to Howsy and see what they have to say.

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