In this blog:
Maintenance response matters more than it did before May. Under the new rules, a concern that is raised and not followed up carries more consequence than it previously would. Record keeping is now essential protection rather than good practice. The legal and financial liability for all of this rests with you as the owner, even when an agent manages the property.
That last point is the one most owners underestimate. If your agent misses something, you carry the risk. Understanding what your agent should be doing is not just about getting a better service. It is about protecting your own legal position.
Compliance management. Every certificate kept current, checked for accuracy and renewed on time. Gas safety, electrical safety, Energy Performance Certificates, Legionella Risk Assessments, fire safety and HMO licensing in every borough where it applies. Under the new rules, gaps in documentation carry more consequences than before.
Property visits with a full video record. Every visit to your property should produce a clear record of what was found and what needs attention. That record protects your position and keeps you connected to your property even when you are not there.
Round-the-clock maintenance response. A concern raised by a resident at any hour needs a response that day. Not eventually. That day. This is what 24/7 coverage actually means in practice, and it is what every managed property in our portfolio receives.
Rent review management. Proactive contact well before a review date. A figure based on what has let in your specific street in the last three months. The Section 13 notice served correctly and on time. The conversation with the resident handled before the formal notice arrives so nothing comes as a surprise. In most cases, that conversation produces an agreed renewal before any notice is needed.
Communication records. Under the Renters' Rights Act, evidence of communication is essential protection in the event of a dispute. The agent managing your property should be keeping clear and accessible records of every significant interaction with your residents.
End of tenancy management. Deposit deductions proposed accurately, conversations with residents handled professionally, funds released promptly. Across our managed portfolio we achieve 98% of deposit deductions put forward to residents, with funds returned in under two weeks. That comes from accurate advice throughout the tenancy, not just at the end of it.
The certificates. The maintenance calls. The property visits. The late-night calls from residents. The renewal conversation. The deposit deduction discussion. The record keeping that protects your legal position. None of those are covered by rent collection. All of them are covered by full management.
Under the current framework, the cost of getting any of those things wrong has increased. The case for full management has never been stronger, and it has nothing to do with convenience. It is about protection.
Three questions worth asking your agent tonight.
We do not think the best evidence of how we work comes from us describing it. It comes from 1,500+ people who left a review after trusting us with their homes and investment properties across West Hampstead, Kilburn and North West London. Those reviews placed us in the top 2% of estate agents nationally, ranked number 10 out of more than 20,000 agencies, as a Trusted Agent 2026 Platinum winner.
If you would like to understand what your current management arrangement is and is not covering, an owner review call with us is the most useful place to start. We will go through your property, your compliance position, and your upcoming rent review if one is due, and give you a plain and honest picture of where everything stands.
Book an owner review call with us today.
- What changed for property owners under the Renters' Rights Act in May 2026?
- What should your letting agent be doing for you under the new rules?
- What questions should you ask your agent to find out if they are managing your property properly?
- What does full management actually cover and is your agent providing it?
What changed in May that affects how your property should be managed
Section 21 is gone. Possession now requires specific legal grounds under Section 8. Rent can only be increased once per year using a Section 13 notice with a minimum of two months notice. Contractual review clauses in tenancy agreements are no longer valid.Maintenance response matters more than it did before May. Under the new rules, a concern that is raised and not followed up carries more consequence than it previously would. Record keeping is now essential protection rather than good practice. The legal and financial liability for all of this rests with you as the owner, even when an agent manages the property.
That last point is the one most owners underestimate. If your agent misses something, you carry the risk. Understanding what your agent should be doing is not just about getting a better service. It is about protecting your own legal position.
Six things your agent should be doing as standard
These are the six areas every fully managed property owner should be receiving from their agent. Use them as a benchmark for your current arrangement.Compliance management. Every certificate kept current, checked for accuracy and renewed on time. Gas safety, electrical safety, Energy Performance Certificates, Legionella Risk Assessments, fire safety and HMO licensing in every borough where it applies. Under the new rules, gaps in documentation carry more consequences than before.
Property visits with a full video record. Every visit to your property should produce a clear record of what was found and what needs attention. That record protects your position and keeps you connected to your property even when you are not there.
Round-the-clock maintenance response. A concern raised by a resident at any hour needs a response that day. Not eventually. That day. This is what 24/7 coverage actually means in practice, and it is what every managed property in our portfolio receives.
Rent review management. Proactive contact well before a review date. A figure based on what has let in your specific street in the last three months. The Section 13 notice served correctly and on time. The conversation with the resident handled before the formal notice arrives so nothing comes as a surprise. In most cases, that conversation produces an agreed renewal before any notice is needed.
Communication records. Under the Renters' Rights Act, evidence of communication is essential protection in the event of a dispute. The agent managing your property should be keeping clear and accessible records of every significant interaction with your residents.
End of tenancy management. Deposit deductions proposed accurately, conversations with residents handled professionally, funds released promptly. Across our managed portfolio we achieve 98% of deposit deductions put forward to residents, with funds returned in under two weeks. That comes from accurate advice throughout the tenancy, not just at the end of it.
What rent collection only actually means in practice
Many owners on rent collection arrangements assume the important things are being handled. In practice, when an agent only collects the rent, almost everything else remains on your plate.The certificates. The maintenance calls. The property visits. The late-night calls from residents. The renewal conversation. The deposit deduction discussion. The record keeping that protects your legal position. None of those are covered by rent collection. All of them are covered by full management.
Under the current framework, the cost of getting any of those things wrong has increased. The case for full management has never been stronger, and it has nothing to do with convenience. It is about protection.
Three questions worth asking your agent tonight.
- When did you last visit my property, and what specifically did you find?
- What comparable evidence are you using for my upcoming rent review, and when will you be in touch about starting that process?
- If my resident raises a maintenance concern outside office hours, what specifically happens and who deals with it?
What this means for your property
The owners who feel most settled under the new rules are almost always the ones whose agent was already managing proactively before May, not the ones who had to adapt quickly after it.We do not think the best evidence of how we work comes from us describing it. It comes from 1,500+ people who left a review after trusting us with their homes and investment properties across West Hampstead, Kilburn and North West London. Those reviews placed us in the top 2% of estate agents nationally, ranked number 10 out of more than 20,000 agencies, as a Trusted Agent 2026 Platinum winner.
If you would like to understand what your current management arrangement is and is not covering, an owner review call with us is the most useful place to start. We will go through your property, your compliance position, and your upcoming rent review if one is due, and give you a plain and honest picture of where everything stands.
Book an owner review call with us today.
