A Landlord’s Guide to Switching Letting Agents

Thousands of landlords switch letting agents every year, yet most put it off far longer than they should. The process is usually simpler than people expect, and the cost of staying with an agent who isn’t performing is often higher than the hassle of leaving. If you’re frustrated with poor communication, late rent payments, or an agent who seems to have forgotten your property exists, this guide covers everything you need to know before making the move.

Why Landlords Switch

Complaints against letting agents rose by 47.4% in 2025, reaching 4,220 from 2,863 the previous year (The Property Ombudsman, 2025). That followed a 19.6% increase the year before. The reasons behind individual complaints vary, but a few patterns come up repeatedly.

Poor communication is the most common grievance. Emails go unanswered, calls aren’t returned, and landlords find themselves chasing updates that should have arrived without prompting.

Fees that don’t match the quote are a close second. A headline management fee of, say, 10% can look reasonable until you add renewal charges, inspection fees, contractor administration mark-ups, and inventory costs. Research published in July 2026 by The Independent Landlord found that quality independent agents typically charge around 14.4% including VAT for full management, while large national chains often run between 18% and 20.4% including VAT for a comparable service. The headline rate rarely tells the full story.

Weak inspections and poor maintenance oversight are a persistent frustration. Some agents carry out inspections infrequently or superficially. Others fail to carry them out at all. For landlords, regular and thorough inspections aren’t just good practice; they’re the basis for budgeting maintenance and protecting the property’s long-term condition.

Late rent payments are another common trigger. When a tenant pays on time but the landlord receives the money late, the fault lies with the agent. It’s a basic administrative failure, but one that erodes trust quickly.

Compliance failures matter more now than ever. With the Renters Rights Act making its way through Parliament and a long list of existing obligations around gas safety, electrical inspections, deposit protection, and Right to Rent checks, a landlord whose agent isn’t on top of the rules faces real legal and financial exposure. This is one area where the consequences of poor agency performance aren’t just inconvenient; they can result in fines, civil penalties, or an inability to serve a valid notice.

Corporate buyouts and centralisation are increasingly relevant in Birmingham and Solihull, where several independent agencies have been acquired by national operators in recent years. When a local agent is absorbed into a larger group, property management is often moved to a central hub, the personal contact disappears, and landlords find themselves dealing with a call centre rather than someone who knows their property.

Before You Do Anything: Read Your Contract

The most important step before switching is reading your agency agreement carefully. Most landlords don’t look at this document until they want to leave, at which point two things tend to catch them out.

The first is the notice period. Most contracts require 1 to 3 months’ written notice to terminate. Some require more. If you serve notice without checking, you may find yourself paying fees to an agent you’ve already left.

The second is a continuing commission clause. Some contracts include a provision that entitles the agent to a fee for the remaining life of any tenancy they introduced, even after you’ve moved on. These clauses vary considerably in their scope and enforceability, but they’re worth identifying before you serve notice. If you’re unsure what yours says, a solicitor can advise.

The agency agreement and the tenancy agreement are two entirely separate contracts. You can end your relationship with an agent without ending the tenancy. Your tenant stays; the agent changes.

How to Switch: A Step-by-Step Overview

1. Identify your new agent first

Line up a replacement before you serve notice. Research agents in your area, compare their full fee structures (not just the headline rate), and ask specifically how they handle compliance, inspections, and maintenance. A good agent should be able to tell you exactly what certificates and documentation they’ll need from the outgoing agent, and how they manage the transition.

2. Serve written notice to the outgoing agent

Once you’re ready, give notice in writing and keep a copy. Request written confirmation that your notice has been received. Keep the tone professional: you may need their cooperation during the handover period.

3. Collect all documents and keys

The outgoing agent must hand over everything they hold on your behalf. That includes:

• The signed tenancy agreement and any addenda
• The original inventory and check-in report
• A current Gas Safety Certificate (required annually under the Gas Safety Regulations)
• A current Electrical Installation Condition Report (required every five years for rental properties)
• The Energy Performance Certificate
• Deposit protection details: which scheme, the reference number, and the prescribed information served to the tenant
• A full rent payment history
• All keys and access fobs
• The tenant’s contact details and any correspondence relevant to the tenancy

If the deposit is held in the agent’s client account rather than a government-backed scheme, you’ll need to confirm how this transfers. If it’s in a custodial scheme such as the Deposit Protection Service or MyDeposits, the scheme itself can advise on reassigning the protection.

4. Notify your tenant

Your tenant should be told about the change. They don’t need to know the reasons; a straightforward letter or email explaining that management is transferring to a new agent, with the new agent’s contact details, is enough. The new agent will follow up with specifics about how to pay rent and report maintenance. Done properly, most tenants find the transition straightforward.

5. Get written confirmation of a clean break

Before closing the relationship entirely, get written confirmation from the outgoing agent that all fees have been settled and that there are no outstanding obligations on either side. This protects you if a dispute arises later.

Can You Switch Mid-Tenancy?

Yes, and it’s more common than many landlords realise. Your tenant has a contract with you, not with the agent. As long as they’re kept informed and the deposit remains protected throughout, there is no legal barrier to switching agents at any point during a tenancy. Rent collection continues without interruption, and the tenant’s rights are unaffected.

The main practical consideration is timing. Switching shortly before a renewal date, a scheduled inspection, or a planned maintenance job means there’s more to hand over. If you can choose your moment, a quiet period in the tenancy makes the transition cleaner.

What to Look for in a Replacement Agent

Once you’ve decided to leave, it’s worth being specific about what you want from the next agent. A few things worth pressing them on:

• How often do they carry out inspections, and do they provide written reports with photographs?
• What is their full fee schedule, including renewal fees, check-out fees, and any maintenance administration charges?
• How do they stay current with regulatory changes, and what happens if a compliance deadline is missed?
• Do they hold client money in a protected account, and are they members of a redress scheme? Membership of a redress scheme is a legal requirement for all letting agents in England.
• Do they have a local office, or is management handled remotely?

For landlords in Birmingham and Solihull, local market knowledge matters. An agent who knows the area, maintains relationships with reliable local contractors, and can speak credibly about rental demand in specific postcodes will serve you differently to one managing your property from a regional call centre.

A Note on Fees: Compare the Full Picture

When you’re comparing agents, ask each one to give you a total annual cost based on a specific scenario: one tenancy renewal, one periodic inspection, and one mid-tenancy maintenance job requiring a contractor. This forces an apples-to-apples comparison and surfaces the charges that don’t appear in the headline rate.

Full management typically runs at 8–15% of the monthly rent, or a fixed fee of roughly £50–£200 per month plus VAT. Tenant-find-only services cost around 8–12% of the first year’s rent, or a one-off fee in the region of £500–£1,500. Rent collection sits at roughly 5–8% of rent collected. These are ranges, not standards, and what you get for the fee varies considerably between agents.

If you’re a landlord in Birmingham or Solihull and you’re weighing up whether to stay with your current agent, Partridge Homes is happy to talk through what a managed service looks like with us, including a full breakdown of fees with no hidden additions. You can reach us through our contact page or ask us to carry out a rental valuation on your property so you have a clear picture of where you stand before making any decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions