Many landlords stay with a letting agent they are unhappy with for one reason: they assume switching while a tenant is in the property will be complicated, disruptive, or simply not worth the hassle. In most cases, that assumption is wrong. Changing your property management company with a tenant in situ is straightforward when it is handled properly, and at Partridge Homes, our Simply Switch service is built specifically to make that process as smooth as possible.
Can You Change Letting Agents During a Tenancy?
Yes, and it is more common than many landlords realise.
Changing letting agents does not affect the tenancy itself. The agreement remains in place between you and your tenant. What changes is the company managing the property on your behalf. Your tenant continues living in the property as normal; the management responsibility transfers from your existing agent to Partridge Homes.
You are not changing your tenant. You are not restarting the tenancy. You are simply changing who looks after the property for you.
Why Landlords Are Switching Right Now
Complaints against letting agents rose by 47.4% in 2025, reaching 4,220 cases, with the most frequently reported issues covering service management, handling of holding deposits, and rent payment processing (The Property Ombudsman, 2025). Only 37% of people trust letting agents as a profession (Ipsos MORI Veracity Index, November 2024). Those are not comfortable figures for an industry that landlords depend on.
The reasons landlords speak to us about switching tend to follow a recognisable pattern:
- Slow or no response to emails and calls
- Maintenance issues left unresolved for weeks
- Constantly dealing with a different member of staff each time
- Rent payments arriving late or without explanation
- No regular property inspections
- A feeling of being treated as a reference number rather than a client
Sometimes the decline in service is gradual. Sometimes it happens almost overnight, and the reason for that is increasingly familiar to landlords across Birmingham and Solihull.
What Has Been Happening Locally
Over the past few years, a significant number of well-known independent letting agents in the Midlands have been acquired by Lomond Group, operating locally under the John Shepherd brand. Smart Homes, based in Solihull, had its 550-property lettings book transferred to John Shepherd. Centrick, with offices in Solihull and Birmingham, saw its portfolio of 1,300 homes transfer in January 2024. Xact Lettings, another Birmingham name, followed, taking John Shepherd’s managed portfolio to approximately 8,000 properties. Lomond itself grew from managing around 22,000 properties to more than 70,000 in just a few years, completing 65 acquisitions in that period.
Rapid consolidation at that scale creates a predictable problem. Landlords who instructed a local, independent agent for personal service can find themselves dealing with a much larger organisation where that personal service is harder to sustain. The agent you trusted is still trading under a familiar name, but the team, the processes, and the priorities may have changed considerably.
If you are a landlord whose property was previously managed by Smart Homes, Centrick, or Xact Lettings and you are not satisfied with the service you are now receiving, switching is a realistic option and one you do not have to delay until your tenant leaves.
Will Switching Affect My Tenant?
A well-managed transfer should cause minimal disruption to your tenant. They need to know three things: who their new managing agent is, where to send future rent payments, and who to contact about maintenance.
At Partridge Homes, we introduce ourselves to the tenant directly and explain the change clearly. Our aim is for the tenant to feel reassured rather than unsettled. In many cases, if the switch is prompted by poor communication or unresolved maintenance, the tenant may actually welcome having a more responsive agent in place.
The tenancy agreement itself does not need to be replaced. It remains between you and your tenant. We review the tenancy documentation during the handover so that our team understands the existing arrangement from day one.
What Happens to the Deposit?
Where a tenant deposit is already protected, the protection details and relevant documentation form part of the handover. Depending on how the deposit has been registered and who currently holds it, there may be some administrative steps required when management changes. This is something we review carefully as part of every transfer.
Deposit protection is a legal requirement in England, and landlords who fail to protect a deposit or provide the required prescribed information face significant penalties under the Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme rules. A professional handover should ensure nothing falls through the gaps.
The Regulatory Context: Why a Good Agent Matters More Than Ever
Landlord compliance has become considerably more demanding in recent years, and the pace of change is not slowing down.
The Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent in October 2025, and its first phase came into force on 1 May 2026. Under the Act, most private rented sector landlords can no longer let on fixed-term tenancies; agreements must now be periodic. Landlords and agents were also required to provide tenants with a government Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. Failure to comply with the Act’s requirements can result in civil penalties of up to £40,000, and in some cases criminal prosecution (gov.uk, 2025).
Forthcoming minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties will add further obligations for landlords, particularly those with older housing stock.
In this environment, having an agent who understands what is required and acts on it proactively is not a luxury. It is the difference between staying compliant and facing serious financial penalties.
What Information Transfers During a Handover?
When Partridge Homes takes over a managed property, we work through a structured handover to ensure nothing is missed. The documents and information we would normally expect to review include:
- Tenancy agreement
- Tenant contact details
- Rent payment records
- Deposit protection details
- Gas Safety Certificate
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Inventory or check-in report
- Previous inspection reports
- Maintenance records and any outstanding issues
- Any ongoing tenancy matters
If you are unsure what your existing agent holds, do not let that stop you from making contact. Establishing what is and is not available is part of the process.
Do You Have to Deal with Your Existing Agent?
This is one of the more common reasons landlords delay switching. They are simply not looking forward to an awkward conversation.
Our Simply Switch service is designed to take that burden off you. Once you have decided to move to Partridge Homes, we can guide you through what needs to happen and, where appropriate, liaise with your existing agent directly. The exact process will depend on the notice provisions in your current management agreement, so checking those terms is always a sensible first step.
Switching a Portfolio, Not Just One Property
Simply Switch is not only for landlords with a single rental property. We regularly speak to landlords who have built up portfolios over many years and feel their current agent is no longer delivering. If you have several properties, the handover can be planned carefully, and you do not necessarily need to transfer everything at once. A phased approach can work well for larger portfolios.
Whether you have one property or thirty, the expectation should be the same: clear communication, proactive management, and an agent who knows your property.
Why Landlords Choose Partridge Homes
Partridge Homes is a family-run estate and letting agency with almost 20 years of experience serving landlords across Shirley, Solihull, Birmingham, and the surrounding areas. We manage hundreds of rental properties for landlords ranging from first-time investors to experienced portfolio owners.
Our approach comes down to something straightforward: know the property, know the landlord, know the tenant. Landlords should be able to speak to people who understand their specific property, not feel like an account number in a large system.
We are members of Propertymark and Safeagent, providing the reassurance of professional standards and client money protection.
If you are unhappy with your current letting agent, whether your property was previously managed by Smart Homes, Centrick, Xact Lettings, or anyone else, there is no need to wait for your tenant to leave before making a change. Speak to our lettings team at Partridge Homes about how Simply Switch works, and we can walk you through the next steps for your specific situation. You can reach us through our contact page.
