Switching Letting Agents in Solihull? Simply Switch to Partridge Homes

If you are a landlord in Solihull and you are not getting the service you expect from your current letting agent, you do not have to stay. Many landlords assume switching agents is complicated, disruptive to tenants, or something that can only happen once a tenancy ends. In most cases, none of that is true. Changing letting agents during a live tenancy is entirely possible, and with the right guidance, the process is straightforward. At Partridge Homes, our Simply Switch service is designed specifically for landlords who want to make that change without unnecessary disruption.

Can You Switch Letting Agents During a Tenancy?

In most cases, yes. Your existing tenancy continues; what changes is who manages it. The tenant does not need to move out, and the tenancy agreement itself remains in place. What you are transferring is the management relationship.

Before doing anything else, review the agreement you hold with your current agent. You are looking for four things:

• The required notice period
• Any termination conditions or exit fees
• Any clauses relating to tenants originally introduced by that agent
• The process for transferring tenancy documents

Once you understand those terms, the transfer can be planned properly. Some agreements allow you to give notice and switch within a matter of weeks. Others may require a longer lead time. Either way, knowing where you stand is the starting point.

Why Are Solihull Landlords Switching Agents?

Dissatisfaction with letting agents is not a fringe concern. Complaints against letting agents in the UK rose by 47.4% in 2025, reaching 4,220 from 2,863 the previous year, according to analysis by Propoly. The most frequently cited issues involve service management, maintenance handling, and rent payment processing.

The reasons landlords in Solihull contact us are consistent:

• Slow or no response to calls and emails
• Constantly dealing with a different member of staff
• Maintenance issues that drag on without resolution
• Inspections that are infrequent or never happen
• A feeling of being disconnected from their own property
• Their original independent agent being acquired by a larger corporate group

That last point is increasingly common. Many landlords originally chose a smaller, local agent precisely because of the relationship and local knowledge on offer. When that agency is bought out by a national group, the service often changes. Landlords are entitled to look elsewhere when it does.

The Solihull Rental Market: Why Agent Quality Matters

Solihull’s rental market remains competitive. The average monthly private rent in Solihull was £1,259 in April 2026, up from £1,245 in April 2025 (ONS, 2026). In that kind of market, a well-managed property should be achieving a strong return with low void periods. A letting agent who is slow to respond, slow to resolve maintenance, or poor at communicating with tenants puts that return at risk.

Solihull is also not a single, uniform rental market. Tenant demand, achievable rents, and property type vary considerably between areas. A letting agent managing property in Knowle, Dorridge, or Dickens Heath needs to understand those local differences, not just apply a blanket approach across the region. Local knowledge affects how a property is priced, how quickly it lets, and how well the right tenant is matched to it.

What Happens During the Switch?

A well-managed handover is organised and methodical. When a landlord transfers management to Partridge Homes, the outgoing agent should provide a complete set of documents and records. These typically include:

• The tenancy agreement
• Tenant contact details
• Rent payment records
• Deposit details and the relevant protection scheme information
• Gas Safety Certificate
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• Inventory and check-in report
• Previous inspection reports
• Maintenance history and any outstanding repair items
• Relevant correspondence with the tenant

Our team reviews all of this before taking over management, so we understand the property, the tenancy, and any outstanding matters from day one. The tenant is informed clearly: who their new agent is, who to contact for maintenance, and where rent payments should be directed if anything changes.

The aim is that the switch feels unremarkable to the tenant. That is the right outcome for everyone.

What About the Renters’ Rights Act?

The legislative landscape for landlords has changed significantly. The Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, with its core reforms taking effect on 1 May 2026 (gov.uk). Section 21 no longer exists. Landlords must now rely on Section 8 grounds to recover possession, and all private landlords in England are required to register with the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman. Civil penalties of up to £7,000 apply for breaches of the new obligations.

This is exactly the kind of change where the quality of your letting agent matters most. An agent who is not up to date with the new grounds for possession, the revised notice requirements, or the Ombudsman registration obligations creates real legal and financial exposure for landlords. If your current agent has not proactively communicated these changes to you, that is itself a signal worth taking seriously.

Switching a Portfolio in Solihull

Simply Switch is available to individual landlords and portfolio landlords alike. If you have several properties currently managed by another agent, we can discuss whether a staged transfer or a simultaneous handover makes more sense. That decision may depend on the notice periods in your existing agreements, individual tenancy circumstances, and whether any properties have outstanding issues that need resolving first. The key is planning the transfer so that nothing falls through the gap between one agent and the next.

Why Independent Letting Agents Offer a Different Experience

The trend of corporate consolidation in the lettings industry has left many landlords feeling like a number rather than a client. Research points to a consistent pattern: independent agents tend to deliver a closer, more accountable relationship. Propertymark research and wider industry commentary have consistently highlighted that landlords who work with smaller, owner-led agencies report greater satisfaction with communication and responsiveness.

At Partridge Homes, we are independent and family-run, and we have made a deliberate decision to stay that way. We are also members of Propertymark and Safeagent. The people responsible for this business are directly involved in running it. When a landlord contacts us, they are dealing with people who are accountable for the outcome, not a call centre or a rotating team of staff.

We manage rental properties across Solihull, Shirley, Dickens Heath, Knowle, Dorridge, Olton, Monkspath, and surrounding Birmingham areas, working with individual landlords, portfolio landlords, developers, and professional investors.

What to Ask Before Choosing a New Agent

Switching agents is only worthwhile if you switch to the right one. Before making a decision, ask any prospective agent the following:

• Who will actually manage my property day to day?
• How do I contact them directly?
• How are maintenance issues reported, assigned, and followed up?
• How often are inspections carried out, and will I receive a written report?
• How do you handle contractor costs, and is there a markup on invoices?
• How are you keeping landlords informed of legislative changes?
• What does the onboarding process look like when I switch?

A management fee is one part of the picture. The quality and consistency of the service behind it is what determines whether your investment is being looked after properly.

What Simply Switch Covers

Simply Switch is our structured service for landlords moving their property management to Partridge Homes. From the first conversation through to completed handover, we guide the process. We can explain what to check in your existing agency agreement, what documentation needs to transfer, how your tenant will be informed, and how we will manage the property from the point we take over.

One property or a larger portfolio, the process is the same: planned carefully, communicated clearly, and handled without unnecessary disruption.

If your current agent is not delivering the service your property deserves, the team at Partridge Homes is happy to talk through your options. You can contact us to find out how Simply Switch works and what the transfer process would look like for your specific tenancy. Almost 20 years of experience in the Solihull and Birmingham lettings market means we know exactly what a smooth handover takes.