Let Collection | Zero Void: How We Re-Let Imperial House in 48 Hours

When a tenant needs to leave early, the instinct for most landlords is to brace for a gap in rental income. Marketing the property, referencing a new tenant, managing the handover — it takes time, and every week without a tenant costs money. This is a story about how it doesn’t have to work that way.

A landlord at Imperial House on Homer Road in Solihull recently found themselves in exactly that situation. Their tenant needed to leave ahead of schedule to move abroad. With the right approach, the property was back on the market, a new tenant was referenced and secured, and the handover completed — all within 48 hours. The outgoing tenant left without having to see out her full notice period. The landlord had no void at all.

The Property: Imperial House, Homer Road, Solihull

Imperial House is the second and final phase of the Princes Gate development, a £40 million scheme by Elevate Property Group that has delivered more than 150 new homes to Solihull town centre since 2019. Imperial House itself completed in December 2023 and comprises 60 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, designed by Birmingham-based architects Corstophine & Wright.

The apartment in question is a one-bedroom furnished apartment, available at £1,350 pcm. It’s a proper show-home finish: open-plan lounge and kitchen, a luxury bathroom, allocated parking, a balcony, and access to a fully landscaped rooftop garden. Solihull train station is a short walk away, as is Touchwood Shopping Centre, John Lewis, and the rest of the town centre.

It’s the kind of property that attracts serious tenants. The specification is high, the location is excellent, and the rental figure reflects both. For context, the average monthly private rent across Solihull was £1,279 in August 2026, up 3.2% year-on-year (ONS, August 2026). A one-bedroom apartment at this standard, in this location, commands a premium above that average — and the demand to justify it is there.

How the Re-Let Worked

The outgoing tenant approached us once it became clear she needed to leave for an overseas move. Rather than simply serving notice and waiting out the clock, we worked with her to find a practical solution: market the property immediately, find a suitable replacement, and release her from her remaining notice obligations once the new tenancy was confirmed.

That’s exactly what happened. The property went to market, interest came in quickly, and within 48 hours a new tenant had been secured and referenced. The incoming tenant got a well-presented, furnished apartment in one of Solihull’s most desirable new developments. The outgoing tenant got a clean exit. The landlord had continuous rental income with no gap between tenancies.

This is not a one-off result. A few months ago, we let a luxury property on St Bernards Road within 24 hours of it being listed. The Solihull rental market is competitive, and well-presented properties at the right price do move quickly — but that only translates into a zero void period when the marketing, referencing, and handover process is managed tightly.

Why Void Periods Hurt More Than Landlords Often Expect

A month without rental income at £1,350 pcm is £1,350 lost. But the real cost is usually higher. Mortgage payments, service charges, and buildings insurance continue regardless. If the property needs any remedial work between tenancies, those costs sit on top. And if the void stretches beyond a month, council tax liability can fall to the landlord too.

In a market where average rents are rising and quality stock is in short supply, a well-managed re-let can effectively eliminate that exposure. The key is having a tenant pool ready, a referencing process that doesn’t drag, and a team that can coordinate the outgoing and incoming tenancies simultaneously rather than sequentially.

Solihull as a Letting Location

Solihull consistently attracts strong tenant demand. Its position between Birmingham and Coventry, with direct rail access to both, makes it a practical choice for professionals working across the region. The town will also benefit from its own HS2 interchange once complete, which is likely to sustain and strengthen demand from commuters further afield.

Imperial House sits at the centre of this. Homer Road puts tenants within a few minutes of the station, the high street, and Touchwood. For a landlord with an apartment at this development, the fundamentals are sound: the specification is high enough to attract quality tenants, the location reduces void risk, and the rental figure sits at a level where demand from the right applicants is consistent.

Partridge Homes has been letting property in Solihull and Birmingham for more than 20 years and has won the British Property Awards for Best Letting Agent in Solihull four years running. That track record matters most in situations exactly like this one: when a landlord needs a fast, clean resolution that protects their income and their relationship with both an outgoing and an incoming tenant.

If you own a rental property in Solihull or Birmingham and want to know what it could achieve in the current market, Partridge Homes would be glad to help. You can reach the team directly through our contact page, or read more about letting your property in our Solihull landlord’s guide.

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