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Self-managing a tenancy saves the letting agent's fee and costs you time, mostly at hours you do not choose. Since 1 May 2026 it also means carrying the Renters' Rights Act duties yourself. A managed let costs a fee per service tier and suits landlords who live away, work full time or would rather have the legal diary run for them.

This page sets out the work plainly so you can judge which side of the line you are on. It is general information, not legal advice.

What the fee is for

We offer three tiers, each with a stated fee on our fees page:.

  • Tenant find. Advertising at a stated rent, viewings, referencing, Right to Rent checks, the tenancy agreement and the move-in. You manage the tenancy from day one.
  • Rent collection. Tenant find, plus collecting the rent each month, chasing a late payment and sending you a statement.
  • Fully managed. All of the above, plus repairs, inspections, the certificate diary, the deposit and the end of the tenancy.

The fee is the price of the hours, the tools and the knowledge. Whether it is worth paying depends on what you would otherwise spend on each of them.

According to GOV.UK's overview for landlords, at the time of writing every assured tenancy in England is periodic, section 21 "no fault" possession has gone, and a landlord needs a legal ground to recover the property. Rent can rise once a year, by a section 13 notice giving at least two months' notice. A landlord cannot accept rent before the agreement is signed, take more than one month in advance, or invite bids above the advertised rent. Tenants can end a tenancy on two months' notice.

Possession for arrears under ground 8 now needs three months' rent owed. Possession to sell or move in cannot take effect in the first 12 months. A tenant who is wrongly evicted can claim a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent. The private rented sector database and a landlord ombudsman follow, according to the government's roadmap.

A self-managing landlord can do all of this correctly. The question is whether you want to own every deadline. Our Renters' Rights Act guide for landlords covers the detail.

Time, voids and arrears

Three things decide how a self-managed let performs.

Time. Most weeks need nothing. Then a tenant reports a leak at 7am, an engineer needs letting in, or a renewal date arrives while you are away. The hours are less of a burden than their timing.

Voids. Every week between tenants is rent you do not get back. The gap is shortest when marketing starts the day notice is given and viewings run while the outgoing tenant is still in.

Arrears. Late rent is easiest to recover when it is chased on the first day and every contact is written down. A landlord who waits a month to avoid an awkward conversation is often three months behind before acting.

Compliance

The certificate cycle does not change with who manages the property: an annual gas safety check where there is gas, an electrical inspection at least every five years, an EPC of at least E, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection within 30 days and Right to Rent checks before the tenancy starts. Our landlord legal checklist lists every item, and property management explains what the fully managed tier does with it.

How to decide

Ask four questions. Can you reach the property within an hour? Do you know the notice and deposit rules well enough to apply them without looking them up? Do you have trades on call? Who covers when you are away? Four confident answers mean self-managing will probably work. One or two weak answers is where a managed tier earns its fee. Our letting agent fees guide shows how to compare quotes, and letting agents explains how we work.