Lettings
Lettings management, run alongside the building
Most landlords with flats in a managed block deal with two firms: a managing agent for the building and a lettings agent for the flat. The two rarely speak. A leak in the flat above becomes a three-way conversation, a section 20 consultation reaches the freeholder but not the tenant, and access for a fire door inspection takes a fortnight to arrange because nobody holds both relationships.
We manage the block and, where the landlord wants it, the individual flats within it. That is the whole proposition: one firm, one set of records, and no handover between the building and the tenancy.
Who this is for
Landlords with flats in a block we manage. The simplest case, and where the joined-up approach pays for itself immediately.
Developers holding units after practical completion. Where part of a scheme is sold and part retained, letting the retained units through the same firm that manages the estate keeps service charge, tenancy and building compliance in one place.
Investors with several units across a portfolio. Including build to rent and purpose-built student accommodation, where the operational side of the building and the tenancies are inseparable in practice.
What the service covers
Marketing and advertising on the major portals, accompanied viewings, referencing and right to rent checks, tenancy agreements, deposit protection, rent collection and arrears management, tenant communication, maintenance coordination, inspections during the term, and renewals or end-of-tenancy work.
Because we also manage the building, the parts that usually fall between two agents are covered: access for statutory inspections, tenant notification when major works are consulted on, and coordination when a repair crosses the boundary between a flat and the common parts.
The Renters’ Rights Act changed the job on 1 May 2026
This is the most significant change to residential tenancies in over thirty years, and it is already in force. If you are letting a flat in England today, these apply to you now.
Fixed terms are gone
All assured shorthold tenancies converted to periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026, and no new fixed-term tenancy can be granted. Tenants can end a tenancy on two months’ notice. The twelve-month AST is no longer a thing that exists.
Section 21 is abolished
No-fault eviction has gone. Possession is only available on the revised section 8 grounds, each with its own evidential requirement and notice period. The exception is a valid section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026, which remains usable within its own time limits. In practice this means possession now needs a reason you can evidence, and planning ahead matters far more than it used to.
Rent increases follow one route
Increases must go through the statutory section 13 procedure on Form 4A. Rent review clauses in the tenancy no longer provide an alternative. Rental bidding — inviting or accepting offers above the advertised rent — is banned.
Tenants have an implied right to keep a pet
A landlord may impose reasonable conditions but cannot refuse unreasonably. For a flat in a block this needs checking against the head lease, which may itself restrict pets — one of the places where managing the building and the tenancy together avoids a contradiction.
Written statement of terms, and the information sheet
Every new tenancy requires a written statement of terms. Landlords with tenancies running on 1 May 2026 had to provide the Government information sheet by 31 May 2026, with civil penalties up to £7,000 for failure.
The compliance that has not changed
Gas safety certificate annually where there is a gas supply, and a copy to the tenant. Electrical installation condition report every five years. A valid EPC, currently at band E or above. Smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance. Deposit protection in an approved scheme within thirty days, with the prescribed information served. Right to rent checks before the tenancy begins. And selective or HMO licensing where the local authority operates a scheme — which varies by borough, so it is checked per property rather than assumed.
Coming, but not yet in force: the Private Rented Sector Database begins rolling out regionally from late 2026 with landlord registration becoming mandatory, and a private rented sector Ombudsman is expected around 2028. The Decent Homes Standard and the extension of Awaab’s Law to private lettings are both still subject to consultation.
How it works with the block
You get one point of contact for the building and the tenancy, one set of records, and reporting that covers both. Service charge demands for the flat and the rent account are handled by the same team, so the position on a unit can be answered in one place rather than reconciled between two firms.
Our block management service is set out under block management, and our fees are published in full at standard fees.
Talk to us about your units
We take on ten to fifteen properties a year and work with a limited number of lettings landlords for the same reason: it is the number at which the detail can actually be attended to. If you own flats in a block, whether or not we currently manage it, get in touch and we will tell you plainly whether this is worth doing for your units.
