🏠 What is Property Management for Residential Landlords?

Property management is the process of overseeing residential rental properties on behalf of a landlord. This can be done directly by the landlord or by hiring a professional property manager or letting agent.

🔑 Key Responsibilities of Residential Property Management

1. Lettings and Tenant Management

• Advertising the property and finding suitable tenants

• Conducting viewings and tenant referencing (credit checks, employment, etc.)

• Preparing and signing tenancy agreements

• Handling check-in and check-out processes

• Managing tenant queries and disputes

2. Rent Collection

• Setting and reviewing rent levels

• Collecting rent on time

• Chasing arrears and issuing late payment notices

• Managing deposit protection and deductions

3. Legal Compliance

• Ensuring the property meets all legal requirements (e.g. EPC, EICR, gas safety)

• Serving legal notices (e.g. Section 21, Section 8)

• Keeping up to date with local council licensing schemes

• Ensuring data protection (GDPR) compliance

4. Maintenance and Repairs

• Scheduling regular inspections

• Handling emergency repairs and maintenance requests

• Managing tradespeople and contractors

• Keeping records of works completed

5. Health and Safety

• Ensuring smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed and working

• Conducting risk assessments (especially in HMOs)

• Complying with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)

• Meeting fire safety requirements

6. Financial Management

• Budgeting for maintenance, insurance, and other property costs

• Providing monthly or annual income and expense reports

• Advising on allowable expenses for tax purposes

7. Void Period Management

• Minimising time between tenancies

• Preparing the property for re-letting (repairs, cleaning)

• Re-marketing quickly to avoid income loss

8. Dispute Resolution and Evictions

• Handling complaints or neighbour disputes

• Serving notices where necessary

• Representing landlords in court or tribunal if eviction is needed

🤝 Self-Managing Landlord vs. Using a Property Manager

Feature	Self-Managing	Using Property Manager
Control	High	Shared
Time Commitment	High	Low
Expertise Needed	Legal & maintenance knowledge	Manager has the expertise
Cost	Lower (no management fees)	Higher (typically 8–15% of rent)
Stress	Potentially high	Lower

💷 How Much Does Property Management Cost?

In the UK:

• Let-only services: 75%–100% of the first month’s rent

• Full management: 8%–15% of monthly rent (plus VAT)

• Additional fees may apply for:

  • Tenancy renewals

  • Inventories

  • Eviction handling

  • Maintenance mark-ups

• 
  

📚 Regulations to Know

• Tenant Fees Act 2019 (caps deposits, bans most tenant fees)

• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (repair obligations)

• Housing Act 2004 (licensing, HMOs, HHSRS)

• Section 21 & Section 8 notices (evictions)

• GDPR (data handling)

• Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (England only)

🧩 Is Property Management Worth It?

Property management is ideal if:

• You live far from your rental property

• You don’t have time or experience to self-manage

• You own multiple properties

• You want passive income without hands-on work

Get in touch with one of the team today!