What Does a Letting Agent Do in London?

If you are letting a property in London for the first time, the phrase "letting agent" can sound like a single, simple service. In practice it covers a long list of separate jobs that run from the day you decide to let through to the day a tenant moves out. Here is a plain explanation of what a good agent actually does, and where you can choose to do more yourself.

Valuation and marketing

The starting point is an honest rental valuation. A local agent should know what comparable homes in your street and postcode are genuinely achieving, not just the asking prices, and explain how condition, furnishing and timing affect the figure. Pricing a property correctly from day one usually matters far more than chasing an optimistic headline rent that then sits empty.

From there the agent prepares the advertisement: photography, a floor plan, an accurate description and the required compliance details, then lists the property on the major portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla. They also field the enquiries, which in a busy London market can be considerable, and filter out time-wasters before anyone reaches your door.

Viewings and finding a tenant

Accompanied viewings are one of the most visible parts of the job. The agent meets prospective tenants at the property, answers questions, and reports back honestly on interest and feedback. Conducting viewings well takes time and local knowledge, and it spares you from arranging your own diary around other people's evenings and weekends.

When an offer comes in, the agent negotiates the rent, start date and any conditions, then confirms the agreed terms in writing to both sides so there is a clear record before money or paperwork changes hands.

Referencing and right to rent

Before a tenancy is granted, a tenant should be properly referenced. This usually means checking identity, employment or income, previous landlord references and affordability. If an applicant's income falls a little short, the answer is not to demand extra rent that the Renters' Rights Act 2025 no longer permits. A sensible alternative is a UK-based guarantor, or a company or employer arrangement where the employer stands behind the tenancy.

The agent also carries out the legal Right to Rent check, confirming each adult occupier's immigration status, normally now through a share code and date of birth rather than handling original documents. Getting this step right protects you from penalties later.

Compliance and the new rules

Letting legally in England now involves a real compliance checklist, and a good agent keeps you on the right side of it. That covers safety certificates such as gas and electrical reports, an EPC, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and the documents that must be served at the start of a tenancy.

Since 1 May 2026 there are important additions. Landlords must join a government-approved redress scheme and register on the Private Rented Sector database. Section 21 "no-fault" eviction has ended, so possession is only available through a valid Section 8 ground, and you cannot discriminate against families or tenants receiving benefits. A pet request can no longer be unreasonably refused. Your agent should be tracking all of this on your behalf, and you can read the wider picture in our complete guide to letting a property in London.

Tenancy set-up and deposit protection

Once a tenant is agreed and referenced, the agent draws up the tenancy agreement, collects the moving-in funds, and arranges an independent inventory and check-in so the property's condition is recorded at the start.

They also protect the deposit. Deposits are capped at five weeks' rent, rising to six weeks where the annual rent is £50,000 or more, and the money must be placed in a government-authorised scheme within the legal time limit, with the prescribed information given to the tenant. Mistakes here are a common and avoidable cause of disputes, so it is worth having someone who does it routinely.

Rent collection, maintenance and end of tenancy

Where you appoint an agent on a managed basis, the ongoing work begins once the tenant moves in. The agent collects the rent, chases any arrears promptly, and pays you with a clear statement each month. They become the tenant's first point of contact for repairs, instruct trusted contractors, and keep records of what was done and when.

Rent reviews are handled within the rules too: increases are limited to once a year, require at least two months' written notice, and can be challenged by the tenant at a tribunal. At the end of the tenancy the agent manages the check-out, compares the property against the original inventory, agrees any fair deductions, and re-lets the property to keep void periods short.

Let Only versus Full Management

Broadly, agents offer two levels of service. Let Only means the agent finds and references a tenant, sets up the tenancy and protects the deposit, then hands everything back to you to manage. It suits landlords who live nearby, have time, and are comfortable dealing with repairs and rent themselves.

Full Management continues through the whole tenancy: rent collection, maintenance, compliance renewals, rent reviews and end-of-tenancy work. It costs more but removes most of the day-to-day demands and the risk of missing a legal deadline. If you are weighing the two, our guide on how to choose a letting agent in London walks through the questions worth asking.

How your money is protected

One practical point that is easy to overlook: where your agent holds rent or deposits, ask how that money is safeguarded. Reputable agents belong to a Client Money Protection scheme, which compensates you if the firm misuses your funds, and to a government-approved redress scheme that gives you an independent route to complain if something goes wrong. These are not optional extras; they are a basic sign that an agent is run properly.

If you are letting for the first time, or you have managed alone for years and want a second pair of eyes on where you stand under the new rules, please do get in touch. A short conversation costs nothing and can flag anything urgent before it becomes a problem.