For years, landlords have been encouraged to focus on one thing above all else when choosing a letting agent: fees.
Who is the cheapest?
Who will manage the property for less?
Who promises the highest rent?
Too often, that mindset leads landlords directly towards the service they later complain about.
Because there is an uncomfortable truth within the rental sector: some landlords end up with the letting agent they deserve.
If the only priority is driving management fees as low as possible, corners are often cut elsewhere. Good property management requires experienced staff, strong systems, legal knowledge, communication, organisation and genuine care for both landlords and tenants.
None of that comes cheaply.
Yet many landlords still expect a fully professional service for fees that barely cover the basics, then question why communication is inconsistent, maintenance takes too long, inspections feel rushed, and tenant relationships deteriorate.
There is often a direct connection between race-to-the-bottom fees and race-to-the-bottom service.
The strongest agencies rarely compete on price alone. In fact, many ethical agencies deliberately avoid it because they understand what proper management actually involves.
A good letting agent will challenge unrealistic expectations when necessary. They will advise against inflated rents, identify maintenance issues before they become expensive problems, insist on legal compliance and understand that treating tenants fairly is simply good long-term business practice.
Not every landlord wants that.
Some want an agent who agrees with everything. The highest possible valuation. The lowest possible spend on maintenance. Maximum pressure on tenants. Minimal accountability and bargain-basement fees.
But those arrangements often create the exact problems landlords later blame their agency for.
What we see time and time again is this: quality landlords attract quality agents.
Landlords who value professionalism, communication, long-term tenancies and proper standards tend to build far stronger relationships with their agency. Their properties are better maintained, tenants stay longer, and problems are dealt with before they escalate.
Over time, their returns are often quietly stronger too.
By contrast, landlords who treat appointing a letting agent like an auction for the cheapest quote rarely end up where they hoped.
Good letting is not about squeezing every possible pound from a monthly management fee. It is about protecting an asset, reducing risk and creating sustainable long-term returns.
So perhaps the uncomfortable truth is this:
Demand bargain-basement fees, and sooner or later, you are likely to receive a bargain-basement service.
Letting Agency Done Ethically
Many people do not trust letting agents. We are trying to change that.
That is why we are proud members of the Ethical Agent Network (EAN).
We are the only local agency to have passed the EAN standards, and we are reassessed every six months to ensure those standards remain high.
If you would like straightforward advice about your rental property, we would be happy to help.
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