Is Your Letting Agent Earning Their Fee? 8 Questions Every Landlord Should Ask

Choosing a letting agent is one thing. Making sure you continue to receive good value from your letting agent is another.

Once a property is let and the rent arrives each month, it can be easy for landlords to assume everything is working as it should. But good property management involves much more than collecting rent and contacting you when something goes wrong.

The use of letting agents is also increasing. NRLA research published in August 2026 found that 66% of private rental homes in England and Wales are now administered by a letting agent in some way, the highest proportion recorded in at least two years. The NRLA followed this with an article in September encouraging landlords to consider whether their agent is genuinely "up to scratch".

With more landlords relying on professional management, it makes sense to occasionally ask whether the service you receive is still delivering what you need.

Whether you have one property to rent in Lambeth or several rental homes, these eight questions can help you decide whether your agent is simply administering your property or actively helping you manage it well.

At Your Home Managed, landlords and tenants can be assured that we do actually care for them and their properties. It’s in our interest to ensure all goes well, so we go the extra mile to make sure. We also tell the truth. Honesty and integrity are essential in our working lives, and we endeavour to be ethical in all matters.

1. Do You Know What You Are Paying For?

Start with the basics.

Could you explain what your management fee actually includes?

Services vary considerably between agents, so look beyond the percentage or monthly figure and consider what you receive in return.

This might include:

Rent collection and statements
Tenant communication
Property visits
Contractor coordination
Tenancy administration
Advice when decisions need to be made
Support between tenancies
Updates about the local rental market

A cheaper service is not automatically better value, just as a higher fee does not automatically guarantee a better service. The question is whether the service you receive justifies what you pay.

2. Does Your Agent Contact You Before There Is A Problem?

One sign of good property management is proactive communication.

If the only time you hear from your agent is when something needs your approval, you may not be getting the full benefit of professional management.

A good letting agent in Lambeth should have a useful understanding of the property and be prepared to raise issues, opportunities or concerns before they become urgent.

At Your Home Managed, we believe landlords should feel informed about their property rather than wondering what is happening behind the scenes.

3. Are Tenant Queries Being Handled Efficiently?

One reason landlords choose professional management is to remove themselves from much of the day-to-day communication.

Ask how efficiently enquiries are being dealt with.

You do not need to receive a copy of every conversation, but you should feel confident that questions are answered, issues are followed through and tenants know who to contact.

Good communication can make the tenancy easier for everyone involved.

If tenants repeatedly need to chase for responses, eventually that becomes a landlord problem too.

4. Do You Receive Useful Property Updates?

There is a difference between receiving information and receiving useful information.

A message saying "everything is fine" tells you very little.

When appropriate, your agent should be able to provide a clearer picture of how the tenancy is progressing and flag anything that deserves your attention.

The aim is not to bombard landlords with unnecessary messages. It is to make sure important information reaches you at the right time.

Ask yourself a simple question:

If somebody asked about the current position of your rental property today, would you feel properly informed?

5. Does Your Agent Know The Local Rental Market?

A managing agent should offer more than administration.

Local knowledge can become particularly useful when you are considering your next tenancy, reviewing how the property is positioned or preparing a property to let in Lambeth. Your agent should be able to discuss:

Comparable local properties
Current tenant demand
The type of enquiries being received
How quickly similar homes are attracting interest
Features prospective tenants are looking for
Whether your property is positioned appropriately

Online property portals provide useful information, but they do not always show what is happening behind each listing. As experienced local agents, our team collates this information regularly.

6. Are You Given Advice Or Simply Asked For Decisions?

Consider what happens when your input is required.

Are you simply given a problem and asked, "What would you like us to do?"

Or does your agent provide enough context for you to make a sensible decision?

Professional management should reduce the amount of research and chasing a landlord needs to do.

That does not mean an agent should make every decision for you. It means they should be able to explain the options and provide useful recommendations based on their experience.

7. What Happens Between Tenancies?

This is often when an agent's value becomes easiest to judge.

When one tenancy ends, is there a clear plan for what happens next?

Think about:

How quickly the property is prepared for marketing
Whether the asking rent is properly reviewed
How the property will be advertised
Whether photographs and descriptions still represent it well
How enquiries and viewings will be handled
How you are kept informed about progress

Every empty day potentially represents lost rental income, so a well-organised changeover matters.

If you regularly advertise a property to rent in Lambeth, ask what your agent does to make the transition between tenancies as smooth as possible.

8. Is Your Agent Making Your Life Easier?

This may be the simplest question of all.

One of the main reasons for paying for property management is to reduce the amount of time and attention the property requires from you.

Ask yourself:

Since using my agent, do I spend less time thinking about the day-to-day management of this property?

If the answer is yes, and you feel informed when it matters, that is a strong indication that the service is doing what it should.

If you are constantly chasing updates, resolving issues yourself or wondering what you are paying for, it may be time for a conversation.

Do Not Judge Your Agent On One Difficult Week

Even excellent letting agents occasionally deal with difficult situations, delayed contractors, complicated tenant queries or circumstances outside their control.

Judge the service over a sensible period.

Look for patterns rather than individual incidents.

Good management is not a promise that nothing will ever go wrong. It is about how effectively things are handled when they do.

When Did You Last Review Your Property Management Service?

Landlords often review insurance, mortgage arrangements and rental income, but the management service can simply continue year after year without much thought.

An annual service review can be useful.

If you are considering changing your letting agent in Lambeth, or simply want to understand whether there is a different way to manage your property, Your Home Managed would be happy to talk through your options.

The people you work with matter the most, so having a team you can trust makes all the difference.

Call 0208 125 7780 or email info@yourhomemanaged.com to speak with our friendly team.

In the meantime, we've answered some of your common questions about letting agents and landlords!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should A Good Letting Agent Do For A Landlord?

The exact service depends on the agreement, but good letting agents should communicate clearly, manage agreed tasks efficiently, keep landlords informed when necessary and provide useful professional advice rather than simply passing problems back to the landlord.

How Often Should I Review My Letting Agent?

There is no fixed timetable, but reviewing the service once a year is a useful habit. Consider communication, responsiveness, local knowledge, the quality of advice and whether the service continues to meet your needs. Call us for a chat on 0208 125 7780 if you would like to find out how we can help you manage your rental property.

Is The Cheapest Letting Agent Usually The Best Value?

Not necessarily. Compare what is included in the service rather than management fees alone. Paying slightly more may represent better value if significantly more work and support are included.

Can I Change Letting Agents While My Property Has A Tenant?

It may be possible to change managing agents during a tenancy, but landlords should check their existing agency agreement carefully before making any decisions. Speak to the prospective new agent about how a transfer would be handled.