Landlords raise rents after Renters’ Rights Act implementation
2 weeks ago | 21 comments
Landlords plan to ditch letting agents and self-manage
12:07 AM, 10th November 2026, 4 days ago
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More than half of landlords using a letting agent expect to take on management themselves within two years, including the associated compliance work, research reveals.
The August Landlord Survey found that 58% of those currently using an agent say they are likely to manage all their properties themselves.
Among landlords who pay or have paid for management, 58% report fees of at least 11% of rent.
For someone with five properties each bringing in £1,000 a month, a 12% management fee amounts to £7,200 a year.
Landlord compliance workload
The firm’s chief executive, Richard Samuel, said: “Government has been adding obligations to landlords for a decade without anyone adding up the hours.
“Quarterly digital tax reporting is the first one landlords can put a number on, and it is days, not minutes.”
He added: “Add the new database, the ombudsman, periodic tenancies and the paperwork around every rent increase, and the small landlord is now running a compliance function with no staff.
“Some will pay an agent, some will leave, and the rest need tools that do most of this for them.”
Letting agent changes
Almost two-thirds (65%) of the 276 landlord respondents have changed their management arrangements in the past two years.
While 27% have left an agent to manage their properties themselves, 26% have moved in the opposite direction and started using one.
Compliance and legal complexity were the most common reasons for changing arrangements, ahead of wanting more control, poor service and fees.
Across the survey, 69% of landlords say they are likely to be managing all their properties themselves within two years.
Digital tax reporting
Among landlords within the scope of Making Tax Digital, three-quarters expect each quarterly update to require at least four extra hours.
Four to eight hours per update was the expectation for 41%, which is equivalent to 16 to 32 hours across a year’s quarterly submissions.
A further 34% expect each update to take more than a working day.
Tags:
August landlord survey, Buy to let, landlord compliance, Landlords, Letting Agents, Making tax digital, property management fees, quarterly tax updates, Self managing landlords
18 comments on this article
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Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2704
12:31 PM, 10th November 2026, About 4 days ago
I still use an agent and because my agent now advises me to raise rents every year and appears able to collect the increased rent I still plan to use an agent going forward.
However, in the current climate following labour’s Renters Rights Act, if I had an agent who was NOT advising me to raise rents then I would ditch that agent.
Member Since October 2020 - Comments: 1422
2:45 PM, 10th November 2026, About 4 days ago
This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Most landlords are ill equipped to navigate the complex legal landscape involved in property letting and may be heading for some large civil penalties for trivial mistakes.
Member Since April 2022 - Comments: 162
8:11 PM, 10th November 2026, About 3 days ago
Is this because landlords are actually struggling to make any money from their properties and are looking to cut any costs they can?
Member Since March 2022 - Comments: 149
10:56 PM, 10th November 2026, About 3 days ago
Open rent works well here to keep legal requirements in check. If not AI can be a good tool if used right. I ditched my agent and accountant over 5years ago.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2704
10:18 AM, 11th November 2026, About 3 days ago
Reply to the comment left by JaSam at 10/11/2026 – 22:56
I think AI is a game changer. I read an online report today that said tenants are using AI to prepare for going to rent tribunals, meaning that they save on legal costs. However, landlords can also use AI to generate data on what current market rent for comparable properties is. In fact, I don’t think any landlord should now review rents or risk going to a tribunal WITHOUT using AI. And if any agent you are using is NOT advising a rent increase I think every landlord should use AI to check that market rent is being charged; if not then it makes sense to review what the agent is doing because AI can also tell you in seconds everything that you need to do to remain compliant as a landlord. AI can also tell you what rental deductions you are entitled to make. If you are using Excel microsoft copilot can set up an excel spreadsheet to log your expenses in seconds so you don’t necessarily even need accountancy software; any accountancy firm you consider using needs to ensure that its software makes life MUCH easier for you.
The three key things your agent needs to do are (1) make sure you are charging market rent (2) help you with the justification for rent increases (3) screen out the bad tenants and ensure enough reliable tenant information is collected and retained to be able to pursue a tenant for non-payment of rent e.g. using a debt collector or Money Claims Online. That will need to include national insurance number.
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 161
10:45 AM, 11th November 2026, About 3 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 11/11/2026 – 10:18
Is “Market Rent” the figure being achieved for RECENTLY LET comparable properties.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2704
10:48 AM, 11th November 2026, About 3 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Cognito at 11/11/2026 – 10:45
Market rent includes rent achieved for recently let comparable properties, advertised rents and portal rents. Ask AI.
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 161
11:19 AM, 11th November 2026, About 3 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 11/11/2026 – 10:48
I think that “advertised” will only be of use comparing with “recently let”. What are “portal rents”?
AI can help, but should not be relied upon.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2704
11:30 AM, 11th November 2026, About 3 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Cognito at 11/11/2026 – 11:19
Portal rents are for example Rightmove, Zoopla. If your tenant reaches a tribunal with an average of what rents were 3 years ago, that does not necessarily mean that is the going rate for a property now. If they have the better data and you just didn’t bother then they are more likely to win and you to lose.
My point is….use AI. Your tenants will be doing it. So should you and if you don’t then you will be at a disadvantage.
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 161
3:02 PM, 11th November 2026, About 3 days ago
The portal rents will show what a property was last advertised at.
AI will trawl the same websites.
Tenant will want to show that let prices are lower than advertised.
Landlord will want to show that properties were let at advertised prices.