Information for property management and letting agents

If you are managing or letting rented residential properties on behalf of the landlord, it is very important that you are aware of all the laws and regulations relating to residential lettings. These rules are numerous and complex, and property management is not a business to be entered into lightly, even if you are only managing one or two properties.

Further information about some of the laws relating to property management can be found in our advice to landlords, but this is not intended as a comprehensive guide. We advise that you attend training about letting from a reputable organisation, and that you consider joining a professional association for letting or managing agents.

Most tenant fees other than rent and returnable deposits are now banned. You must belong to a client money protection scheme if you hold a client’s money and you must belong to a government approved redress scheme.

Tenancy law and rights advice for landlords

Agent redress schemes

People making money from acting as letting agents or property management agents in the private rented sector, are required by law to join an approved redress scheme.

There are currently 3 government approved schemes:

We are the enforcing authority for these regulations and we are required to take enforcement action where a person who should have joined a redress scheme, has not done so.

A financial penalty of up to £5,000 can be imposed where an agent has not joined a scheme.

If you have received a final notice about a financial penalty, and you do not intend appealing the penalty or the time you have to appeal has run out, then you should pay that penalty.