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Kings Estates · Landlord Resources
Switching Letting Agent — The Painless Process
Three-month timeline, your contractual obligations, and the handover process. Written by working letting agents who handle 20+ agency switches a year across Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks.
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Switching Letting Agent — The Painless Process
Three-month timeline, your contractual obligations, and the handover process. Written by working letting agents who handle 20+ agency switches a year across Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks.
A note before we start
Editorial guidance, not legal advice. Agency switching usually doesn't need a solicitor, but contentious cases (in particular, where your current agent disputes any element of the handover) should always be reviewed by a property solicitor before you serve notice.Introduction
Why switching feels harder than it actually is
Most landlords we speak to who are unhappy with their current agent stay unhappy for years longer than they need to — because switching feels harder than it actually is. This guide walks through the real process, what your current agent is allowed to charge you, and how to time the move so the tenant never notices.
We handle around twenty agency switches a year at Kings Estates. We've seen most of the awkward edge cases — agents who won't release tenant contact details, agents who serve late notice on their own clients, agents whose property managers have never heard the landlord's name. The good news is that every one of those situations has a clear legal route through.
The four reasons that come up over and over
Of the switches we onboard each year, four reasons account for over 80% of them. If any of these sound familiar, your instinct to move is probably right.
You can't reach a named person at the office
You get rotated through a different junior every call. No one knows the property's history. Repair requests vanish into a queue. The director-led model exists precisely because portfolio owners want one named contact who knows their property — and most national chains have moved away from it.
Compliance has slipped
Gas Safety lapsed. EPC renewal missed. Section 13 notice served on the wrong form. Every one of these is a fine + a Section 8 defect waiting to happen — and they're entirely the agent's responsibility on Fully Managed instructions.
Rent reviews never happen
You haven't had a rent increase in three years. The market in Tunbridge Wells has moved 18% over that period. You're not just losing this year's uplift — you're losing the compounding effect on every subsequent year.
The fee structure is opaque
Headline fee looks competitive, then there's a renewal charge, a check-out fee, an admin fee, an inspection fee, a notice-serving fee. The all-in cost is 25-40% higher than advertised. Clean published fee schedules are now the norm; mystery line-items aren't.
What your current agreement actually says
Before you do anything else, find the original agreement you signed with your current agent. The notice obligations, exit fees, post-termination commission claims and tenant introduction terms all live in there. Most landlords haven't read it since signing — and the terms are usually less restrictive than they fear.
Notice period
Industry standard is 30-90 days. Anything over 90 days is unusual and probably unenforceable as an unreasonable restraint. Notice usually has to be in writing; check whether email is accepted or you need physical post.
Post-termination commission
Some agents claim ongoing commission AFTER your contract ends, on tenancies the tenant introduced via them. Look for clauses like 'we continue to receive X% for as long as the tenant remains in the property.' These are increasingly challenged in court and rarely enforceable beyond 18 months from tenancy start.
Tenant introduction fee on take-over
If a different agent (us) takes over management of an existing tenancy, your current agent may invoice you a 'tenancy continuation fee.' Reasonable in principle but should be modest — £200-£500. Higher demands warrant a discussion.
Compliance documents
Your current agent must hand over copies of all compliance documents (gas safety, EPC, electrical certificate, deposit registration confirmation). They cannot legitimately withhold these — they're documents you've already paid for and they relate to your property.
Action plan
What to gather before serving notice
- 1.The original signed agency agreement (every page).
- 2.Your current property file: tenancy agreement, deposit registration certificate, all compliance documents.
- 3.The current tenancy ledger (rent payments to date, any arrears, any holdbacks).
- 4.Your current agent's escalation contact (a director's email, not the general office address).
It all turns on what the agreement you signed actually says.
How a clean switch actually happens
A well-run switch takes about three months from decision to completion. The tenant should never notice anything beyond a single email saying their property is now managed by us instead. Here's the sequence.
Month 1 — Decision and notice
Sign a new instruction with us. We serve notice on your current agent on your behalf and write the tenant letter introducing ourselves. Your current agent continues to manage day-to-day until the handover date.
Month 2 — Documents and onboarding
We collect every compliance document from your current agent. Review any gaps (often there are some). Renew anything that needs renewing. Schedule the tenant introduction visit if the tenancy is new to us.
Month 3 — Live management transition
Handover date arrives. We become the tenancy point of contact. Tenant gets one email with our office number, the new property manager's name, and the rent payment details. Rent starts arriving on our account from the next due date.
Ongoing — Quality control
Three months after handover, we run a full property inspection to set our own baseline. Anything that's been slipping under previous management is documented and remediated. After that, the standard Gold or Platinum-tier annual rhythm takes over.
Action plan
Switching incentives
- 1.Three months FREE management on Platinum tier for switchers (worth £540-£900 depending on portfolio size).
- 2.Free compliance audit included on the handover visit — no separate charge.
- 3.We handle the notice-serving and tenant introduction at zero cost.
Three months from decision to done. The tenant never notices.
If your current agent makes it difficult
Most switches are smooth. Occasionally an agent makes the handover difficult — refusing to release documents, claiming inflated take-over fees, contesting the notice period. Here's how to handle each.
They won't release compliance documents
Cite their Propertymark / ARLA membership obligations (every reputable agent is a member). Member firms are required to release documents to the property owner on request. If they're not a member, escalate to their professional body (most commonly The Property Ombudsman) and copy us in.
They invoice a 'continuation fee' you think is excessive
Get the fee in writing with the contractual basis. Compare to industry norms (£200-£500 is typical; £1,000+ is unusual). If you believe it's unreasonable, pay under protest and recover via Small Claims if necessary. Don't let a fee dispute hold up the handover.
They serve the tenant a notice during your notice period
Rare but happens. They cannot serve possession notices once you've terminated their authority. Any notice served after your written termination is invalid — but you may need to write to the tenant clarifying so they don't act on it.
They claim post-termination commission
Get the contractual basis in writing. Most clauses are weaker than agents claim. We've helped landlords resist post-termination commission claims that would have totalled £8,000+ over the residual tenancy term. A property solicitor's two-hour review often resolves it.
What switching to Kings Estates actually looks like
Switching to us is one phone call to start the conversation. We do the rest — the notice-serving, document collection, tenant introduction, compliance audit, ongoing management. The whole package, on whichever tier suits your portfolio.
Gold (Fully Managed) — 50% of one month's rent set-up, 16.80% of monthly rent
Dedicated property manager, 24/7 emergency line, full Renters' Rights Act compliance handled, annual property inspection, repairs and maintenance arranged.
Platinum (Fully Managed+) — 50% of one month's rent set-up, 20.40% of monthly rent
Everything in Gold, plus free Rent & Legal Protection insurance, free professional photography, free annual tenancy and Section 13 review, two property inspections, dedicated account manager. THREE MONTHS FREE for switchers.
Action plan
Start the conversation
- 1.Phone: 01892 533367 (Mike or Gemma will take the call directly)
- 2.Email: hello@kings-estates.co.uk
- 3.Book a 15-minute call online: kings-estates.co.uk/value-my-home
- 4.Walk in: 5 Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1NT
In closing
The hardest part is deciding to do it
Once you've decided, the rest is paperwork. The agencies who lose landlords typically do so because they've stopped caring — and the agencies who get those landlords are the ones who never stopped. We're the latter.
If your current setup isn't working, the cost of staying is more than the cost of switching. Pick up the phone and we'll do the rest.
— Mike Heath, Director, Kings Estates