A considered partnership
Kings Estates has let homes across Tunbridge Wells, Kent and East Sussex since 1985. We are independent, owner-led, and we publish every fee we charge. This document gives you the headlines in five minutes; the full Terms of Business follow at instruction.
Lettings has become materially more complex under the Renters' Rights Act 2026 — periodic tenancies from day one, Section 21 abolished, mandatory PRS Database registration, Section 13 the only route to rent increases, civil penalties up to £40,000 per breach. For most landlords the maths now strongly favours a managed service. We've designed our four tiers so that the route to handing the regulatory burden over to us is short, clearly priced and reversible.
What this document covers: the four service tiers and what each one includes; the headline fees on a worked example rent; the optional protections (Rent & Legal Protection, Compliance Add-On); and exactly what happens between “I'd like to instruct” and the first month's rent landing in your account.
What it doesn't cover: the contractually binding detail, which is in the full Landlord Terms of Business 2026 — available at kings-estates.co.uk/legal/landlord-terms. Nothing in this summary varies what the Terms say. Where they differ, the Terms govern.
All figures inclusive of VAT (currently 20%). Fees and minimums are unchanged from those published on our public fee schedule at kings-estates.co.uk/landlords/landlord-fees.
Two paths · four tiers
Bronze is a one-time Let Only: we find and place the tenant, then step back. From move-in day every ongoing Renters' Rights Act obligation sits with you. Silver, Gold and Platinum are ongoing services that include finding the tenant and progressively more of the day-to-day plus full RRA compliance handling. The fee shown for each managed tier is the only ongoing charge — there is no separate Let Only fee on top.
A £2,000 per month rent
A landlord comparing percentages across agents has no easy way to translate them into actual cost. Here are the four tiers expressed in £ on a representative £2,000 per month rent (the median TN1-TN4 letting rate, May 2026). Year 1 includes the one-time set-up fee; Year 2 onwards is the ongoing commission only.
| Tier | Headline rate | Year 1 all-in | Year 2+ ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze · Let Only | 100% of one month (min £900) | £2,000 one-time | No ongoing fees |
| Silver · Let + Rent Collection | 14.40% of monthly rent | £4,456 | £3,456 / year |
| Gold · Fully Managed | 16.80% of monthly rent | £5,032 | £4,032 / year |
| Platinum · Fully Managed+ | 20.40% of monthly rent | £5,896 | £4,896 / year |
How to read this: the only fee you pay above the headline rate is the one-time set-up of 100% of one month's rent (Bronze, minimum £900) or 50% of one month's rent (Silver, Gold, Platinum) at instruction. Every managed tier already includes finding the tenant. There is no separate Let Only fee added on Silver / Gold / Platinum. The full per-event schedule (Section 13 notices, court attendance, inspections etc.) is in the binding Terms; it's published openly on our public fee page.
Per-event admin fees you might see
| Section 13 notice (Gold) | £180 inc. VAT | Per notice. Platinum unlimited within annual review. |
| Section 8 / other notice | £384 inc. VAT | Per notice. First instance on Platinum free. |
| Tenancy & Rent Review (Silver) | £210 inc. VAT | Section 13 review; charged per review when requested. |
| Tenancy & Rent Review (Bronze) | £432 inc. VAT | Section 13 review; charged per review when requested. |
| Withdrawal — pre-marketing | £150 inc. VAT | Stage-based; published openly (Schedule 1; not a penalty — Section 4). |
Two optional add-ons
Post-Renters' Rights Act, the two anxieties landlords flag most often are the cost of re-letting if a tenant gives 2 months' notice early in the tenancy, and the operational burden of staying compliant on a Bronze or Silver tier. Two optional products address those directly.
Both add-ons can be taken at instruction or added later by written notice. Pricing is unchanged from the public fee schedule; they're optional, not bundled in the headline tier rate.
From conversation to first month's rent
No surprises. Here is the path from initial valuation to the day rent starts landing in your account.
Notice and termination. Either party may terminate this Agreement on three months' written notice. Continuation Commission applies for a defined 12-month period after termination if the tenant introduced remains in occupation; after that, it ends entirely. Full detail is at Sections 15 and 5 of the Terms.
When you're ready
If this summary has answered enough of your questions, the next step is a 30-minute valuation at the property — or, if you'd prefer, a 15-minute call to go through anything specific.
To book a valuation, call us on 01892 533367, email hello@kings-estates.co.uk, or use the booking page at kings-estates.co.uk/value-my-home. A director will respond personally, usually within the same working day.
To read the full binding Terms before booking, the Landlord Terms of Business 2026 are at kings-estates.co.uk/legal/landlord-terms — HTML for viewing, PDF for download. Edition 2026.1; current to 28 February 2027 in line with our Propertymark Client Money Protection certificate (Member No. C0003376), available at kings-estates.co.uk/legal/propertymark-cmp-certificate-2026.pdf.
To see how our fees compare against other Tunbridge Wells letting agents and the premium nationals, the comparison page is at kings-estates.co.uk/landlords/how-we-compare.
Memberships and credentials: ARLA Propertymark, NAEA Propertymark, The Property Ombudsman, the Propertymark Client Money Protection Scheme (Member No. C0003376, current to 28 February 2027), and the TDS Custodial deposit scheme (Member No. EW9447). ICO Registration Z2120558. Premier Kent Properties Limited (Company No. 05700307) trading as Kings Estates, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1NT.