Changing Letting Agents in Wales: Can You Switch While Your Property Is Tenanted?
If you’re unhappy with your current letting agent, you may think you have to wait until your contract-holder leaves before moving your property to another agent.
In many cases, you don’t.
Landlords can often change letting agents while a property remains occupied, subject to the terms of their existing management agreement.
For landlords experiencing poor communication, slow maintenance, weak arrears management, or simply wanting a more proactive property management service, changing agents can be more straightforward than expected.
Why Do Landlords Change Letting Agents?
There doesn’t necessarily need to be a major dispute.
Sometimes a landlord simply feels the service they’re receiving no longer meets their needs.
Common reasons for considering a change include:
- Poor or infrequent communication
- Maintenance taking too long to resolve
- Difficulty obtaining statements or documentation
- Lack of regular property inspections
- Rent arrears not being followed up quickly
- Unexpected or unclear charges
- Compliance records not being properly maintained
- Difficulty getting hold of the property manager
- Wanting to consolidate several properties with one agent
As a landlord’s portfolio grows, the level of service they require can also change.
An agent that worked well when you owned one property may not necessarily provide the systems you need when managing a larger portfolio.
Can I Change Letting Agents With a Contract-Holder in the Property?
Potentially, yes.
Changing the managing agent does not automatically mean the existing occupation has to end.
The property owner remains the landlord; what changes is the company appointed to manage the property on the landlord’s behalf.
However, before making the switch, you should review your existing management agreement carefully.
This will normally set out how the agreement can be terminated, including any required notice period, fees or other conditions.
Landlords should follow these contractual requirements rather than stop payments or instruct a new agent without checking the agreement.
What Happens to the Existing Occupation Contract?
Changing managing agents doesn’t usually mean starting the occupation again.
Instead, the new managing agent takes over the ongoing management of the property.
The contract-holder will need to be informed about the change and provided with the relevant new contact and payment information.
A well-managed transfer should cause minimal disruption.
The objective is for the contract-holder to understand clearly:
Who manages the property, who to contact for maintenance, and where to pay rent.
What Information Should Be Transferred?
This is one of the most important parts of changing letting agents.
The new agent needs sufficient information to manage the property correctly from the date they take over.
Depending on the property, the handover may include:
- Occupation contract and associated documentation
- Contract-holder details
- Rent payment history and statement
- Deposit information
- Gas Safety Record
- Electrical Installation Condition Report
- Energy Performance Certificate
- Inventory and schedule of condition
- Previous inspection reports
- Maintenance history
- Contractor information
- Property keys
- Relevant correspondence
- Ownership information
- Other compliance documentation
If documentation is missing, this should ideally be identified during the handover rather than discovered months later.
What Happens to the Deposit?
Where a deposit has been taken, consider its protection and associated records as part of the management transfer.
The exact process depends on how the deposit is protected and the scheme used.
Outgoing and incoming agents should ensure the appropriate information is updated or transferred, where required.
This is another reason a structured handover between agents matters.
What About Rent Collection?
The contract-holder should receive clear instructions on when the new managing agent takes responsibility and where to make future rent payments.
Ideally, the contract should include a clearly defined handover date.
The new agent can then begin monitoring rent payments from that point.
If there are already arrears when management transfers, the incoming agent should also receive an accurate rent statement and details of any previous action or correspondence.
Can I Transfer Several Properties at Once?
Yes, and this can actually be one of the biggest benefits of changing agents.
Some landlords gradually build portfolios that end up being managed by several different letting agents.
That can mean multiple statements, different payment dates, different maintenance procedures and separate points of contact.
Bringing properties under one management service can make the portfolio considerably easier to oversee.
For landlords looking to grow further, a single management system can also make adding future properties easier.
Will My Current Agent Make It Difficult to Leave?
A professional agent should deal with a management transfer professionally.
Ultimately, the management agreement between the landlord and agent governs the relationship.
That is why checking the termination provisions before starting the process matters.
If you’re considering moving, you can also speak to the proposed new agent first.
They can explain their onboarding process and what information they would need to take over the management.
What Should You Look for in a New Letting Agent?
Don’t choose your next managing agent purely on the lowest monthly management fee.
Consider the overall service.
Ask how maintenance is managed, how often properties can be inspected, how arrears are handled, how compliance is monitored and how easy it is to contact the team responsible for your property.
You should also understand exactly what is and isn’t included in the management fee.
Saving a small amount each month isn’t necessarily worthwhile if it results in significantly more work for you as the landlord.
Changing Letting Agents Across South Wales
At Conrad Estate Agents, lettings and property management are a major focus of our business.
We work with landlords across Barry, the Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and wider South Wales, from individual property owners through to landlords with established portfolios.
If you’re considering changing managing agents, we can discuss your existing arrangements and explain how a transfer to Conrad Estate Agents could work.
This includes landlords looking to move one property, several properties or an entire managed portfolio.
Thinking About Changing Your Letting Agent?
You don’t necessarily need to wait until your property becomes vacant.
Start by checking your existing management agreement and establishing the notice requirements that apply.
Then speak to our team about the management service you’re looking for and the process for transferring your property.
Contact Conrad Estate Agents to discuss transferring your rental property or portfolio to our property management service.
