Scope: UK; letting requirements differ by nation. Use current official guidance and qualified advice for decisions involving finance, tax or legal rights.
Decide what you want delegated
List the tasks you would otherwise need to handle: marketing, enquiries, arranging checks, collecting rent, reporting repairs and keeping records. Different service levels cover different parts of the work. A “management” label is not enough to establish exactly what will be done.
Ask about the everyday process
Find out how tenants report problems, who assesses urgency and how you are informed. Ask what spending can be authorised without contacting you and how contractor selection works. Agree escalation arrangements for situations that need a prompt decision when you are unavailable.
Read the fees in context
Request the full schedule, including services outside the main fee, renewal or ending provisions and any charges related to arranging work. Ask how statements are supplied and what records you can access. Compare total likely costs under the same example rather than treating one headline percentage as the whole price.
Check responsibilities and local knowledge
- Which legal and safety tasks are included in the service?
- What remains your responsibility as the owner?
- How are relevant changes in local or national requirements communicated?
- What professional memberships, protections or complaint routes apply?
- How are keys, documents and funds handled?
Verify claims that matter to your decision through the relevant organisation rather than relying only on a logo in a proposal.
Put the agreement to work
Read the written terms before appointing the agent and ask about anything inconsistent with the sales conversation. Using an agent does not automatically remove every landlord responsibility. Make sure you know what information you must provide, what decisions remain yours and how the arrangement can be reviewed or ended.