Tenant Find vs Fully Managed: Which Letting Service Is Right for You?

What tenant find includes

With a tenant find service, the agent handles the letting process and then steps back. That usually includes:

• Valuing the rent and advising on how to present the property.
• Marketing on the major property portals, plus photos and listing details.
• Viewings and handling enquiries.
• Referencing applicants, including affordability and Right to Rent checks.
• Setting up the tenancy, with written terms and, often, deposit protection.

Once the tenant moves in, you take over: collecting rent, arranging repairs, renewing safety certificates and dealing with any problems. It's usually a one-off fee, which as a guide is often around half to one month's rent plus VAT.

What full management includes

Full management covers everything in tenant find, then runs the tenancy for its whole life. Typically that means:

• Collecting the rent each month and chasing arrears.
• Handling repairs and maintenance, arranging contractors and dealing with emergencies.
• Regular inspections and reports on the property's condition.
• Compliance, including gas safety records, electrical reports and EPCs.
• Legal notices, such as rent increases and possession notices.
• The end of the tenancy, including check-out and the deposit.

As a guide, full management commonly costs around 10% to 15% of the monthly rent plus VAT, often with an initial set-up fee. Check exactly what's included, as some agents charge extra for certain tasks.

When tenant find makes sense

Tenant find is often a good fit if you:

• Live close to the property and can deal with repairs quickly.
• Have time to handle tenant calls and arrange tradespeople.
• Know the rules, including rent increases, deposit protection and safety checks.
• Want to keep costs down, especially on a single property.

The trade-off is that the responsibility and the admin sit with you. Since the Renters' Rights Act, mistakes in paperwork matter more, for example an invalid rent increase notice or an unprotected deposit can block possession later.

When full management makes sense

Full management is often the better choice if you:

• Live some distance away, or abroad.
• Let more than one property, where the admin multiplies.
• Are letting for the first time and want an expert handling compliance.
• Value your time more than the fee, or don't want calls about repairs.

It costs more, but a good agent can reduce empty periods, catch problems early through inspections and keep certificates and notices up to date, which protects your income and your ability to regain possession if you need to.

Rent collection: the middle option

Rent collection is the middle ground. The agent finds the tenant and collects the rent each month, chases any arrears and sends you statements, while you look after repairs, inspections and tenant queries. As a guide, it often costs around 5% to 10% of the rent plus VAT.

It suits landlords who are happy to manage the property but want a professional handling payments and arrears. Our guide to letting agent fees explains each level's costs in more detail.

Your legal duties stay with you

Whichever service you choose, the legal duties stay with you as the landlord. You're responsible for protecting the deposit, providing safety certificates, meeting the EPC standard and registering on the national landlord database from December 2026, even if your agent does the work.

That's why it pays to choose an agent carefully, check what they'll handle on your behalf, and keep copies of key documents yourself. Our guide on how to compare letting agents covers the checks worth making before you sign.

The bottom line

Tenant find suits hands-on landlords who live nearby and know the rules; full management suits landlords who want the tenancy run for them, live further away or let more than one home. Rent collection sits in between. Whichever you lean towards, compare written quotes for the same service level. To see what's available for your property, find a letting agent near you and get a free rental valuation.

This guide is general information as of October 2026. Fee ranges are indicative only.