As a landlord, choosing a letting agent can be tough. It’s a decision which needs careful consideration. In recent years, the rise in popularity of online letting agents has presented an alternative option for your portfolio. But which are best? We’ve done the research so you don’t have to. Here’s our guide to the best online letting agents.
What Are Online Letting Agents?
Online letting agents work in a similar way to traditional agencies but don’t have a physical high street presence. From advertising the property to photography and reference checking, most online agencies will deliver all the services required by landlords. They’re often cheaper and don’t come with as many fees (though these do vary from agency to agency).
So, what are the best online letting agents?
Note: All prices mentioned below are for the top/premium/fully managed packages, lower cost alternatives for hands-on landlords are also offered by all agencies featured.
In alphabetical order…
EasyProperty
From the team behind EasyJet, EasyProperty offers professional letting agency services for reasonable prices. Their Complete package includes everything you’ll need, from professional advert creation to the tenancy agreement.
Price: £299 (Complete Package) + costs for additional services.
I Am the Agent
Efficient, cost-effective and straightforward, I Am The Agent offers flexibility and simplicity to landlords. Their service allows you to choose what you’d like to receive as part of their package.
Price: £249 (The Whole Shebang Package) + costs for additional service.
LettingaProperty.com
LettingaProperty.com offers all the services of a high street agency but cheaper and with a self-proclaimed ‘higher service level’. In their Platinum package, the agency offers a guarantee that rent is paid on time every month (even if the tenant doesn’t). Home emergency cover with zero excess is also included in this package.
Price: £99 set up fee & £89 per month from collected rent (Platinum Package) + costs for additional services.
Make Ur Move
Make Ur Move offers a variety of lettings services, ‘from DIY to VIP’. You can easily upgrade your package at any time, to complement the level of service you require as a landlord.
Price: Dependent on inclusions/exclusions.
Mirus
Mirus utilises the skills and expertise of their consultants to offer an ‘unrivalled professional experience’. With a real emphasis on instilling trust and confidence in landlords, this service is driven forward by a highly experienced team.
Price: £99+VAT (Mirus Two).
My Online Estate Agent
My Online Estate Agent claim to work exactly like the best high street lettings agent but charge a fraction of the price. The site claims to achieve an average of 21 enquiries from interested tenants per property.
Price: £199 (Essentials Plus) + costs for additional services.
No Agent
No Agent is a platform designed by landlords for landlords. They describe themselves as ‘the 21st Century upgrade to landlording you’ve been waiting for’. They offer full property management for a fixed fee, ideal for those seeking a low maintenance rental process.
Price: £45 per month in London, £35 per month everywhere else + costs for additional services.
OpenRent
OpenRent is an online agency designed for optimum efficiency while maintaining quality and security. With transparent and easy-to-understand packages, this is a platform designed to take the stress from a notoriously painful process.
Price: £49 (Advertising & Rent Now Package) + costs for additional services.
Pad
Pad is the UK’s first fully mobile lettings agent. Their tenants verify, offer, sign and pay with the click of a button. They claim to be the lowest cost lettings service and will make you the highest return. They pride themselves on their tech and logistics which gives them an edge on the competition. They currently operate in London, listing properties for 1 – 12 month assured tenancies.
Price: £399 (AST Viewing Package), £199 per room (HMO Viewing Package).
Portico Direct
Portico Direct is an online letting agent that enables landlords to advertise directly on Rightmove and Zoopla without using a traditional estate agent. Their newly developed service is available throughout the UK, and listing on the major portals costs from just £1.
Price: £1 to list the property on Rightmove and Zoopla. Optional extras are £20 for a tenancy agreement, £20 for referencing, £20 for deposit registration.
Purple Bricks
Whether you want to manage your portfolio hands-on or leave the fuss to the agency, Purple Bricks can help. Arguably one of the largest names in the industry right now, this is an online letting agency that’s tried and tested by landlords up and down the country.
Price: Contact for a free no-obligation valuation.
Rentround
Rentround compare letting agent fees & ratings in your area and reduce rental costs for your property. We compare insurance, energy bills, mortgages… and now letting agents.
Rentify
Rentify offers an intriguing offer to landlords. They remove any possibility of voids, arrears or repair costs. The agency will inspect your property and make a rent offer. Once this is agreed, they guarantee rent payment for three years. You leave the rest up to them. This system offers complete security and alleviation of hassle.
Price: On consultation.
Rentlord
Rentlord is an online platform designed for helping self-managing landlords. This allows landlords to manage their portfolio entirely online. This makes the admin and legal work of landlords much easier and stress-free.
Price: £14.99 per month (Premium Plan).
Rent My Home
Rent My Home looks to create a speedy and effective letting process for landlords. They put a large emphasis on transparency, creating a clear and honest package for landlords.
Price: Dependant on package inclusions.
The Online Letting Agents
The Online Letting Agents claim to work differently to other online letting agents. Before sending a lead to a landlord, they get further information from the viewer to ensure that they will be a suitable prospective tenant, saving the landlord time and effort. They also regularly review online advertisements to ensure its always performing its best. Currently, The Online Letting Agents are the highest rated online letting agent on Trustpilot in the categories of property, property leasing agent, property rental agent and estate agent categories.
Price: Tenant find from £89, Property management from £30 per month (set up fee applies)
Upad
The UK’s largest online letting agent. Upad allows landlords to pick and choose the services they want included in the package. When you work with Upad, your property will be advertised to over 10 million potential tenants through sites like Rightmove, Zoopla and prime Location.
Price: £399 (Complete Package).
Urban.co.uk
Described by The Sunday Times as ‘one of the top online agents’ and a winner at the Landlord & Letting Awards 2016/2017, Urban.co.uk comes highly recommended. The agency are proud of their reputation and consistently receive high praise from their customers.
Price: £399+VAT & £79 per month (Full Management Package).
Visum
Operating since 2004, Visum is the UK’s oldest online letting and estate agent. With a track record of working with over 30,000 properties, Visum pride themselves on their rich experience in the industry. The site has been conceived by genuine landlords and estate agents who are able to offer expert help with the process.
Price: £79 (Plus Advertising 3 Month Package) + costs for additional services.
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Last month we brought you an article about the 10 cheapest places to rent in the UK. In case you want to flash the cash and live in one of the country’s more pricey regions, we’ve brought you a list of the 10 most expensive places to rent in the UK. This list is done slightly different to the last. Firstly, we’ve considered London as a collective whole. If we didn’t do this, the majority of our list would be full of London boroughs. This research comes from numerous sources including Rightmove, Love Money and the BBC.
10. Bushey, Hertfordshire
The small Hertfordshire town of Bushey may be tranquil but it’s also pretty pricey too. The average asking price of a two bedroom property in this peaceful part of the country comes at a stomach churning £1,330 per month. The town’s close proximity to numerous film studios (Elstree and Borehamwood) has led it to be the backdrop for many film and TV scenes.
9. Windsor, Berkshire
Quaint, historic, royal and of course bloated with tourists, Windsor was guaranteed to feature on the list. Boasting the largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world, Windsor also offers beautiful Thames-side walks, picnic spots and shopping. Oh we’re not done yet. Windsor is also the home of Legoland and the Royal Windsor Racecourse. All this makes for a vibrant town but also one which doesn’t come cheap. A two-bedroom property will come to an average of £1,351 per month.
8. Egham, Surrey
Sitting in the North East of Surrey, Egham is famously the site where the Magna Carta was sealed in 1215. Considered a university town, Egham is home to the campus of Royal Holloway, University of London. For the steep average price of £1,353 you can get a two bedroom property in this historic town.
7. Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Recently voted by The Times as one of the best places to live in the English Countryside, Henley-on-Thames is renowned for its spectacular beauty and serene riverside location. Not only is it a place of beauty, it’s vibrant too. The Henley Royal Regatta is the world’s greatest rowing spectacle and has been cemented as such over its 175 year history. The average price of a two bedroom property here is £1,385 per month making it seventh on our list.
6. Ascot, Berkshire
For an average of £1,412 per month, you can rent a two bedroom property in Ascot, a deeply affluent town in East Berkshire. Only a stone’s throw from Windsor, the town is most commonly known as the location of Ascot Racecourse.
5. Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Marlow is a small but deeply alluring town alongside the River Thames. Surrounded by meadows and woodland, it’s home to historic streets of Georgian architecture. With plenty of chain and independent places to eat and drink, you won’t go without. It’s also one of the most expensive locations to rent in the UK, a two bedroom property will set you back £1,424 per month.
4. Weybridge, Surrey
A two bedroom property will cost an average of £1,446 per month in Weybridge and it’s no surprise. The Georgian town is stooped in history and is certainly pleasing to look at. There’s a strong community feel to the area which is seen as a large draw to outsiders.
3. Oxford, Oxfordshire
Dubbed as the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’, Oxford boasts 1,500 listed buildings from all major periods from the 11th Century onwards. Renowned for its attractive streets, it’s most famous attraction is the world renowned University of Oxford. Easily accessed by train from London and Birmingham, the city offers excellent transport routes. A two bedroom property is likely to cost around £1,612 per month.
2. Esher, Surrey
Sitting 14 miles South-West of London, Esher is a commuter town that’s blown up in popularity. With excellent comprehensive schools, royal residences and private estates, Esher is the perfect upper class hideaway. The demand for properties is said to be so high that homes are often sold before being advertised. If you can find one available, a two bedroom property will set you back £1,913 per month.
1. London
Of course London comes first on this list. Could it really be anywhere else? The problem with discussing London in this list is that its boroughs differ so greatly. Now we’ve been talking about two bedroom properties for every other place on this list. In some areas of London, the average one bedroom flat greatly exceeds these figures. In Kensington and Chelsea a one bed will set you back around £2,134 a month which can be compared to the cheapest borough in London where the same size property would be around £1,341pcm. Eye-watering prices which aren’t necessarily in keeping with the extra income a London job offers.
So there you have it, the ten most expensive places to rent in the UK. If you’re looking to rent or let, remove the stress of inventories and deposit disputes. Take a look at No Letting Go’s inventory services to find out exactly how we can help ease the process.