Repairs are now a compliance risk: what the Renters’ Rights Act means for letting agents
With the Renters’ Rights Act now in force, much of the industry focus has been on tenancy reform. But for letting agents on the ground, a more immediate pressure point is emerging: repairs and maintenance are quickly becoming one of the biggest areas of compliance risk.
According to Taj Sohal, co-founder of Fiixit, an online platform that aims to streamline the repairs and maintenance process for landlords and lettings agents, this shift is already being felt across the industry.
“The new legislation is changing expectations on all sides,” he explains. “Thanks to widespread media commentary, tenants are becoming more aware of their rights and more confident in challenging issues, which means agents need to be far more structured in how they manage repairs.”
The new risk landscape for letting agents
The Renters’ Rights Act has introduced not just new rules, but new consequences. Landlords and agents now face fines for failing to meet obligations (including up to £7,000 for missing key documentation requirements), increased enforcement powers for local authorities, greater tenant access to dispute resolution and (soon) an Ombudsman.
For Taj, this fundamentally changes the role of the letting agent:
“Compliance has moved from being something you deal with in the background to something that is constantly under the spotlight. Every repair, every interaction and every delay matters. Savvy letting agents are realising that everything needs to be evidenced to mitigate risk.”
“It’s not just about fixing the problem anymore,” he continues. “It’s about how quickly you respond, how clearly you communicate and whether you can evidence every step of the process.”
In practice, delays are more likely to escalate, communication gaps can lead to complaints and a lack of clear records can leave agents exposed.
This shift is already being reflected at agency level. Wren Properties, a large independent letting agent managing over 650 properties, has adopted Fiixit to bring structure and visibility to its maintenance processes.
Rachel Wood explains:
“We’re a lettings specialist operating across south and central Manchester, managing over 650 properties through Fiixit. As both landlords and agents, we needed a simple, reliable way to track maintenance from start to finish, including photos, detailed reports and clear timelines.
Fiixit has transformed how we handle maintenance. Tenants can report issues at a time that suits them, often out of hours, and upload photos so contractors can assess problems before visiting. Every job is documented in a single, easy-to-access report, which we can download instantly when needed.
Our favourite features include the smart pre-reporting questions that guide tenants, the seamless process of assigning jobs to contractors and automated notifications that keep tenants informed of upcoming visits.
With increasing regulatory requirements around maintenance reporting, we’d strongly recommend it to any landlord or letting agent looking for a straightforward, compliant system.”
This real-world feedback highlights a clear shift across the sector: established, high-volume agents are moving away from fragmented communication and manual tracking, and towards centralised platforms that provide visibility, accountability and a full audit trail.
A system that makes compliance simple
For letting agents managing diverse and often complex property portfolios, this new environment demands more than reactive processes. Structured systems, clear evidence and accountability must become part of day to day operations.
Recognising this early, Taj and his business partner James Smith created Fiixit to simplify and document the repairs process.
Rather than adding another administrative layer, Fiixit provides a centralised platform that links agents, tenants and tradespeople while documenting the entire repair journey. Tenants log issues through a structured system and all parties can communicate easily within the platform.
Property managers can track progress through an accessible dashboard, reducing the need for constant email exchanges. Every action is recorded, creating a clear audit trail to show how and when repairs were managed and completed, offering protection and peace of mind to both landlords and agents.
Why systems matter more than ever
Many agencies still rely on emails, spreadsheets and informal messaging to manage maintenance. While this may have worked historically, it presents challenges in a more regulated environment.
“Most agents are working hard to deliver a good service,” continues Taj. “But without the right systems in place, it becomes difficult to demonstrate that if something is questioned.”
This is where Fiixit is helping agents adapt.
By centralising communication and tracking each stage of the repair process, Fiixit provides:
• full visibility across jobs
• a clear audit trail
• a more structured approach to managing maintenance
The upshot for letting agents is a stronger, more transparent proposition for landlords.
How letting agents can future-proof repair and compliance processes
Fiixit is built around clear advantages for agencies navigating the new regulatory landscape:
1. Competitive edge in a changing market
Fiixit gives agencies a centralised system for maintenance reporting, full visibility across portfolios and permanent, time stamped audit trails. Instead of simply managing repairs, agents can clearly demonstrate how they manage them, strengthening their pitch to landlords.
2. Efficiency that protects margin
By centralising reporting and progress tracking, Fiixit reduces time spent chasing contractors via emails and calls. It is quick, simple and easy to set up, allowing teams to go live almost immediately.
3. Reducing compliance risk
Under the Renters’ Rights Act and with increased Ombudsman oversight, agents must evidence when issues were reported, what action was taken, how quickly they were resolved and how tenants were kept informed.
Fiixit automatically creates a structured, time stamped record of the entire repair journey, strengthening an agent’s position in complaints, disputes and deposit discussions. This is further supported through its partnership with mydeposits, reinforcing the importance of clear documentation in achieving fair and transparent outcomes.
4. Clear, no risk value
Agencies can start with a three month free trial, free onboarding, no long term contracts and simple pricing with no hidden fees.
Smart property repairs and compliance
Book a demo at fiixit.co.uk and discover a system designed for managing repairs and compliance.
Trusted by established agents like Wren Properties, Fiixit has been built around real feedback from the industry and designed to be simple, reliable and genuinely useful day to day.
It is a straightforward solution that works.
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