LANDLORDS TO STAND BY AGENTS IN WAKE OF TENANT FEES BAN

The majority of landlords (71 per cent)  who use a letting agent will continue to do so even if they see their premiums rise following a ban on tenant fees, according to a recent survey.*

The research, from UKALA, shows that eight in ten landlords (79 per cent) think their letting agent will increase their fees as a result of the proposal to ban charges to tenants, as announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last year. However, just nine per cent of landlords say they will part ways with their agent if their premiums rise.

The ban is criticised by UKALA who argue that affordability in the private-rented sector cannot be addressed by preventing agents from charging for legitimate business services, and that the costs will eventually be passed on to tenants in the long-term.

In response to a potential increase in agent fees following a ban, the research shows:

  • 40 per cent of landlords said they would increase rents to cover the cost
  • 22 per cent said they would look to shop around for a better deal
  • 13 per cent would attempt to negotiate or refuse to pay
  • 9 per cent would pay the additional fees
  • 9 per cent would leave their agent
  • 7 per cent were unsure

The findings contrast with recent research from UKALA which showed that almost half of landlords (47 per cent) would forego the services of their letting agent if their profits fall following the changes to landlord taxation from April (2017).

Both sets of research were undertaken by UKALA in conjunction with the National Landlords Association (NLA), in order to better understand the impact that recent government policy decisions will have on the professional lettings sector.

Richard Price, Executive Director of UKALA, said:

“UKALA agents strive to provide a premium service which represents excellent value for money, but the ban on tenant fees could leave hundreds of professional businesses with no other option than to increase fees for their landlord clients.

“This research is reassuring for agents in some ways as it shows the majority of landlords will retain their services even if they have to pay more – which is testament to the essential role that agents play.

“However, one in ten landlords say they will turn their back on their agents if fees are passed on, and our previous research shows that a significant number will do the same if the impending tax changes take hold and erode their profits.

“It leaves a tricky path ahead to navigate for agents as they’ll need to balance out the need to cover their costs in the wake of a ban on tenant fees without alienating their primary customers and source of income”.

Breaking News shared by: Sam Haidar sam.haidar@landlords.org.uk

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Home and Living

Kitchen Trade Expert Shares Five Benefits of Fully Assembled Units

The UK kitchen and bedroom fitting sector is currently facing a number of challenges. The UK Trade Skills Index 2023 report revealed that 937,000 new workers will be needed in the construction and trade industries by 2032 to meet the demands of the sector, impacted by the widening skills loss posed by Brexit, an ageing…
Read More
Breaking News

Why are HMO numbers falling?

The latest research from COHO, the HMO management platform, reveals that despite little change in tenant demand, house share availability has dropped by almost -60% in some parts of England, raising the question of whether we’re seeing an HMO landlord exodus. COHO’s analysis of house share listings data* shows that in England, the number of…
Read More
Breaking News

Only 27% of homes have been fixed in a £1.8bn Govt programme

Report shows only 27% of homes have been fixed in a £1.8bn Govt programme, as red tape and asbestos keep thousands in the cold Thousands of homes will face another winter of fuel poverty due to a raft of failures as scheme to fix them hits buffers Hundreds of millions of pounds of allocated grant…
Read More
Breaking News

UK House Price Index for July 2025

The latest index shows that: – The average monthly rate of house price growth in July was +0.3%. The average annual rate of house price growth in July was +2.8%, down slightly from +3.6% in June. As a result, the average UK house price sits at £269,735.   Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von…
Read More
Breaking News

ONS House Price Index – Thoughts from the Industry

Thoughts from the Industry about the latest ONS House Price Index. Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark: “It is positive to see the housing market progressing forward in strength. As we move towards the autumn months, hopefully this momentum will continue. “There continues to be two factors that may weigh heavily on consumers’ minds as they…
Read More
Overseas Property

European capitals hold £76bn worth of property potential

The latest market insight from international property consultancy, Astons, reveals that across seven major European capital cities for property investment activity, the current market holds £75.8bn worth of opportunities. Astons has analysed the current property markets in seven major European capital cities* to see which have the most residential listings and therefore offer the greatest…
Read More