Working with online letting agents
Online letting agents offer a different way to let a property. They usually work nationally, rely heavily on portals and digital tools, and often charge lower upfront fees than traditional high-street agents.
This guide looks at how online agent pricing works, what is and isn’t included, and when they can be a good fit for landlords.
What is an online letting agent?
Online letting agents typically operate without a traditional branch network. Most contact is via phone, email or online portals rather than face-to-face meetings.
Many offer fixed-price packages focused on marketing your property and handling enquiries, with optional bolt-ons for referencing, tenancy setup and sometimes ongoing management.
How online agent pricing works
Most online agents use either an upfront fixed fee or a pay-monthly model.
- Fixed packages that cover advertising and basic tenant-find services
- Optional add-ons for referencing, tenancy agreements and deposit registration
- Some offer pay-monthly plans that look more like traditional percentage fees
What’s usually included
- Advertising on major property portals
- Passing enquiries and viewing requests to you or conducting viewings by arrangement
- Basic referencing and tenancy paperwork, depending on the package chosen
What’s usually not included
- Ongoing day-to-day management and being the main contact for tenants
- Arranging routine maintenance and inspections
- Handling renewals, rent increases and serving notices (varies by provider)
In many cases, you remain responsible for most management tasks once the tenant has moved in.
Pros and cons for landlords
Pros
- Lower upfront costs than many traditional agents
- Flexible packages, so you only pay for what you use
- Appealing for hands-on landlords with time and experience
Cons
- More responsibility on you day-to-day
- Need to be confident about compliance and legal obligations
- Service quality and support can vary between providers
When an online agent can make sense
Online agents can work well if you live close to the property, are comfortable dealing with tenants directly and already have reliable tradespeople and systems in place.
They may also suit straightforward properties in strong rental markets where finding a tenant is relatively easy and ongoing management is predictable.
Comparing online and local agents with LetCompare
When you’re weighing up an online option against local full-management agents, it helps to look at the total cost over a typical tenancy alongside the level of support you’ll receive.
LetCompare lets you see typical fee levels from local agents so you can judge whether the saving from an online service is worth the extra work you’ll take on yourself.
Compare letting agent fees in my area