THE PROPERTY FILTER TAKE
The date that matters is 1 May 2026, when the Renters' Rights Act changes took effect in England, and a quarter of landlords now report higher letting agent fees since then.
Half of those landlords also report a heavier compliance workload, so the fee rise is arriving on top of more of your own admin, not instead of it.
Consider asking your agent for a written breakdown of any increase and the specific extra work it covers, ahead of your next renewal date.
A quarter of landlords say their letting agent fees have gone up since the Renters' Rights Act took effect, according to The Negotiator (26 August 2026). The changes took effect on 1 May 2026 and apply only to private landlords with rental properties in England, per government guidance for private landlords. Half of the landlords surveyed also report a heavier compliance workload.
Why are letting agents charging landlords more?
The figures come from responses from almost 250 landlords, reported by The Negotiator on 26 August 2026. Half had noticed an increased compliance burden, with a further 29% affected by higher compliance and insurance costs. Separately, 10% reported longer void periods (the gaps between tenancies when no rent is coming in).
Two in five landlords said they had adopted more cautious tenant vetting, and 9% are investing more in tenant retention (The Negotiator, 26 August 2026). Both responses take time, and that time is part of what agents are now pricing in. Our business and systems hub covers how landlords systemise recurring admin of this kind.
Those costs land in the same place: your rental margin. A fee increase and a longer void in the same year can quietly break a deal that worked on paper. You may wish to rerun the numbers on our free rental stress test calculator before agreeing a new management contract. It checks whether the rent still covers the mortgage under a stressed rate.
Who does the Renters' Rights Act apply to?
It covers private landlords with rental properties in England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own separate rental regimes, so these England figures do not read across to a portfolio held elsewhere. Our property investment strategies hub looks at how regional rules shape a buying plan.
The reforms abolished no-fault evictions (the route that let a landlord take back a property without giving a reason). Landlords must now issue a section 8 notice, a possession notice stating a valid legal reason, to take possession (The Negotiator, 26 August 2026). That shift is the paperwork agents say they are charging for. To see the process set out in plain terms, start with our free property resources.
Access note: Letting Agent Today's August 2026 report on this poll was not reachable at the time of writing. Every figure above is attributed to The Negotiator's coverage of the same research.
Key takeaways
A quarter of landlords report higher letting agent fees since the Renters' Rights Act took effect (The Negotiator, 26 August 2026).
Half report a heavier compliance workload, and 29% report higher compliance and insurance costs.
The changes took effect on 1 May 2026 and apply to private landlords with rental properties in England only.
10% of landlords report longer void periods, which cuts rental income separately from any fee rise.
The research is based on responses from almost 250 landlords, so treat it as a directional signal rather than a market-wide count.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Renters' Rights Act take effect?
Does the Renters' Rights Act apply outside England?
How many landlords are seeing higher agent fees?
What can I ask my agent about a fee increase?
