Switching agents
How do I switch letting agents?
Last updated 4 July 2026 · Reviewed by Nick Thorpe, founder
The short answer
Check the notice period in your current agent's terms of business, give written notice, then let the new agent run the handover: deposits, keys, tenancy documents and compliance certificates. Tenants stay put and barely notice. With Livdin the switch takes about a month from notice to full handover and costs nothing.
Switching letting agents sounds like a house move. It is closer to changing your energy supplier: one letter, one signature, and someone else does the carrying. Here is how it works, what to check before you give notice, and where the catches hide.
What are the steps to switch letting agents?
Five steps, and the new agent should do most of the work. This is how it runs when landlords switch to us:
- Check your current agreement. Dig out the terms of business you signed. Look for the notice period, how notice must be given (usually in writing) and any clauses about fees on the way out.
- Give written notice. An email or letter to your current agent, and keep a copy. If you would rather not have that conversation, we will draft it for you.
- Instruct the new agent. Sign the new terms and agree the handover date. From this point Livdin deals with your old agent directly.
- Handover. Keys, tenancy agreements, deposit details, gas safety certificate, EICR, EPC, inventory and tenant contact details all move across. We chase the lot, so you are not stuck in the middle.
- Tenants are told. A short note explaining who now manages the property, how to pay rent and how to report repairs. Rent flows to the new account from the next payment.
That is the whole job. With our switch service, the only things we need from you are the notice and a signature.
How much notice do I need to give my current agent?
Whatever your terms of business say, and nothing more. Notice periods vary from agent to agent, so the agreement you signed is the only place worth looking. Some agreements let you leave on short written notice, some run to the end of the current fixed term, and a few try to tie you in beyond it. If you cannot find your copy, ask the agent to send one. If the wording is unclear, send it to us and we will read it with you before you commit to anything.
What exit fees should I ask about?
Ask before you give notice, in writing, because a written answer gives you something to hold them to. Fees vary too much between agents to generalise, so put these questions to your current agent:
- Is there a fixed exit or withdrawal fee for ending the agreement?
- Do you charge to release keys, certificates or the tenancy file?
- Do you claim commission for the remainder of the current tenancy, or on renewals after I leave?
- Is anything owed for work already started, such as a re-let in progress?
If a clause looks heavy handed, it may still be worth paying to leave. A poor agent tends to cost more over time, in empty weeks and missed compliance dates, than most exit fees do. Weigh the one-off charge against what staying is costing you.
What happens to my tenants and the deposit?
Your tenants stay exactly where they are. The tenancy agreement is between you and them, not the agent, so switching changes nothing about their home, their rent or their rights. In practice they barely notice, beyond a new name on the emails and a better answer when something breaks.
The deposit moves with the property. Deposits on assured shorthold tenancies must be held in a government approved protection scheme by law, and we register deposits with the DPS and confirm the tenant receives the updated details. Rules on deposits and tenancy paperwork change from time to time, so we confirm the current requirements on every property we take on.
How long does switching take, and what does it cost?
About a month from notice to full handover, and with Livdin it costs nothing. Most of that month is your old agent’s notice period; the handover itself is quick once the documents start moving. Your current agent may charge whatever their agreement allows, which is why the questions above matter, but there is no Livdin charge for switching, no setup fee and no charge for the handover work.
After that, ongoing management is 10% of monthly rent plus VAT for single lets and 12% plus VAT for HMOs, with the full schedule published on our fees page and maintenance always at contractor cost with no markup. What the fee actually buys is set out on our property management page.
If you have been putting this off because it feels like hassle, that is the main thing to know: the hassle is ours. Tell us the property and who currently manages it, and we will take it from there.