Letting agent fees are one of the most asked, and least clearly answered, questions from landlords weighing up whether to use an agent at all. Fees in England aren't regulated or capped for landlords, which means every agent sets its own structure, and headline rates rarely tell the whole story. Here's what's actually typical across the UK market, what tends to get added on top that agents don't always volunteer upfront, and exactly what we charge, with nothing held back.
What Letting Agents Typically Charge
Fees usually fall into three tiers, and it's worth knowing all three even if you only end up wanting one:
- Tenant-find only: typically one month's rent, or somewhere between 8% and 12% of the first year's rent, as a one-off fee. You find and reference the tenant with the agent's help, then manage everything yourself from there.
- Rent collection: usually 5% to 10% of monthly rent, on top of tenant-find, covering ongoing rent chasing but not much else.
- Full management: the most common service, typically 8% to 15% of monthly rent plus VAT across most UK regions, though it can run higher, up to 20%, in London and some higher-demand areas.
VAT on Top of the Headline Rate
Most agents are VAT registered, and standard practice is to quote fees plus VAT, so a headline 12% management fee is quoted as "12% + VAT," working out at 14.4% once VAT is added. Landlords weighing up different agents are generally aware of this, it's simply worth checking whether a specific quote you've been given is already inclusive of VAT or not, so you're comparing like for like.
The Extras That Often Aren't in the Headline Figure
Beyond the core percentage, it's common for agents to charge separately for things landlords don't always expect:
Setup or Onboarding Fees
Typically £100 to £300 when a new property first comes onto an agent's books.
Tenancy Renewal Fees
Historically around £300 a year, though less relevant now periodic tenancies have replaced fixed-term renewals.
Section 8 / Section 13 Notice Fees
Some agents charge £150 to £750 to prepare a possession notice or a rent increase notice correctly.
Inventory & Check-Out Reports
A common separate charge at the start and end of a tenancy.
Maintenance & Contractor Mark-Ups
An added percentage on top of repair invoices, sometimes applied to every job regardless of size.
Fees During Void Periods
Some agents still charge management fees when there's no tenant and no rent being collected, worth asking about directly.
None of this makes an agent dishonest, these are legitimate costs for real work. But they add up, and they're not always visible in the number an agent leads with.
What We Actually Charge, in Full
Rather than a headline percentage that hides the rest, here's our full fee structure exactly as it stands:
- Letting fee: £390 upfront for a new managed property, £290 for a relet on a property we already manage
- Management fee: 10% of monthly rent, with no VAT added, since WG Property isn't VAT registered, so the 10% you see is the 10% you pay
- Gas safety certificate and service, including arrangement: £90
- EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report), including arrangement: £170
- EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), including arrangement: £90
- Annual rent review: £30
- Section 8 notice preparation and service: £60
- Deposit dispute preparation: £60, covering TDS adjudication evidence and submission
- Maintenance and contractor work: no mark-up on jobs under £500, so the vast majority of routine repairs are passed through at cost
That's the complete list. No setup fee, no renewal fee, no charge during void periods, no mark-up on maintenance under £500, and no VAT on top to catch you out later. Our Section 8 fee of £60 also sits well below the £150 to £750 some agents charge for the same notice.
What to Actually Ask Any Agent You're Comparing
Whichever agent you're considering, a few direct questions will tell you more than any headline percentage:
- Is that fee quoted inclusive or exclusive of VAT?
- What's charged for a Section 8 or Section 13 notice, and is that included or extra?
- Is there a fee during void periods when there's no tenant in place?
- What's charged for a new tenancy setup, and is there a separate renewal fee?
- Is there a mark-up on maintenance and contractor work, and if so, at what threshold?
- Can I see a full, written fee schedule covering every possible charge, not just the headline rate?
A good agent should be able to answer all of these clearly and immediately. If the answer is vague, or the fee schedule only appears after you've asked more than once, that's worth factoring into the decision as much as the headline number itself.
If you'd like to see exactly how our fees compare for your specific property, we're happy to talk it through with no obligation.
Fee ranges referenced in this article reflect typical UK market rates reported in industry guides current as of 2026 and are provided for general comparison. WG Property is an independent letting agency based in Hull, managing properties across all HU postcodes and the wider East Yorkshire area.