Your tenant has given notice. What comes next as a landlord?
We look at reviewing the rent, planning repairs, checking paperwork and timing your next letting to avoid unnecessary costs.
When a tenant gives notice, it’s tempting to get the property advertised again straight away. Nobody wants a gap in the rent. But before looking for the next tenant, it’s worth taking a step back. Is the rent still right? Does anything need doing? And how soon will the property realistically be ready?
Review the rent
The previous rent is a starting point, but it may no longer reflect the market. Equally, a higher figure you’ve seen advertised nearby doesn’t necessarily mean that property has let at that price.
Look at comparable homes, their condition and what tenants are actually agreeing to pay. An ambitious asking rent can cost more than it gains if the property sits empty.
For example, holding out for an extra £50 a month would bring in £600 over a year. A month without rent at £1,200 would cost twice that.
Use the gap sensibly
Between tenancies is often the easiest time to tackle repairs or decoration. That doesn’t mean replacing everything.
Deal with anything that affects safety or how the property functions first. Then look at the presentation. Marked walls, worn flooring or tired sealant can make a property feel less cared for, even when everything else is fine.
The aim is to make sensible improvements that help it let and reduce problems during the next tenancy.
Check the paperwork
Before the next tenancy starts, ask your agent to review the safety certificates, EPC, alarms and tenancy documents. It’s also worth checking that the inventory accurately records the property’s condition after any work.
Leaving these checks until a tenant is ready to move in can cause avoidable delays.
Agree a realistic timetable
You can plan marketing before the current tenant leaves, but access for photographs and viewings needs to be agreed with them. Allow time to check the property once it’s vacant, complete any work and prepare it for the next tenant. Promising a move-in date too early can put everyone under pressure.
A short, planned gap may be worthwhile if it means the property is ready and the next letting starts well. If your tenant has given notice, our lettings teams in Brighton & Hove, Shoreham by Sea and Lewes can help you review the rent, decide what needs doing and plan the next letting.
