Hi all!

I’m a London landlord and have been using Urban Spaces (full management) for a couple of years. My current tenant isn’t renewing, so I’m at a crossroads:

• Option 1: Continue with a management agency and pay the ongoing fees.
• Option 2: Take it into my own hands and save the fees.

A few things about my situation:

• I’m not very experienced with the legal side or the London rental market.
• My available time for active management is limited.
• I’ve heard that once things are set up with a good tenant, the process can run fairly smoothly without much intervention.

However, the upcoming Renter’s Reform Bill seems like it’s bringing some big changes — possibly more compliance, paperwork, and complexity for landlords. From what I’ve read, it almost feels like it might “push” more landlords to work with agencies.

Questions:

• For those who self-manage, do you think the new bill will make it significantly harder or riskier for landlords without legal expertise?
• Are there hidden time or cost drains that first-time self-managing landlords should expect?
• With the reform in mind, is saving the management fee worth the trade-off in hassle?

Would appreciate any insight or experiences, especially from London-based landlords or anyone who’s already navigating the upcoming changes.

Thanks in advance!