A letting-agent proposal may quote a management percentage and still contain other charges. Before signing, identify what each fee buys, what triggers it and whether it is compulsory. The useful comparison is the complete service and likely total, not the smallest number on the first page.
Ask for a written schedule of charges and the agency agreement. Mark the core service, optional services and charges linked to particular events. Examples to ask about include arranging works, inspections, inventories, compliance administration and ending the instruction. Their presence and wording depend on the actual offer.
For each item, establish whether the quoted amount includes VAT and whether it is fixed, percentage-based or passed through from another provider. Ask who performs the work and whether a separate contractor invoice will follow. A service label alone does not explain the total cost.
Clarify authority to spend. Agree what the agent can instruct without further approval, how urgent work is handled and what supporting records will be supplied. The arrangement should allow appropriate action while making ordinary expenditure understandable and accountable.
Read the exit and continuing-fee terms carefully. Ask what happens if the tenant stays after the management instruction ends or if the property is sold. Obtain independent advice where a clause is unclear. Do not assume a term is enforceable or unenforceable merely because it appears in a standard contract.
Official guidance explains the redress-scheme requirement for letting agents and property managers in England. Confirm the agent’s applicable scheme and complaints process. That route is separate from understanding the agreement before signing, so keep both the contract and service correspondence accessible.
When comparing agents, price a realistic year using the same assumptions for each proposal. Include the services you expect to need and note the uncertain items. This checklist replaces a historic warning about a particular fee with a practical method for deciding what the current contract actually requires and whether the service suits the property.
Source and further reading: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lettings-agents-and-property-managers-redress-schemes