Repairs remain your call
You retain decisions about repairs and who does the work. Necessary costs remain yours; arrangements for urgent or overdue work should be checked against the agreement.
A clear-eyed comparison · London
Why London landlords are leaving traditional agents.
Not every landlord wants the same arrangement. Compare the moving parts — who pays you, when, what they take on, and what remains yours — before deciding.
THREE WAYS TO LET
Different models. Different exposure.
An agent provides a service around your tenancy. Self-management gives you direct control and work. CHX proposes a commercial agreement for a fixed owner payment.
| What to compare | CHX | Traditional letting agent | Self-management |
|---|---|---|---|
| First payment timing | Offer in under an hour after details and photos. First payment follows acceptance, onboarding, property checks and handover sign-off; activation periods and bank receipt times vary. | Depends on the renter’s move-in, rent due date, collection cycle and the agency’s remittance process. Check the proposed timeline in the agency terms. | Usually tied to the tenancy’s rent due date and renter’s payment. Collection and transfer timing are yours to manage. |
| Income certainty | Agreed owner payments are not reduced by ordinary vacancies or renter arrears. | Rent is owed under the tenancy; a void or arrears may affect receipts. Any rent protection depends on the policy and terms you choose. | Rent is owed under the tenancy; a void or arrears may affect receipts. You handle collection and any recovery process. |
| Fees and net income | Your personalised offer may include a fee. Check the payment after that fee plus your repair, insurance, licence and compliance costs. | Fees and included services depend on provider, instruction and contract. Review the full schedule, additional charges and any optional cover. | No agent management charge, but advertising, compliance, contractor and your own time costs still matter. There is no universal “free” comparison. |
| Property improvements | Any improvement, who funds it and whether it is required are agreed upfront. Owner obligations and agreed costs remain in the written terms. | Advice or project coordination may be available depending on the agent and service. The owner generally decides and funds work unless otherwise agreed. | You choose, organise and fund improvements directly, with responsibility for required standards and compliance. |
| Renter assessment | CHX selects renters. Its approach includes rent payment history, bank transaction analysis and risk modelling; this does not mean a verified universal Open Banking product. | Referencing methods, eligibility criteria and guarantees vary by agent and selected service. Ask what checks are carried out and what they do not establish. | You choose checks and assess applications, while complying with applicable law and handling personal information appropriately. |
| Admin and renter contact | CHX takes on rental operations and renter contact under the arrangement. You retain ownership and repair decisions; owner compliance duties remain yours. | Management scope varies: confirm who handles viewings, collection, maintenance calls, renewals and legal administration. | You coordinate advertising, viewings, renter messages, paperwork, collection and the practical work of letting. |
No fee percentage or timing is universal across agents or self-managed lettings. Compare current written terms for the exact home and service.
ONE ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
See the arithmetic, not a promise.
The figures below come from CHX’s published illustrative case story: a three-bedroom Battersea flat, showing £1,860 before and £2,700 with CHX. That is a difference of £840 a month, or £10,080 over twelve months, on those stated figures.
This is an illustration, not a verified or typical customer result. It is not a forecast for your property or a comparison of like-for-like costs. The story also describes a furnished arrangement; property-specific improvements and funding are agreed upfront. Images are visualisations.
Your personalised offer may include a fee, and your repair, insurance, licence and compliance costs remain yours. Compare your own current net receipts with the terms of an actual offer.
BEFORE£1,860per month
WITH CHX£2,700per month
+£840monthly difference · £10,080 annualised
Before · visualisationAfter · visualisation
WHAT THE LANDLORD CONTROLS
Less rental admin is not less ownership.
A fixed owner payment does not turn repair, statutory compliance or maintenance costs into somebody else’s responsibility.
Costs need a net view
Compare the actual offer after any fee, repairs, insurance, licences and compliance costs with the services you would otherwise buy or perform.
Check dates and conditions
Ask when the agreement starts paying, whether an activation period is unpaid, what handover sign-off means and which conditions apply throughout the term.
A fair decision is specific to the home. Review the signed terms, property condition, target rental model and the time you want to spend operating the tenancy.
Get a property-specific offerA PRACTICAL DECISION CHECKLIST
Six questions before you switch.
Ask each provider the same questions, then compare the written answer rather than relying on a headline estimate.
What reaches my account? Compare after fees and owner costs, not just the quoted rent or payment.
When does the first payment start? Confirm move-in or handover milestones, activation, due dates and bank processing.
Who handles each task? List viewings, rent collection, renter contact, repairs, compliance checks and contractor access.
Who bears which risk? Read what happens with vacancy, arrears, damage, major repairs, payment failure and early termination.
What happens to improvements? Confirm scope, funding, ownership and any required works before you commit.
Can the property support the proposed model? Consider location, layout, suitability for optimal residential rental models and any licences or standards that apply.
COMPARE YOUR PROPERTY
Start with an offer you can inspect.
Share property details and photos. Review the payment, fees and conditions before deciding.