How to manage a London rental flat while living abroad: your options
You've moved to Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong or New York and kept your London flat. Here are the realistic ways to run it from abroad, what each costs, and the basics that apply whichever you choose.
In short
- Full management by a high-street agent is the default: hands-off, but typically 12–18% of the rent including VAT, plus extras.
- Let-only plus managing it yourself is the cheapest, but repairs and emergencies land on you, often at night your time.
- Online and hybrid agents cost less, but check what's actually included and who turns up when something breaks.
- A friend or family member works until something goes wrong. Formal duties still apply.
- A flat-fee service built for owners abroad is a newer option. Flatward is one, currently in development at a planned £149 a month.
1. Full management by a traditional agent
The agent finds and references tenants, collects rent, arranges repairs, handles compliance and deals with the tenant day to day.
- Cost: usually 10–15% of the rent plus VAT (12–18% in total), more in prime central London, plus tenant-find, inventory and other fees. On a £2,500 a month flat at 15% + VAT, that's £5,400 a year. See what agents really charge.
- Works well when: you want to be entirely hands-off and the agent is good.
- Watch for: contact in UK hours only, repairs approved without your input, marked-up contractor invoices, and fees for "renewals" on tenancies that are now periodic.
2. Let-only, then manage it yourself
An agent finds the tenant for a one-off fee, and you handle everything after that.
- Cost: a one-off fee, often several weeks' rent, plus your time.
- Works well when: the flat is new or recently refurbished, the tenant is reliable, and you have trusted tradespeople in London.
- Watch for: emergencies at 3am your time, gas and electrical safety deadlines, deposit rules, the Renters' Rights Act, and having no one in London to give access.
3. Online or hybrid agents
Lower fixed or percentage fees, with most of the work done online and local agents or contractors for visits.
- Cost: lower than a high-street agent, but packages vary widely.
- Watch for: what's included (inspections, repairs coordination, compliance), out-of-hours cover, and whether you can approve spending from abroad.
4. A friend or family member
- Cost: often nothing, apart from goodwill.
- Watch for: legal duties are still yours as the landlord (safety certificates, deposit protection, Right to Rent, Renters' Rights Act rules). Tax still has to run through the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme, and the tenant may have to deduct tax if rent is paid to you directly.
5. A flat-fee service built for owners abroad
Flatward is being built for exactly this situation. The plan:
- a flat £149 a month including VAT, instead of a percentage of the rent
- rent guarantee and legal expenses cover planned to be included
- repairs quoted and approved from your phone, inside rules you set
- contact in your own time zone
- a person for emergencies, disputes and legal notices
It's in development and not yet trading. You can join the waitlist or get a free audit of your current agent's fees.
The basics, whichever option you choose
- Tax: as a non-resident landlord, either your agent withholds 20% of the rent or you apply to HMRC to be paid gross. You still file a UK Self Assessment return. See the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme guide.
- Tenancy law: since 1 May 2026, tenancies in England are periodic, Section 21 has ended, and rent can rise only once a year. See the Renters' Rights Act guide.
- Safety and compliance: an annual gas safety check, an electrical inspection (EICR) at least every five years, a valid EPC, a protected deposit, Right to Rent checks, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Licensing: some London boroughs require a licence for privately rented homes. Check your council's selective or additional licensing schemes.
- Insurance: landlord buildings and contents cover. Rent guarantee cover is worth considering when you can't easily chase arrears yourself.
How to choose
- Add up what you paid last year in total: management fee, VAT and every extra on your statements.
- Decide how involved you want to be, and when your working day overlaps with London's.
- Check your current agreement's notice period and any fee for keeping the tenant if you leave.
- Compare like for like: what happens at 2am when the boiler fails, and who approves the spend.
Find out what your agent really costs
Send us your last 12 months of letting agent statements and we'll send back a one-page breakdown: management fees and VAT, every other charge, and the same year at Flatward's planned flat fee of £149 a month. Free, and no commitment.
Get a free fee audit