For accidental landlords
Became a landlord by accident? Start with the right agent.
Inherited a property, moved in with a partner or relocated for work? Budgy compares local letting agents like-for-like, negotiates the fees and helps you pick one you can trust, so you don't have to learn letting the hard way.
Free · Nothing goes to an agent without your sign-off
Sound familiar?
Most accidental landlords never planned to let.
You inherited a property
Selling isn't always the right call straight away. Letting can give you time to decide, but it comes with a landlord's responsibilities from day one.
You moved in with a partner
Your old place is sitting empty and the mortgage still needs paying. Letting it out can cover the costs while you work out what comes next.
You're working away
A job move or a stint abroad doesn't have to mean selling. A good agent looks after the property and the tenants while you're not around.
Your checklist
What every landlord has to get right.
The rules apply whether you let one flat or fifty. A good agent takes care of most of it, as long as you pick the right one.
Before you let
- Get consent to let, or a buy-to-let mortgage
- Switch to landlord insurance
- Check your lease or freeholder allows letting
- Tell HMRC about your rental income
Safety
- Gas safety check every year
- Electrical safety report every five years
- EPC rated E or above
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
The tenancy
- Reference and Right to Rent checks
- Written tenancy terms
- Deposit protected within 30 days
- Repairs handled promptly
Your agent
- Client money protection
- Member of a redress scheme
- Clear fees, with no hidden extras
- Fair notice period and no tie-ins
These rules are for England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own, so check the requirements where your property is.
How Budgy helps
The right agent from day one. We do the legwork.
Tell us about the property
The address, what it's like and any agent quotes you already have. Two minutes, no phone calls.
We compare local agents
Fees, service, compliance and contract terms side by side, including the extras that don't show up in the headline percentage.
You choose, we negotiate
We negotiate the best deal with the agent you pick. Nothing goes to an agent without your sign-off.
Questions
New to letting? Start here.
What is an accidental landlord?
Someone who lets out a property they never planned to let: an inherited home, a flat they've moved out of, or a house they couldn't sell. You have the same legal responsibilities as any other landlord.
Do I need to tell my mortgage lender?
Yes. Most residential mortgages don't allow letting without permission. Ask your lender for consent to let, or speak to a broker about switching to a buy-to-let mortgage.
Should I choose tenant-find or fully managed?
Tenant-find covers advertising, viewings, referencing and the tenancy paperwork. Fully managed adds rent collection, inspections, maintenance and compliance reminders. If you're new to letting or live far away, fully managed usually saves more stress than it costs. We show you what each option really costs locally.
How does Budgy compare letting agents?
We compare agents covering your area on fees, service, compliance and contract terms, so you can see the real cost and cover rather than just the headline percentage. Then we negotiate with the agent you choose.
Is Budgy available in my area?
Comparing letting agents is open now: enter your property's address on this page and we'll email you a side-by-side report. Negotiating the fee and handling the switch are in private beta, opening area by area, and you can join the waitlist for that from your report.
Free · takes 2 minutes
Start with the right agent
Type your property's address before you sign with anyone. We'll check the letting agents nearby on published fees, reviews and client money protection, then email you a side-by-side report, usually within 10 minutes. It's free.
- Fees
- Reviews
- Protections
Nothing goes to an agent without your sign-off.