Questions landlords ask before they sign

We assess your property's location, condition, size, and local rental market to provide a fair, fixed monthly payment. Payments are made on the agreed date each month, with clear terms and no hidden fees.

Not necessarily. Many guaranteed rent providers pay below market rent to cover their fees. VividSpaces has no agency or management fees, so we can often offer a rate at or above open-market rent, while you still get fixed payments, no voids, and full management included.

No. Our guaranteed rent service has no agency or management fees and no hidden charges. You receive the full agreed amount each month, with maintenance, cleaning, and management included.

Yes. That is the core of guaranteed rent: you receive the same agreed payment on the same date every month, even when the property is between occupants. VividSpaces absorbs the void risk, not you.

Very secure. Our guaranteed rent is backed by long-term agreements and trusted local authority partnerships, with fixed payments made on the same date each month regardless of occupancy.

Not you. In many cases the family living in the property pays the utilities and Council Tax directly. Where they do not, those costs are met out of the rent or revenue the property generates rather than being passed back to you. Either way your fixed payment arrives whole: the electricity, gas, water, sewage, broadband and Council Tax stop reaching you on the day the agreement starts, which catches a lot of landlords by surprise.

Nothing happens to you. That is the whole point of the arrangement: your payment comes from VividSpaces under our agreement with you, and it is not conditional on anything happening inside the property. We carry the arrears, the void and the cost of resolving it. You will hear about it from us because we would rather you knew, not because we need anything from you.

The money you receive from us is rental income and is declared in the same way as rent from any other letting, so for most landlords nothing about the tax treatment changes. We are not tax advisers and we will not pretend otherwise: if you hold the property in a company, own it jointly, or are near a threshold, ask your accountant before you sign. We will give them whatever detail about the agreement they need.

Our agreements typically run from 3 to 5 years, giving landlords long-term security while keeping terms flexible around the property and circumstances. We will discuss the best option during your free property assessment.

Agreements typically run 3 to 5 years, with flexible terms and sensible exit strategies discussed upfront. The aim is long-term security without unnecessary rigidity.

We discuss renewal options well in advance. If you choose not to renew, we ensure a smooth handover with full documentation of the property's condition.

Yes, and the earlier you tell us the easier it is. There are two routes. An investor buying for income can take the property with our agreement in place, which is often attractive to them because the rent is already contracted and the property is already managed. If your buyer wants vacant possession, we agree a date to hand it back and work towards it. What does not work is being told at exchange, so raise it as soon as selling is a real possibility.

Talk to us. Circumstances change, and a family member needing to move in is not something anyone plans for. The agreement sets out the notice position, which we go through with you line by line before you sign rather than leaving you to find it later. In practice an early handover is a matter of giving us enough time to rehouse the family properly, which is why notice exists at all.

The condition it was in when we took it on, fair wear and tear excepted. We photograph and schedule the property in detail before the agreement starts, inspect it at intervals through the term with reports sent to you, and inspect it again at the end against the original schedule. Anything beyond fair wear and tear is made good before it comes back to you.

Not while an existing tenancy is running, because we need the lease in our name and vacant possession to start. If your current tenancy is coming to an end, tell us the date and we can have everything ready to start from it, which avoids the empty month in between. Do not serve notice on anyone on the strength of a conversation with us: wait until the agreement is signed.

Following a property assessment, we typically aim to have an agreement in place within 5 to 10 working days, depending on property condition and documentation.

Proof that you own the property, photo identification, your lender's consent to let if the property is mortgaged, confirmation that your buildings insurance covers a let property, a current EPC, a gas safety certificate where there are gas appliances, an EICR, and any licence the borough requires. If something is missing we will tell you at the assessment rather than at the end, and in most cases we can arrange the inspection for you.

If the property is on a residential mortgage, almost certainly yes, and this is the item that most often delays a start. Ask your lender specifically about a company let, not just about letting: a number of lenders permit an assured shorthold tenancy but restrict or refuse a let to a company, because the occupier is not the party named on the agreement. Get the answer in writing before you sign anything with us. If you are already on a buy-to-let mortgage, check the same point in your terms.

Yes, and this one catches people out. A standard owner-occupier policy will not cover a property that is let, and an unreported change of use can void a claim entirely. Tell your insurer the property is let on a company let with the company named on the agreement, and keep the cover in force for the whole term. Buildings insurance stays your responsibility throughout, along with the mortgage. Contents you have left in the property are yours to insure or remove.

Yes. Those duties sit with the owner of the property in law and they do not transfer to us because we hold the lease. What changes is the administration: we keep a diary of the expiry dates, tell you before one runs out, and arrange the inspection and any access needed. You are always sent the certificate. An EPC must be in place before the property is let, gas appliances need an annual safety check, and the electrical installation needs an EICR at least every five years.

It depends on the borough and the property, and the number of boroughs requiring one is growing. Mandatory HMO licensing applies anywhere in England to a property occupied by five or more people from more than one household. On top of that, individual boroughs run their own schemes covering ordinary family lets: Enfield has licensed 17 wards since 1 September 2026, and Croydon began licensing 14 named wards on 25 September 2026. Our area pages set out what applies locally, with the source. We check licensing on every property we take on and handle the application where one is needed.

We keep the interior in good repair, look after the gardens, gutters and downpipes, keep the washing machine and fridge-freezer working, and cover minor internal repairs at our own cost. The structure, roof, foundations and exterior stay with you, along with the boiler and central heating, the major electrics, plumbing and drainage, and your buildings insurance and mortgage.

We will identify any necessary works during our assessment and discuss options with you. Where appropriate, our team can plan light refurbishments and source suitable furniture for unfurnished properties.

Yes, with reasonable notice. We can arrange ad hoc landlord inspections and provide regular inspection updates so you can stay confident about your property's condition.

VividSpaces coordinates all maintenance on your behalf. We have trusted contractors and handle communication, scheduling, and quality checks so you do not have to deal with emergency calls or repairs.

We work with studios, apartments, houses, and licensed HMO properties, with a focus on well-located homes suitable for small to medium-sized families. Each property is assessed individually to ensure it meets our management standards.

We conduct scheduled inspections at regular intervals and additional visits when needed. Agent partnerships can include quarterly written inspection reports for clear records and landlord updates.

We work with trusted organisations and housing partners to provide safe, high-quality accommodation for small families, often relocating into an area for 12 to 24 months. Occupants are carefully vetted before moving in.

No. VividSpaces is named on the lease and acts as your single point of contact. We handle all occupant vetting, communication, and day-to-day management, keeping your arrangement completely hands-off.

No, and no landlord using a company let can. Selection and vetting sit with us and with the local authorities who refer the families, and are carried out within the Equality Act. What you can set are the property's own limits, such as the number of bedrooms and whether it suits a family with young children. Everyone placed is referred and vetted before they move in, and we visit the property regularly once they have.

No. As part of our guaranteed rent and full management services, VividSpaces handles occupant sourcing, vetting, and ongoing management on your behalf through trusted housing and local authority partnerships.

We operate across South London, South West London, North London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Oxford, Cherwell, Northamptonshire, and East Yorkshire, including Kingston upon Thames, Croydon, Sutton, Enfield, Esher, Epsom, Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Aylesbury, Northampton and Hull. In Oxford we cover OX1 to OX5 and the surrounding Cherwell district. Contact us with your postcode and we will confirm coverage.

Ask anyway. The area pages cover where we are most active, particularly South London, Surrey and Oxfordshire, but we take properties UK-wide where the numbers work and we have a referral route into the area. Tell us the postcode and the property and we will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is no.

Yes. Oxford is one of our priority areas following a new contract in the city. We cover OX1 to OX5 across Oxford city, including Headington, Cowley, Summertown, Jericho, Marston, Iffley, Littlemore, Blackbird Leys, Wolvercote and Kidlington, plus the Cherwell district towns of Banbury and Bicester and the villages between them.

It depends on the property type, size, condition and exact location, so we do not quote before seeing it. Oxford rents sit well above the national average because demand from the hospitals, both universities and the science parks is steady all year. We visit, then give you a fixed figure in writing at no cost and with no obligation.

VividSpaces is ICO registered (ZB892725) and a member of the Property Redress Scheme (PRS051867), demonstrating our commitment to professional standards and landlord protection.

Yes. We are happy to connect prospective landlords with current landlord partners who can share their first-hand experience of working with VividSpaces.

Yes. We work with landlords who own single properties and those with portfolios. Contact us to discuss a tailored arrangement for multiple properties.

Yes. We take properties from agents whose landlords want certainty, or who are carrying stock that is not moving on the open market. You keep the client relationship and we take the property on a company let. Our letting agents page sets out how the arrangement and the fee work.

Absolutely. Many landlords come to us after managing properties themselves. We handle the transition smoothly, including any handover from existing arrangements.