Landlords

Harvey W James — London Rental Analysts

Renters' Rights Act 2025-ready since 1 May 2026. New-build specialists across London. Data-driven valuations built on three years of market evidence.

For the data that underpins those valuations, see how the Four Week Rule and days-on-market shape advert timing, and how we engineer the August re-let cycle under the periodic regime.

Why pricing matters more under the Renters' Rights Act

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the marketing price you set on day one is, in practical terms, the rent that property will earn for the life of the tenancy. The Act has closed every mechanism a landlord previously used to correct a mispriced opening rent:

The rental bidding ban (RRA s.56) means the asking rent is the ceiling — no agent or landlord can accept a higher offer.
Section 13 is now the only mechanism to increase rent, capped at one review per year, and the First-tier Tribunal can only reduce the proposed increase.
Tenants can give 2 months' notice at any time, so over-pricing produces void periods at the tenant's discretion, not the landlord's.
The rent-in-advance ban (RRA s.8) closes the cash-flow workaround that used to mask mispriced rentals.
Section 21 is abolished, so "evict and re-let at market" is no longer a recovery strategy.

The pricing decision is now the single most important commercial decision in the life of a tenancy. Our entire operating model is built around making sure that decision is the right one.

Who we are

Harvey W James are London Rental Analysts. We don't open every conversation with "trust us, we know the market". We open it by showing you the data. Our valuation methodology draws on three years of Rightmove and Zoopla listing-and-enquiry evidence, cross-referenced against our own portfolio of recent lettings across London.

We are also new-build specialists. Our experience managing a diverse range of new-build units across London has furnished us with the insights — communal heating, prepayment meters, snagging coordination, developer handover, first-let pricing in thin-comparable environments — that landlords with new-build portfolios actually need. Generic letting advice fails on new-builds; we don't give generic letting advice.

We are RRA-ready. We restructured our operating model, our fee architecture, our tenancy agreements, our rent-review process and our possession-handling protocol against the Renters' Rights Act 2025 before it came into force on 1 May 2026. Our complete operational understanding sits in a fully RRA-aligned 85-section Essential Terms and Charges document (v2.1.5, 7 May 2026) which is the source of truth for everything you read on this site.

Where we are, and why

We are a central London letting agent based two minutes from Stratford station. The location is a transit-hub logistics decision. The Elizabeth Line, Jubilee, Central, Overground and DLR all converge at one point, putting us within a thirty-minute door-to-door reach of every major central London new-build cluster: Canary Wharf, Battersea, King's Cross, Elephant Park, Greenwich Peninsula, Wembley Park, the Olympic Park, and onward via the Elizabeth Line to Paddington and Liverpool Street. The office was picked for the network, not for the postcode.

A portfolio landlord whose holdings are spread across several of those developments can be managed by one company, from one office, against one set of statements, one compliance regime, and one view of the portfolio. The borough-localised alternative — a Battersea agent, a Canary Wharf agent, a King's Cross agent, an Olympic Park agent — typically requires four or five firms for the same coverage, with four or five sets of statements and four or five different reporting formats.

The same single-office model underpins our overseas-landlord proposition. A material share of central London new-build apartments are held by non-resident landlords. Our Overseas Landlords page sets out the co-branded service we operate with our strategic accountancy partner YWC London LLP, covering UK letting, Non-Resident Landlord scheme registration, annual Self Assessment, and Making Tax Digital compliance.

Our service tiers

Three service levels. Choose by how operationally hands-off you want to be — not by how much you can pay.

1. Tenant-Find Only

We list and market the property, conduct viewings, run Goodlord referencing including Right to Rent and sanctions checks, draft and finalise the periodic tenancy agreement (Assured Periodic Tenancies under the RRA since 1 May 2026), and collect the first month's rent and deposit. You take over day-to-day management from move-in.

Inventory checks and move-in day assistance available as add-ons.

2. Tenant-Find + Rent Collection

Everything in Tenant-Find Only, plus monthly rent collection through the Goodlord platform, monthly statements, deposit handling, tenant arrear pursuance, and the annual Section 13 rent review (Form 4A, 2 months' written notice, prepared with defensible market evidence). You retain responsibility for repairs and tenant communications.

3. Full Management

The flagship service, and our most operationally intensive. Everything in Tenant-Find + Rent Collection, plus day-to-day management — repairs, maintenance, contractor coordination, tenant communications, compliance maintenance (Gas Safety, EPC tracking, EICR, smoke and CO alarm checks), Renters' Rights Act 2025 operational compliance (PRS Database registration tracking, PRS Ombudsman support from late 2026, Awaab's Law tracking from 2027), and strategic operational decisions within the Full Management mandate.

The intended outcome for landlords is reduced day-to-day administration and a single point of accountability. The intended outcome for tenants is a single, professional point of contact for all property matters.

How our 10% fee works

The headline. As your managing agent, Harvey W James charges 10% (Inc VAT) of monthly rent, every month, for as long as we manage your property. There is no separate letting fee, no renewal fee, no rent-review fee. One number, paid monthly, all-in.

What the 10% covers. In any given year of management the 10% covers:

Finding a tenant when one moves out — marketing, viewings, Goodlord referencing, tenancy set-up, move-in handover
Day-to-day management — rent collection, repairs, contractor coordination, tenant communications
Renewal and retention work if an existing tenant stays past 12 months
The annual Section 13 rent review using Form 4A under HA1988 s.13 (as amended by RRA s.6), including First-tier Tribunal preparation if challenged
Compliance maintenance — Gas Safety, EPC tracking, EICR, smoke and CO alarm checks
Renters' Rights Act 2025 operational compliance — PRS Database registration tracking, PRS Ombudsman support from late 2026, Awaab's Law tracking from 2027
Strategic operational decisions within the Full Management mandate

What the 10% does not cover. Itemised separately and only charged when used: extensive supervision on works over £800, out-of-hours emergency premiums, court possession hearings, statutory declarations, deposit disputes, and similar one-off services. Always quoted before any work proceeds.

Why we charge this way. Our landlords have consistently told us they prefer one predictable monthly figure to a list of itemised charges that vary month-to-month. The 10% is a service-bundle subscription — full service, predictable price, no surprises. We acknowledge openly that for a landlord whose tenant stays five years, this is not the absolute lowest-cost option compared to an agent who breaks every line out separately. The trade-off is simplicity, predictability, and trust.

The annual rolling cycle. The 10% applies year on year, every year, for as long as we manage the property. Each 12-month cycle is a fresh start — sometimes a fresh tenancy because the previous tenant moved out (the central London norm), sometimes a continuing tenancy with renewal and retention work. Either way, the 10% covers it.

The 6% inside the 10% — and when it surfaces. Internally, our 10% bundles a 6% letting portion and a 4% management portion, both spread evenly across each 12-month cycle. You do not see this split on a normal monthly invoice. The 6% only surfaces in one specific situation: an early-exit catch-up.

Early exit by the tenant (post-RRA). Since 1 May 2026 every tenant has the statutory right to end an assured tenancy at any time by serving 2 months' written notice (Protection from Eviction Act 1977 s.5(1ZA)(a), inserted by Renters' Rights Act 2025 s.20). The landlord cannot withhold consent and no fee can be charged to the tenant for exercising the right.

Where the tenant exits within the first 12 months of a tenancy, the mechanic between Harvey W James and you is:

Months tenanted. You have paid 10% per month for the months the property was actually let. The 4% management portion of those payments is fully earned. The 6% letting portion is only partially recovered against the letting work we did at the start of the tenancy.
Outstanding letting balance. The unrecovered 6% is calculated pro-rata on the months remaining in the 12-month cycle. On £1,000/month rent, 6 months tenanted: outstanding balance = 6 × (£1,000 × 6% / 12) = £360.
Settle-up. The outstanding balance is paid by you as a one-off upfront amount when the next tenant moves in. There is no separate mid-year invoice and no charge during the void period.
New cycle begins. From the new tenant's move-in date the standard 10%/month resumes for a new 12-month cycle. There is no second letting fee — the catch-up settles year 1's letting work; year 2's 10% bundles year 2's letting and management work.
Months not tenanted. You pay nothing for the void period between the previous tenant exiting and the new tenant moving in.

Worked example. £1,000/month rent. Tenant gives statutory 2-month notice in month 4, vacates end of month 6.

Months 1–6 paid by landlord: 6 × £100 = £600 (internally £360 letting + £240 management)
Year-1 letting fee owed in full: £720
Outstanding balance: £720 − £360 = £360
Management portion for months 7–12 not owed (no tenant in place)
Harvey W James re-lets; new tenant moves in (say) month 8
At new tenant's move-in the landlord pays £360 upfront (outstanding year-1 letting balance) and then 10%/month resumes for the new 12-month cycle

If the tenant stays past month 12 the full letting fee for year 1 has already been recovered through the 12 months of monthly 10%. Year 2 is a fresh 10%/month cycle that bundles renewal/retention work, the Section 13 rent review, and continuing management. There is no discontinuity at the 12-month boundary, and no separate fee triggered by the tenancy continuing.

Sole Agency or Multi Agency

Sole Agency. By opting for a Sole Agency contract, Harvey W James becomes your exclusive letting agent for the property.

Commitment period: four weeks
Exclusive rights: no other letting agent may be appointed to market the property
Termination: can be terminated by the landlord at the end of the four-week period with at least two weeks' written notice
Fee: standard rate, calculated as a percentage of the rent (10% Inc VAT)

Multi Agency. Multi Agency property marketing is generally unavailable. We may consider it where comparable premium marketing is provided by the other agents.

Fee: standard rate + 2% (Including VAT) to reflect added coordination and competitive overhead

Additional Non-Optional Fees and Charges

In line with the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and the Renters' Rights Act 2025, certain inventory, compliance and one-off service fees fall outside the 10% management bundle and are charged separately.

Inventory Price Guide

Inventory & Accompanied Check-In Condition Report: Studio/1BR £125, 2BR £135, 3BR £155, 4BR £175 — paid by Landlord at Check-In
Check-Out Report: Studio/1BR £108, 2BR £118, 3BR £138, 4BR £155 — paid by Landlord at Checkout

Additional Inventory Services:

Mid-Tenancy Inspection Report: £60
Vacant Property Inspection: £60
Cancellation/No-show within 24 hours: property visit £15, all other jobs (excluding property visit) £50

Standard Services:

Legionella Assessment: £108 (when added to any Inventory report, £48)
Sit & Wait at Property: from £39 for 30 mins, up to £133.20 for 5 hrs
Serving Notice (Hand Delivery): £60
Insurance Claims Photography (incl. home visit inspection): £60
New Build Handover & Key Collection: £95

Supervision Fees on Protracted Works:

No supervision fee for routine maintenance, quick-fix repairs, or works under £800 total cost
10% supervision fee for extensive refurbishment or construction projects exceeding £800. Itemised separately on your statement. Harvey W James does not collect fees from contractors and does not mark up repair costs.

Specialised Services (quotes on request): EPC, CP12 (Gas Safety), Annual Boiler Service, EICR, PAT, Risk Assessments, Alarm Installations, End of Tenancy Clean, Lock Change, Domestic Appliance Repair, Court Possession Hearing.

Key Services & Extra Work:

Key Duplication: £18 + actual cutting cost
Key Postal Services: £18 flat rate
Key Collection/Drop-Off: £18 for first hour, £9 per half-hour thereafter
Extra work by staff ("by time" rates): £18 for first hour, £9 per half-hour thereafter

Financial:

Rent Guarantee & Eviction Cover: quotes on request, offered through the Goodlord platform. See Rent Protection for the post-RRA product architecture — rent protection and legal expenses cover with no month cap, first month's rent protection for the tenancy-execution gap, Section 13 rent-increase differential cover, and the Goodlord Guarantor for tenants who cannot meet the standard income threshold.
Service Charges, Ground Rent, Council Tax, and Utility Bill invoices (administered on landlord's behalf): £10 per payment
Subletting Registration Form & Payment Service: £28
Non-Resident Landlord Scheme: £125 per HMRC quarterly return, administered with our strategic accountancy partner YWC London LLP — see Overseas Landlords for the full NRL, Self Assessment, and Making Tax Digital framework.
International Transfer: £18 banking charge each time sent

Special Cases:

Deposit Dispute: £54 for up to 3 hours, £18 for each additional hour
Rent Guarantee Insurance Claim handling: £54 for up to 3 hours, £18 for each additional hour
Witnessing in Court: £120

Withdrawal from an agreed offer. Should an offer be agreed and you later decide to withdraw your acceptance, you will be responsible for any reasonable costs and expenses the applicant has incurred. If you direct us to proceed with the planned tenancy and then retract those instructions, you agree to bear the tenant's expenses plus a contribution towards our marketing and advertising costs of £650 (Inc VAT).

Our Strategic Management Approach

Data-driven, not opinion-driven. We regularly analyse the tasks most commonly needed across the properties we manage and concentrate resources where they matter most. This lets us spread costs across the portfolio and keep individual fees lower. Where the workload of the Full Management service materially increases — for example, when new statutory obligations like the Renters' Rights Act 2025 expand the agency's compliance footprint — we may review the fee by giving the notice required under the Landlord Terms of Business.

Hands-off, fully informed. We act on your behalf for day-to-day operational matters within the Full Management scope. Matters that fall outside that scope — capital works, contractor engagements over £800, changes to the marketed rent, decisions to issue a Section 8 notice, or any matter that would commit you to expenditure beyond the management fee — require your prior written approval.

If you prefer a higher level of involvement on day-to-day matters, the Tenant-Find + Rent Collection service is more appropriate than Full Management. The Tenant-Find + Rent Collection service does not include day-to-day operational decisions on your behalf.

Our promise. Our objective is to consistently meet or exceed the service standards documented in the Essential Terms of Business. If at any time you feel we are not meeting your expectations, you are free to voice concerns or terminate our services as set out in the Landlord Terms of Business.

Landlord Terms of Business

Landlords, please click here to read our full Landlord Terms of Business. The Terms of Business are the legally binding agreement between you and Harvey W James; the Essential Terms and Charges document (v2.1.5, 7 May 2026) is the operational reference that supports it.

Memberships and Compliance

We operate under the regulatory framework that applies to all UK lettings agents and we publish our membership numbers and rule sources here so you can independently verify each one.

We are members of the dispute and compensation scheme operated by Property Redress Scheme (www.theprs.co.uk) and our registration number is PRS010914.
Our agency is a registered member of Propertymark (www.propertymark.co.uk), upholding the stringent ethical standards and professional codes of conduct prescribed by this leading body within the property sector. Propertymark Protected Agent No: M0243538 / Propertymark Client Money Protection Scheme Ref: C0130307.
Professional Indemnity Insurance: Level of cover £250,000 / Insurer: Hiscox / Policy Ref: PL-PSC10001116034/13 (valid to 31 January 2027).
Harvey W James is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the security of your personal information. We adhere to the requirements of UK data protection legislation. Our ICO Registration Number is ZA312485 (www.ico.org.uk).
Our HMRC Non-Resident Letting Agent Scheme No: NA062270.
Our HMRC Anti Money Laundering (AML) Scheme No: XQ007367893452.

Company Certificates

We are committed to providing the best service to our clients.

Property Redress Scheme Certificate: Verify on PRS register
Propertymark Client Protection Certificate: Verify on Propertymark register
Professional Indemnity Insurance Certificate: Available on request
ICO Registration Certificate: Verify on ICO register

As part of our commitment to transparency and compliance with legal requirements, we display the accounting rules of our client money protection provider on our website. You can find the Propertymark Conduct and Membership Rules here: www.propertymark.co.uk/professional-standards/rules.html#obligations.

This page reflects Harvey W James' operational understanding of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the Tenant Fees Act 2019, the Housing Act 1988 (as amended), and the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 (as amended). It is not legal advice. For the published Act text refer to legislation.gov.uk; for your specific situation seek independent legal advice. Last reviewed against Essential Terms and Charges v2.1.5 (7 May 2026).