posted 22nd September 2026
The regulatory landscape is becoming increasingly complex, expectations from tenants are changing and landlords are having to devote more and more time to managing properties that were originally intended to provide a long-term investment.
Recent research commissioned by Rushbrook highlights just how significant that pressure has become.
The survey of 525 landlords who manage their own portfolios found that 74% believe self-managing their rental properties has become harder, while 57% are reconsidering whether they want to continue managing their properties themselves.
For portfolio landlords in particular, that is an important finding.
The growing burden of self-management
The landlords surveyed were not predominantly occasional or accidental landlords.
Some 62% owned six or more rental properties, with 36% owning portfolios of 11 or more properties.
These are experienced property investors who understand the demands of being a landlord.
Yet even among this group, self-management is increasingly becoming a significant commitment of time and energy.
The research found that 68% of self-managing landlords spend 31 hours or more each month managing their rental properties, while another 17% spend between 21 and 30 hours.
That is a substantial amount of time.
And for landlords with employment, family commitments or larger property portfolios, finding those hours every month can become increasingly difficult.
It's not just legislation
It would be easy to assume that legislation is the sole reason landlords are feeling the pressure.
The Renters' Rights Act and the wider regulatory environment have certainly increased the importance of keeping up to date with legal and compliance requirements.
But the reality of property management is much broader.
According to the research, maintenance and repairs were identified as the most time-consuming aspect of managing a portfolio, with 52% of landlords highlighting them.
And this is where the practical reality of being a landlord often becomes apparent.
A tenant reports a leaking tap.
Then there is a boiler problem.
A contractor needs arranging.
A repair needs authorising.
An inspection needs organising.
A tenant has a question.
A certificate is approaching expiry.
A property becomes vacant.
A new tenant needs referencing.
The rent needs monitoring.
None of these individual tasks necessarily seems overwhelming.
But collectively, they consume time.
When 'I'll deal with it later' becomes the problem
One of the most revealing findings from the research is that 77% of self-managing landlords say they regularly delay dealing with non-urgent maintenance issues because they don't have the time to arrange them.
This is understandable.
When a landlord is managing a portfolio alongside a full-time job or other commitments, a minor maintenance issue can easily move down the priority list.
But good property management is often about dealing with small issues before they become expensive ones.
A dripping tap can become a larger problem.
A minor repair can become tenant dissatisfaction.
A missed compliance deadline can become a much more serious issue.
And a landlord who is constantly reacting to problems rather than managing the property proactively can quickly find that the investment is taking over their life.
What landlords actually want from an agent
Interestingly, the research suggests that landlords are not necessarily looking for an agent simply because they don't want to do the work.
The reasons are much more practical.
When landlords were asked why they would consider using an agent, keeping on top of legislation and compliance ranked first, at 26%.
Saving time came next at 21%, followed by reducing stress at 15%.
That tells us something important.
A good letting agent isn't simply there to collect rent.
The real value is in taking responsibility.
This is where a personal letting service matters
At Shepherd & White, I believe landlords should have a genuine point of contact rather than feeling like one property within a large portfolio.
I personally manage the letting side of our business, providing landlords with a direct and personal service.
That means you know who you are dealing with.
You don't have to repeatedly explain your property to a different member of a lettings team.
You don't have to work through layers of administration simply to get an answer.
And you don't have to become an expert in every aspect of changing legislation yourself.
My role is to help landlords navigate the practical realities of letting a property — from finding and referencing suitable tenants through to managing the ongoing responsibilities of the tenancy.
More than finding a tenant
There is sometimes a misconception that a letting agent's job is simply to advertise a property, find a tenant and collect the rent.
For a professional landlord, that is only part of the service.
A good letting service should provide:
Professional marketing of your property
Tenant enquiries and viewings
Tenant referencing and affordability checks
Tenancy preparation
Deposit and compliance administration
Ongoing tenancy management
Communication with tenants
Maintenance coordination
Contractor liaison
Practical advice when issues arise
Keeping landlords informed about important regulatory responsibilities
Most importantly, it should provide someone who takes ownership of the process.
A letting agent should make being a landlord easier
There is no reason why a landlord should spend evenings and weekends chasing contractors, answering tenant messages, checking certificates and trying to understand every change to housing legislation.
Property investment is supposed to be a long-term investment.
It shouldn't become a second job.
For some landlords, self-management will continue to make perfect sense.
If you have the time, knowledge and systems in place, managing your own properties can work very well.
But if you are finding that your portfolio is becoming increasingly demanding, it may be time to consider whether doing everything yourself still makes sense.
The question isn't necessarily:
"Can I manage my properties myself?"
The better question might be:
"Do I still want to?"
A more personal approach to property management
At Shepherd & White, we deliberately keep our business personal.
We are an independent, owner-managed estate and letting agency serving Leicester, Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch and the Charnwood Forest villages.
I look after the lettings side of the business personally, giving landlords a direct point of contact and a service built around their individual properties rather than a high-volume, one-size-fits-all approach.
For landlords who are finding that legislation, maintenance, tenants and administration are taking up too much of their time, professional property management can provide something that is increasingly valuable:
time.
Time to concentrate on your own work.
Time to enjoy your family.
Time to manage your wider investments.
And, perhaps most importantly, the reassurance that someone experienced is looking after the day-to-day responsibility of your rental property.
Thinking about letting your property?
If you are a landlord in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Coalville, Leicester or the Charnwood Forest villages and are considering whether to continue managing your property yourself, I would be happy to have an informal conversation.
There is no obligation to instruct us.
Sometimes it simply helps to understand what professional letting and property management could take off your shoulders.
Marie Shepherd
Shepherd & White Estate & Letting Agents
One Home. One Agent. One Point of Contact.
www.shepherdandwhite.co.uk
