🎪 Juggling Chainsaws: A Lettings Agent's Guide to Staying Sane in 2025

There are times in lettings when everything feels a bit extra. And right now? We’re in one of those times.

New rules. Shifting guidance. Tenants asking questions you haven’t even got answers to yet. Landlords pinging WhatsApps at 6am. And just when you think you’ve got a grip on it all — bam — something else changes.

So, in the spirit of survival (and maybe even thriving), here’s a quick roundup of what’s happening in our world, what it means, and my top tip for keeping calm and carrying on.

1. Sanctions Checks: The New Kid on the Compliance Block

From 14 May, every letting agent in the UK must check whether their landlords or tenants are on the UK sanctions list. Yes, really.

It’s part of a broader effort to clamp down on dodgy dealings — and it applies to all tenancies, regardless of whether you think Bob and Sue from Number 12 are secretly money launderers (spoiler: they probably aren’t).

Top Tip: You don’t need to reinvent the wheel here. Most referencing companies and tenancy service providers are already building sanctions checks into their workflows. Before panicking and Googling "how to do a sanctions check in my lunch break," have a chat with your existing suppliers. You might find it’s all being handled quietly in the background.

2. Material Information: Still a Thing (Just Under New Management)

You know that awkward moment when you’ve finally trained your whole team to remember the difference between Part B and Part C of Trading Standards’ Material Information guidance… and then the rules change again?

Yep. That happened.

Material Information now officially falls under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (snappy name, isn’t it?). While the legal framing has changed, the spirit of the rule hasn’t: consumers still have the right to all relevant information before they make a decision.

Top Tip: Don’t get caught up in the name change. If something about a property might affect whether someone views it, makes an offer, or decides to move in — you should be telling them as early as possible. Think price, tenure, council tax, broadband speeds, restrictive covenants, whether it smells like wet dog… OK, maybe not the last one. But you get the idea.

3. Renters’ Rights Bill: Not Gone. Not Forgotten. Not Quiet.

You could be forgiven for thinking this had already happened. The Renters’ Rights Bill has been discussed, dissected, and debated more times than the average series of Love Island.

But it's still progressing through the Lords, and it still looks set to become law this year.

It’s a big one — scrapping Section 21, introducing a single system of periodic tenancies, and adding extra rules around landlord obligations. All of which will have a real, tangible impact on how we manage tenancies and support our landlords.

Top Tip: Don’t wait for the law to pass to start talking to your clients. Keep them informed, keep it clear, and use it as an opportunity to show your value. “Yes Mr & Mrs Landlord, I do know what’s coming, and yes, I’ve got you covered.” That sort of thing.

Wrapping Up (Before Something Else Changes…)

Lettings is a brilliant industry, but it doesn’t half keep us on our toes. Between compliance, client management, and the actual job of letting homes, it’s a miracle we remember to eat lunch most days.

But the good news is: you don’t have to juggle these chainsaws alone.

Whether it’s staying compliant, streamlining your processes, or just having a friendly nudge in the right direction, I’m here to help.

Ping me a message if you want to talk it through, swap horror stories, or get some practical advice on how to turn chaos into clarity. Bonus points if you bring biscuits.

— Toby