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Speak to ten landlords in Sussex this month and at least seven will tell you the same story. Calls unreturned. Inspections promised and never carried out. Maintenance jobs that drag on for weeks. Statements that don’t reconcile. Compliance certificates left to lapse. And on the tenant side, the picture is no better — deposits held longer than the law allows, repairs ignored, and a sense that nobody is really listening.
We didn’t set out to be loud about this. But the volume of landlords approaching us mid-tenancy, asking us to take over from another agent, has made it impossible to ignore. So this post is a straightforward account of what we believe a letting agent should actually do — and what we do differently.
A single named manager for every property
You will not be passed between a “lettings team”, a “property management team” and an “accounts team”. One person knows your property, your tenant and your preferences. They answer the phone.
Inspections that actually happen
We carry out documented mid-tenancy inspections with photographs and a written report sent to the landlord within 48 hours. Not “we’ll get to it next quarter” — actually carried out, on schedule, every time.
Compliance handled before it lapses
Gas safety, EAS electrical certificates, EPC, smoke and CO alarms, deposit protection, How to Rent guides, Right to Rent checks. We track every renewal date and act on them well before expiry. With the Renters’ Rights Act now in force from 1 May 2026, the compliance burden on landlords has increased materially — and the cost of getting it wrong has too.
Maintenance with trusted local trades
We use a vetted network of Sussex tradespeople — not a national call centre, not a marked-up “preferred supplier” scheme. Quotes are shared with the landlord, work is signed off, and tenants are kept informed throughout.
Transparent fees, in plain English
One management fee. No mysterious “renewal admin charges”. No fee for sending a statement. No surprises.
Tenants treated as customers, not numbers
A happy tenant stays longer, looks after the property and pays on time. That isn’t a soft view — it’s basic economics. We respond to tenant queries within one working day, and we maintain properties to the standard we’d want ourselves.
Thinking of switching?
The handover from your current agent is something we manage on your behalf. We collect the file, transfer the deposit, notify the tenant, and pick up the tenancy without disruption. Most of our switches are completed within two weeks.
If you are considering your next move, we would be pleased to advise.
Discreet property search, management and advisory services across Sussex and beyond. Our philosophy is ‘make the right move, once’. At Portello, every decision is guided by strategy and foresight.
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