The Three Typesof Provider
Most companies a landlord will meet fall into one of three groups.
Guaranteed rent specialists
Take your property on a lease and sublet to council tenants; you deal with the company
- Elliot Leigh, Central Housing Group
Home Office contractors
Lease your property to house asylum seekers under government contracts
- Serco, Mears, Clearsprings Ready Homes
Agents to public bodies
Arrange a lease directly between you and the council or Home Office, and manage it
- RentPromise
The MainProviders, Fairly Described
Elliot Leigh
Established in 2003 and focused on London and Essex, Elliot Leigh is one of the larger guaranteed rent specialists, stating partnerships with more than fifty councils. It takes a property on a corporate lease, becoming the tenant itself, and pays a fixed rent while managing the let. It is a strong option in its core London areas.
than fifty
Founded in 2000 by former local authority housing officers, Central Housing Group specialises in letting to councils across north, west and east London. It manages several hundred properties, charges an annual management fee, and is a member of recognised letting bodies. Landlords with London property who want a long-established, council-focused specialist often shortlist it.
Serco, Mearsand Clearsprings Ready Homes
These three hold the Home Office contracts for asylum accommodation and lease properties to house asylum seekers, usually on long five-year terms and often outside London. They cover maintenance and bills and pay a guaranteed rent. Landlords should note that some insurers are cautious about this use, so checking cover is an important step.
Rent Promise
RentPromise acts as the landlord’s agent rather than taking the property on itself. It arranges a lease directly between you and a local authority, housing association or the Home Office, and manages it for the term. Because the lease is with the public body, your rent comes from a public source even though RentPromise sets it up.
How to Choosethe Right One
What to weighup
- The legal model: does the company become your tenant, or arrange a lease with the public body?
- Coverage: does the provider have live demand where your property actually is?
- The occupant type and any implications, such as insurance for asylum accommodation.
- The fee and the term, and what is and is not covered during the lease.
There is no universal winner. A London landlord who wants a specialist may prefer Elliot Leigh or Central Housing Group; a landlord outside London open to asylum accommodation may find a Home Office contractor fits; one who wants a lease directly with the public body, arranged for them, may prefer RentPromise. Match the model to your goal.
Where Rent Promise Fits
RentPromise is not the right answer for every landlord, and this guide is written on that basis. Where it stands apart is the model: it acts as your agent and arranges a lease directly with a local authority, housing association or the Home Office,
so your counterparty is a public body, not a company that could stop trading.
That structure suits landlords who want the security of a public-body lease, arranged and managed for them, without becoming a tenant of a private firm. If a London specialist has stronger
council relationships where your property sits, that specialist may serve you better, and this guide says so. The right choice is the one that fits your
property.
Common Questions
There is no single best, because it depends on your property’s location and the model you want. London landlords often shortlist specialists like Elliot Leigh or Central Housing Group; landlords elsewhere may consider Home Office contractors; those who want a lease directly with the public body may prefer an agent like RentPromise. Match the provider to your situation.
The main difference is the legal model. Some, such as Elliot Leigh, take your property on a lease and become the tenant themselves. Others, such as RentPromise, arrange a lease directly between you and the public body and manage it as your agent. Coverage areas and occupant types differ too, so the right fit depends on your property.
Not quite. Serco, Mears and Clearsprings hold Home Office contracts to house asylum seekers and lease properties for that purpose, usually outside London Guaranteed rent specialists and agents work more broadly with councils and housing associations. All offer income without voids, but the occupant type and the contracts behind them differ.
Start with location and check which providers have live demand where your property actually is, then compare the legal model, the fee, the term and what is covered. It is worth getting a figure from more than one. Tell us about your property and we will set out what a lease arranged through RentPromise would look like.
See whatRentPromise would arrange for your property
Tell us the address and a few details, and we will come back with an offer setting out the fixed rent and the term, so you can weigh us against the other providers. Free survey and valuation, no obligation.
Or call us on [PHONE NUMBER] to talk it through.