Lettings agents get poorer reviews from tenants compared with self-managed landlords, research suggests.

Analysis of thousands of verified tenant reviews submitted between 2017 and 2024 to the Marks Out Of Tenancy renter feedback platform, shows that independent landlords consistently receive higher ratings than letting agents across key areas of the rental experience.

According to the data, self-managed landlords received an average tenant satisfaction score of 2.48 out of 5, while letting agents scored lower at just 2.32. The figures reflect real-world experiences of renters and provide insight into where trust and performance are being earned – or lost – within the private rental sector.

One tenant on the platform, reviewing a letting experience in Bristol, commented: “When I dealt directly with the landlord, things got done quickly and without stress. But through the letting agent, even basic repairs took weeks and emails went unanswered.”

The research also highlighted the importance of deposit protection. 

While independent landlords scored higher overall for tenant satisfaction, surprisingly letting agents led the way on deposit protection, with 75.1% of deposits fully safeguarded – surpassing the 66.8% rate recorded among self-managed landlords. This indicates that letting agents may have a stronger awareness of their legal obligations when it comes to deposit protection.

Marks Out Of Tenancy said it is encouraging letting agents to engage with the findings constructively, using them as a benchmark to improve training, transparency, and tenant-facing practices.

Ben Yarrow, from Marks Out of Tenancy, said:  “Tenants are clearly telling us that independent landlords are doing a better job than many letting agents.

These aren’t just opinions – they’re experiences rooted in service quality, communication, and accountability. It’s a wake-up call for agents to re-evaluate how they engage with tenants, and an opportunity for landlords to keep raising standards.”