Notice given, nothing happens for a month
The tenant gives notice. The property manager notes it and gets on with the day. Two weeks before the end date, someone asks the landlord whether they want to relet at the same rent. The landlord takes a week to answer and wants the kitchen repainted first. Checkout happens, then the painter is booked, then the photos are taken, then the listing goes up. The property sits empty for weeks that could have been days.
Why turnaround is slow
Relet steps are usually done in sequence because each one is triggered by someone remembering, and the natural moment to remember is when the tenant leaves. Many steps could start as soon as notice is received: asking the landlord about rent and works, booking viewings during the notice period where the tenancy and tenant allow, and lining up contractors.
Landlord decisions are the most common bottleneck. Asking late, without the information they need, guarantees a slow answer.
| Relet step | When it often starts | When it could start |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord decision on rent and works | Near the end of notice | When notice is received |
| Marketing and viewings | After checkout | During notice, with agreement |
| Checkout booking | Last week | When notice is received |
| Cleaning and repairs | After checkout | Booked in advance for checkout day |
| Compliance renewals due | Discovered at relet | Checked when notice is received |
What voids cost
Every empty week is rent the landlord does not receive, and many landlords measure their agent by how long their property sits empty. Management fees stop too. Longer voids also bring their own risks, such as an empty property in winter.
Rushed turnarounds cost as well: works done badly because they were squeezed in, or a new tenant moving into a property that was not quite ready.
Relets that drag also tie up the property manager's attention. An empty property needs checks, post collected and meters read, and every extra week adds to that list while the next set of notices is already arriving.
The relet plan we build
- Notice trigger: when notice is logged in your lettings software, a relet plan is created with every step and a target date worked back from the end of the tenancy.
- Landlord decision pack: the landlord receives current rental evidence, the last inspection notes and photos, and a simple form to decide on rent, works and whether to relet, with a deadline and reminders.
- Compliance check: certificates due to expire around the changeover are flagged now, so renewals can be booked for checkout day.
- Viewings during notice: where your process and the outgoing tenant allow, viewings are offered with the tenant's agreement and notice given in the way your process requires.
- Checkout and works: checkout, cleaning and agreed works are booked with contractors for the days after the tenant leaves.
- Timeline view: the property manager and lettings manager see each relet's progress against its target, and delays are flagged while they can still be fixed.
Relets that start on notice day
Relets begin the day notice arrives rather than the week the tenant leaves. Landlords decide early because they are asked early, with evidence. Contractors arrive on checkout day. Where viewings during notice are possible, the next tenant may already be referenced before the old one leaves. Landlords see an agent who manages the gap actively.
Signs your voids are longer than they need to be
- Relet steps start after the tenant moves out.
- Landlords are asked about rent and works late in the notice period.
- Cleaning and repairs are booked after checkout.
- Expired certificates are discovered at relet.
- You cannot see the status of all current relets in one place.