To win a re-let instruction, you need to show the landlord two things before they even ask: that you can fill the property faster than the last agent, and that you will present it better. The practical levers are professional photography of an empty space (which means virtual staging), a tight relisting plan ready to share at the valuation, and a clear pitch on your void-reduction track record. Do those three things with confidence, and most landlords will not need to shop around.
Why re-let instructions are worth competing hard for
Re-lets are one of the most reliable sources of repeat business a letting agency has. A landlord with a vacant property has an immediate, tangible problem: every week without a tenant is money they are not earning. That urgency works in your favour when you arrive with a ready plan, because it makes the decision easy. Win the instruction well and you also win the management contract, the next re-let, and often a referral to other landlords in the same portfolio.
Info
A landlord switching from another agent is already dissatisfied. They are not looking for reassurance that the market is slow — they want to see that you will do something different. Come prepared to show, not just tell.
Step-by-step: how to win and market a re-let instruction
- Do your homework before the valuation. Check what the outgoing agent listed, how long it sat on Rightmove or Zoopla, and what the photos looked like. If the property lingered, you already know why: empty rooms photograph poorly, and bare walls rarely win the click. Walk in ready to name the problem and offer the fix.
- Price it honestly and quickly. Landlords who have just had a void often push for the rent they hoped for last time. Your job is to give them a clear, evidence-based rental valuation — comparable let prices in the immediate area, current demand levels, and a frank view on achievable rent. An accurate price relisted fast beats an optimistic price that drifts for weeks.
- Book photography the same day you take the instruction. Void properties rarely look inviting. Bare floorboards, empty corners, and cold lighting make rooms look smaller than they are. Book your photographer immediately so you are not losing days. If the property is still empty on photo day, plan to use virtual staging so the listing images do something for the reader.
- Use virtual staging on the key rooms — with clear labelling. Virtually staged images, clearly labelled as such, show prospective tenants what the space could look like furnished. According to the NAR 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 83% of buyers' agents said staging helps people picture themselves in a property — the same principle applies to rental listings. Staged images get more clicks, and more clicks mean more viewings booked. Every virtually staged image must be clearly labelled 'virtually staged' to remain compliant with portal rules and ASA guidance.
- Write a listing description that actually describes the property. Skip the filler phrases. Tell renters about the ceiling height, the natural light, the storage, the commute to the nearest station, and the landlord's approach to maintenance. Specifics build trust and filter for quality applicants.
- List on all major portals the same day photos are ready. Rightmove, Zoopla, and OnTheMarket all matter. Do not stagger listings to 'test' the market — a property is most visible in its first week online, and momentum matters for reducing void periods.
- Share a social-ready version of the listing. Cropped, portrait-format images perform well on Instagram and Facebook. If you have a before-and-after reveal of the virtual staging, share that too — it draws attention in a feed full of static listings and reinforces your professional approach.
- Report back to the landlord within 48 hours. Share portal analytics (views, saves, click-throughs) as soon as you have them. Landlords who switched agents did so partly because they felt ignored. Early, proactive updates rebuild that trust fast.
The photography problem with vacant rental properties
Empty rentals are genuinely difficult to photograph well. Without furniture, the eye has no reference point for scale, so rooms look smaller. Without soft furnishings, acoustics change and the space feels cold in the image. Without colour and texture, photos blur into each other in a portal search results page. Many letting agents accept this as unavoidable. It is not.
Virtual staging places realistic, high-quality furniture into the empty room photographs. The images are then clearly labelled as virtually staged before going on the portal. The result is a listing that clicks better, attracts more enquiries, and gives tenants enough visual context to decide a viewing is worth their time. For letting agents handling a high volume of re-lets, it is a practical, repeatable solution that does not require physical furniture or extended turnaround times.
Tip
Stage the living room, master bedroom, and kitchen as a minimum. These are the rooms tenants look at first and make their emotional decision on. A staged hallway or bathroom is a bonus, not a priority.
What landlords actually want from a letting agent
Most landlords switching agents have one core complaint: the last agent was slow, uncommunicative, or both. They are not necessarily unhappy with the market — they are unhappy with the service. Understanding that shapes how you pitch.
| What landlords say they want | What actually wins the instruction |
|---|---|
| A good rent | An honest, evidence-based valuation delivered with confidence |
| Fast let | A clear relisting plan with dates — photography booked, portal live by day X |
| Professional marketing | Portal-ready photos of an empty property, including virtually staged images (clearly labelled) |
| Regular updates | Proactive communication — not waiting to be chased |
| Low fees | Perceived value: a fast let at a fair rent costs the landlord less than a cheap agent with a long void |
Compliance: virtual staging and portal rules for rental listings
Letting agents using virtual staging must ensure every edited image is clearly identified as virtually staged. This applies to Rightmove, Zoopla, and OnTheMarket listings, and reflects guidance from both the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) and the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) on property marketing. It also reflects good practice: a tenant who arrives expecting a furnished property and finds an empty one is not a happy applicant. Clear labelling protects you, the landlord, and the tenant relationship.
Warning
Never use virtually staged images without clear labelling on rental listings. Misrepresenting a property's current condition to prospective tenants can breach portal terms and ASA guidelines, and risks landlord complaints further down the line.
Making re-lets a repeatable part of your business
Re-lets are not one-off jobs — they recur every time a tenancy ends. Agents who build a consistent, efficient re-let process (fast photography, same-day virtual staging, portal listing within 24 to 48 hours of instruction) earn a reputation for reducing voids. That reputation is what wins future instructions before a landlord even looks for alternatives.
If you manage a portfolio of properties for multiple landlords, a straightforward reorder process for virtual staging makes a real difference. Being able to send across photos and get back portal-ready, labelled images the same working day means you are never the bottleneck. The listing goes live quickly, viewings are booked, and the landlord sees a void shrinking rather than growing.
What to include in your re-let pitch document
- Your current average days-to-let for comparable properties in that area
- A sample of how your listings look on portal — including virtually staged examples, clearly labelled
- Your photography and listing timeline: when photos will be taken, when the listing goes live
- Your applicant database: how many active tenants you are matching to properties right now
- Your communication commitment: how often the landlord will hear from you and through what channel
- A fair, evidence-based rental valuation with comparables
A short, well-prepared pitch document shared before or immediately after the valuation sets you apart from agents who rely on a verbal conversation and a handshake. Landlords who have been let down before appreciate seeing the plan in writing.
How quickly should I relist a vacant property after taking a re-let instruction?
Aim to go live on portals within 24 to 48 hours of taking the instruction. Properties are most visible in their first week online, and landlords expect momentum. Having a clear photography and staging workflow — including same working day turnaround for virtual staging where needed — is what makes that timeline realistic.
Is virtual staging allowed for rental listings on Rightmove and Zoopla?
Yes, provided every virtually staged image is clearly labelled as such. Both Rightmove and Zoopla permit virtually staged photography as long as it is not presented as the property's actual current condition. The ASA and CMA both expect property marketing to be accurate and not misleading — clear labelling is the compliance safeguard.
What rooms should I prioritise for virtual staging in a rental property?
Prioritise the living room, master bedroom, and kitchen. These are the rooms prospective tenants look at first and use to make their viewing decision. A staged main reception and bedroom will have far more impact on click-through rates than staging secondary rooms.
How do I convince a landlord to let me relist their property if it has already been on the market with another agent?
Come prepared with a specific diagnosis of why the previous listing underperformed — weak photography of an empty property is the most common reason — and a concrete alternative plan with dates. Show sample listings that demonstrate your standard. Landlords who have experienced a disappointing void respond to evidence, not reassurance.
Can virtual staging help reduce void periods on rental properties?
It can, indirectly. Better listing photos lead to more portal clicks, more clicks lead to more viewing requests, and more viewings booked means a shorter time to find a suitable tenant. According to the NAR 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 49% of sellers' agents said staging reduced time on market — letting agents report a similar pattern when empty rental properties are marketed with professional, staged imagery rather than bare-room photos.