Most Edinburgh landlords who switch agent don't do it on a whim. It's usually the third missed update, the second late rent payment, or an inspection that never happened. By the time you're searching for how to actually make the move, you've probably already made your decision. You just want to know it won't create a mess. It won't, if it's handled properly. Here's what's actually involved. Can you switch with a tenant already in place? Yes, and in most cases it's simpler than switching before a tenant moves in. Your tenant's Private Residential Tenancy is a contract between them and you, not between them and your agent. Changing who manages the property doesn't touch their tenancy, their rent, or their rights in any way. This is what a tenant in situ transfer covers, bringing an already-tenanted property under new management without a gap in rent collection or a break in communication. It's one of the more common reasons landlords contact us, and it's usually the fastest part of the whole process. The tenant needs to know a change is happening; they don't need to be involved in making it. Start with your current contract, not your frustration Before you give notice, find your terms of business with your existing agent, not the tenancy agreement, the separate contract between you and them. Two things matter: The notice period. Most Scottish letting agent contracts run to a fixed initial term with a stated notice period after that, commonly one to three months. Any termination fee. Some agents charge to release a property early, particularly mid-management. Under Scotland's statutory Letting Agent Code of Practice, agents must set out clearly how to end the agreement and what it costs, and any termination charge "must not be unreasonable or excessive." If your current contract's exit terms look punitive rather than reasonable, that's worth raising with the agent directly, or with the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) if they won't engage. In practice, most switches don't get anywhere near a dispute, but knowing the rule exists changes the conversation if an agent tries to make leaving difficult. Give notice properly, then let the new agent do the chasing Once you know your notice period, give notice in writing and keep a record, email is fine, but ask for confirmation it's been received. From there, a good new agent should be doing the legwork, not you: requesting the tenancy agreement, safety certificates (gas, EICR, EPC, alarms), the deposit registration, and any inspection history directly from your outgoing agent. This is the point where landlords most often get stuck waiting on paperwork. It shouldn't be your problem to solve. When we take on a transfer, we contact the outgoing agent ourselves and follow up on anything that's slow to arrive. What happens to the deposit The deposit stays protected throughout, it doesn't get released or re-collected. It simply needs to be registered against the new management arrangement with whichever of Scotland's three approved schemes it's already held in (we register through mydeposits Scotland). Your tenant will be notified of the change as part of this, which is normal and doesn't require any action from them. Tell your tenant early, and keep it short You don't owe your tenant an explanation for why you're switching, but you should tell them it's happening and who to expect a message from. A short note is enough, new contact details, when the switch takes effect, reassurance that nothing about their tenancy changes. We send an introduction directly to the tenant as soon as a transfer is confirmed, so there's no gap where they're unsure who to contact about a repair. How the switch actually runs with Dunedin Once notice is served and the paperwork's in motion, a transfer typically completes within your current agent's notice period, there's rarely any reason for it to take longer. Our part of it: Confirm your termination date and notice obligations with you first, so there are no surprises Contact your outgoing agent for certificates, the tenancy agreement, and deposit details Register the deposit transfer and introduce ourselves to your tenant Carry out an inspection early on, so we're working from an accurate picture of the property rather than someone else's notes Tenant in situ transfers start from 7% + VAT; full ongoing management from 10% + VAT, with no hidden extras added later, something our tenants and landlords consistently mention when they leave a review, alongside quick turnaround on maintenance and being kept in the loop without having to chase. We've been managing property in Edinburgh for 23+ years, with occupancy across our managed homes running at 95%+. If your property is an HMO, that transfer is handled by myself as an HMO specialist, who manages licensing and compliance directly rather than passing it to a generalist. If you're still deciding You don't need to have made a final decision to talk to us. A short call is usually enough to tell you whether switching makes sense for your situation, what it would look like with your specific contract and notice period, and roughly how long it would take. There's no obligation attached to that conversation.