If you’re a landlord, property manager, or letting agent in the UK, you’ve heard of the online agent OpenRent but aren’t sure exactly what it is, how to use it, or if it’s the right platform for you.

In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about this digital-first platform designed to help private landlords secure tenants efficiently and affordably.

OpenRent at a glance

For those in a rush and no time to read this article, take a look below for a quick snapshot.

Pros

–  Easy-to-use interface

– Low Fees

– Ideal for self managing landlords

Cons

–  No phone support; assistance is via email or chat only.

–  Limited hands-on management

Our rating	9
Fees	5/5
Reputation	4/5
Website transparency	5/5
Customer reviews	4/5
Range of services	5/5

About OpenRent

Founded in 2012, OpenRent has rapidly become the UK’s largest letting agent by volume, carefully blending technology with property rentals to simplify the letting process.

As of 2025, OpenRent now has over 7.8 million registered landlords and tenants and has facilitated around 1.46 million property lettings.

OpenRent’s mission is to make renting safer, cheaper, and fairer for all those involved. OpenRent prides itself on letting more properties than any other company in the UK.

Landlords can create a listing through OpenRent, which then publishes the property to top UK portals like Zoopla, Rightmove and PrimeLocation. You choose the services you want – whether that’s advertising only or full DIY tenancy management. 

But OpenRent isn’t just for landlords. Tenants looking for a trusted landlord, quality property, and fair pricing can also use this platform to search for the most in-demand and recently posted rentals. Here, tenants can sort through relevant listings, schedule viewings, and make an offer.

OpenRent is a member of the Property Ombudsman for Lettings, which means your money and best interests are protected. The easy-to-use platform and dedication to customer service and satisfaction are just a few reasons OpenRent is one of the most popular and successful platforms for both landlords and tenants in the UK.

Openrent & the competition

OpenRent isn’t the only letting agent offering DIY services to landlords at a low cost.

The table below outlines OpenRent’s fees and services vs the competition.

Our rating	7.5	6.2	9
Trust Pilot Rating	3/5	2/5	4.5/5
Nationwide?
Range of services	4/5	3/5	5/5
Management fee		£240 pcm
Set up fee?	N/A	£540	N/A
Listed on Rightmove & Zoopla
Tenant references	£30	Location dependant	Cost not disclosed
Accompanied viewings	£47	Varies by location
Deposit registration	£69		Included with Part of Full Management
Rent guaranteed	£249
Floor plans
Read our review	Review	Review	Review

What about other competitors?

OpenRent is a low-cost, low-service platform, offering essential online letting tools at affordable prices. OpenRent provides 100% free advertising, with no hidden or renewal fees for landlords. You can choose between simple property advertising or full tenancy creation and add extras like rent collection, inventory checklists, professional photos, floor plans, and renters’ insurance. 

OpenRent is best for landlords that know a thing or two about the rental process. If you need more hands-on attention and services, you may benefit from a more comprehensive website like Lettingaproperty.com or Howsy. Because these agencies offer more in-depth services, they’re also priced higher. 

On OpenRent, you can also choose between speedy or comprehensive referencing. It’s also important to know that OpenRent charges you upfront, whereas other sites don’t charge you until you make a sale or secure a tenant. 

Tenants benefit too, no admin fees, no dead listings, and both rent and deposit protections. 

OpenRent for Landlords

Whether you’re a seasoned landlord or are just breaking into the world of property management, your main goal is to secure a reliable tenant quickly and start collecting rent. But this is often easier said than done.

That’s where platforms like OpenRent come into play and work to simplify the letting process.

Advertising 

Most landlords use OpenRent to advertise their properties. Once you create your first listing, the platform will review and publish it on the most popular property portals in the UK including Zoopla, Rightmove, and PrimeLocation.

On average, listing your property on OpenRent will result in an offer within 3 days. OpenRent offers several packages to choose from including a base package that’s free, an ultimate package for £29, or the advertising + rent now package which is £49 (more on these in a minute). 

But OpenRent offers a lot more services than just listing your property. OpenRent can help with everything from tenancy creation to inventory checks, insurance, photography, safety certificates, and more.

Tenant Referencing

Need help finding quality tenants? OpenRent offers tenant referencing for just £20, or included within the Rent Now package. Landlords receive email updates throughout the process, making it easy to see which applicants are approved and which may not be the right fit. 

Gas Safety Certificate

If the rental property you own has any gas appliances or a gas boiler, you’re legally required to provide an annual safety certificate.

OpenRent works with a group of Gas safe registered engineers who can not only certify your boiler and appliances but also service them.

This ensures that they’re in safe, working order for your new tenants. This service will cost you £55.

Energy Performance Certificate

Another important certificate every landlord needs is one for energy performance. That means you need to obtain an EPC (energy performance certificate) prior to tenants moving in.

In some areas, this is required before you even advertise the property. OpenRent can provide an EPC that’s good for 10 years for just £99. 

Electric Safety Certificate

For £69, OpenRent will ensure that all wiring, electrical fittings, and appliances at your rental property are in safe working order.

OpenRent offers PAT testing and EICR (fixed wiring) testing as well.

These are all safety checks landlords are required by law to perform before accepting tenants.

Inventory Checks

Are you looking to let a fully furnished property? Inventory checks are highly recommended both before the tenants move in and after the tenancy is up to ensure there is no damage.

While an inventory check and report isn’t a requirement, it’s in the best interest of both the landlord and tenant to protect your rights and money.

OpenRent will create an inventory report and have it signed by all parties for £85. This service also includes checking tenants in on moving day.

Photos and Floor Plans

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why the photos you place in your property advertisement are so important. They’re the first thing a possible tenant will see and could make or break the deal. It’s recommended landlords use a professional photographer when taking pictures of their rental property and OpenRent offers these services for £79.

Instead of investing in expensive photography equipment that you’ll never use again (or don’t know how to use), let OpenRent send a professional to your property. Not only will they take high-quality photos but they’ll edit them to guarantee it shows your listing in the best possible light.

Viewing Services

Another daunting part of property management is conducting viewings with potential tenants. This can be difficult for multiple reasons. For starters, if you don’t live close to your rental property, traveling for frequent showings can be costly, time-consuming, and tedious.

It’s also hard for some landlords to hear prospective tenants talk negatively about their property or ask endless questions. Sometimes, it’s best to let a third party conduct viewings. OpenRent can be this person for you and offers 24/7 accompanied viewing services for £47.

Landlord Cover

OpenRent also deals with important landlord insurance for both your building and its contents. Building insurance protects your property and contents from theft, attempted theft, water leakage, and, natural disasters including fire, explosion, lightning, earthquake, storm, or flood.

This type of insurance will also cover you in the event that tenants leave your property uninhabitable and provide public liabilities cover. Landlords can request a quote for coverage through OpenRent. 

Calling OpenRent

We decided to try calling OpenRent the same way we called Howsy and Purplebricks to ask more questions about their services and pricing but couldn’t find a phone number on the website.

Since we couldn’t get anyone on the phone, we used the website’s “contact us” section. Here, we left a message and get an immediate response.

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OpenRent login

To login to OpenRent, click here

A Closer Look at OpenRent Fees and Packages

There are three basic packages available for landlords on OpenRent. As the price increases, so do the services you’ll receive. Of course their fees are lower than what letting agents charge, but landlords will need to conduct more activities themselves.

Here’s a quick breakdown for your reference.

OpenRent Only

This is the most basic package available and is free of charge. In addition, your viewings and inquiries will be organized on the website’s dashboard for easy access and review. Users can upgrade this package at any time. 

Ultimate Advertising (Portal Advertising)

The next package will cost you £29 and includes advertising on major property portals including Zoopla and Rightmove, as well as on OpenRent. This price includes 3 months of advertising on these portals plus over 100 other partner sites. It also includes a viewing and inquiry organizer to ensure you never miss an offer. 

Rent Now + Ultimate Advertising

OpenRent’s most popular package and the best deal is the Rent Now + Ultimate Advertising package which costs £49 for 3 months.

With this ultimate package, landlords receive all the above mentioned services including advertising on the most popular portals and inquiry management, plus professional tenancy creation and other add-ons – a comprehensive package to help a landlord get their let agreed

Tenancy creation services include:

• Contract drafting and digital signing
• Deposit registration
• Initial rent collection

Landlords can choose other extras like referencing and rent collection as well.

OpenRent Reviews 

Now that you have a clear understanding of the services available on OpenRent for both landlords and tenants, let’s take a look at what real customers have to say about the reliability and legitimacy of this property platform.

If you’re looking at online letting agents generally, our online letting agent fees & ratings guide will be of help.

Positive Reviews

OpenRent received 4.5/5 from Trustpilot with most customers reporting a great experience. This is slightly lower than Google which rates OpenRent 4.9/5 from 5,000 reviews.  

Many of the positive reviews of OpenRent highlighted the same positive features, including: 

• Fast results (most landlords claimed they found tenants within a few days of listing their property with OpenRent)
• Great pricing for the services offered
• User-friendly
• Flexibility in negotiating rent and rates

Negative Reviews

As with any online agent, OpenRent has collected its fair share of negative reviews as well. It’s interesting to note that many of these are reported by tenants rather than landlords. Some common complaints include:

• Holding deposit and refund issues
• Landlords removing listings and then reposting them for a higher price
• Lack of interest from prospective tenants (long vacancies)
• Poor communication and customer service 

OpenRent responds to all negative reviews promptly and thoroughly, offering an explanation for most customer complaints.

What we like

There are a few benefits to using OpenRent. If you prefer online agencies that are fairly straightforward and affordable, you may like the flow and layout of OpenRent. The plans and pricing are basic and easy to understand. OpenRent is a reliable estate agency if you have experience in the property market and don’t need a lot of hands-on assistance. 

With no hidden costs or fees, OpenRent lets you create a budget that works for your financial goals. This makes it easier to set your rental fees or a listing price.

Improvements to be made to their service

Although the layout of the OpenRent website is pretty basic and easy to understand, the website itself looks outdated. It could use a design update to help it appear more professional and modern.

This also lets visitors know that the information found on its pages is relevant and accurate, which is especially important for remaining compliant with changing rules and regulations within the property market. 

The fact that OpenRent doesn’t offer phone services is both strange and inconvenient for some people.

According to an online search, the phrase “open rent phone number” is entered over 1,200 times per month!

Adding a phone line would help some customers get answers to their pressing questions. It may even be the difference between a landlord or tenant signing up on the site or choosing a competitor. Not having a phone line may be one reason OpenRent’s prices are so low, but it could be costing them more clients in the long run. 

Because OpenRent doesn’t have a working phone system, OpenRent can continue to keep costs down by using an automated response engine or chatbot to at least interact with visitors and gather important information that agents can use to follow up with them at a later date. 

How to use OpenRent – step by step

1. Click add listing

2. Add your email address

3. Choose your password

4. Log into your email to verify your account

5. Click the button to activate your account (this took 10 minutes to hit our inbox)

6. Finally, add your property details and select your package

OpenRent for Tenants

OpenRent isn’t just for landlords and property owners. This platform offers plenty of other services for tenants needing a safe, clean, reliable place to live. If you’re a renter, here’s what OpenRent can do for you.

No Admin Fees

OpenRent doesn’t charge an administration fee for you to search listed properties. Using the platform’s search tool, you’ll only see properties that are currently available and meet your criteria.

Speaking of criteria, you can filter the search results to only show properties that fit your needs and budget. For example, you can check off boxes for rentals that allow pets, are for students or have a certain number of bedrooms.

When you view a match, you’ll see the property’s pictures, floor plans, and details from the start. OpenRent lists thousands of available properties all over the UK at any given time. 

You’ll never be disappointed by viewing a property that’s no longer available because the minute it’s taken, OpenRent removes the listing. If you enquire about a property that’s taken shortly after, you’ll receive an email notifying you right away so you can continue your search. 

Book a Viewing or Connect with a Landlord

Once you settle on a specific property you want, you can schedule a viewing or contact the landlord. Press the “book viewing” button and then send a message directly to the landlord or property manager.

At this point, you can ask them specific questions and book a viewing time that works for both of you. OpenRent also protects your identity and will hide your personal information and details while you organize the viewing.

On this platform, there’s no middleman which cuts down on confusion and missed opportunities, putting you in direct contact with the landlord immediately so you get first dibs on your favorite properties.

View the Property

Regardless of how good the pictures of a listing are, there’s nothing quite like seeing it in person. After making arrangements with the landlord through OpenRent’s chat feature, it’s time to view the property for yourself. 

Meet the landlord on the agreed-upon day and time and take your time looking both inside and outside of the property. The landlord can answer your questions on-site. 

After all, no one knows the property better than the owner. Viewings are done without a letting agent present so you don’t have to worry about someone breathing down your neck or applying unwanted pressure. 

After the viewing is over you can continue to contact the landlord through OpenRent’s messaging feature to ask any follow-up questions or confirm other important details. 

Click the “Rent Now” Button

Following the viewing, you’ll know whether or not this is the right property for you. If it’s not, continue searching the thousands of other suitable listings on OpenRent. But if it is, get ready to click that “Rent Now” button and reserve your next home! 

At this point, you’ll be asked to pay a refundable holding deposit equal to one week’s rent directly to OpenRent, not the landlord.

If the tenancy moves forward as planned, the holding deposit is applied to the first month’s rent. OpenRent protects tenants’ money as explained in the website’s terms and conditions. OpenRent allows for easy payments online using a credit card.

Referencing, Contracts, and Deposits

Now comes time for the paperwork and particulars – all of which OpenRent will organize and arrange for you. If the landlord chooses to reference you, OpenRent will keep you in the loop every step of the way.

Tenants can view the referencing process and progress on their personal dashboard. Referencing is done at the expense of the landlord, not you.

You can conveniently pay your tenancy deposit online once the landlord accepts your offer. OpenRent will then register you and issue you a contract that both parties can conveniently sign online. 

Free Concierge and Bill Setup

OpenRent offers tenants access to personal home concierge service. OpenRent will handle everything from setting up council tax, energy, and broadband along with other services to help the moving process go as smoothly as possible.

When you and the landlord agree on a moving date, simply contact the booking team and they’ll help get everything in order.

Move In!

At this point, the only thing left to do is move into your new place. As previously mentioned, if all goes according to plan, OpenRent will automatically apply your holding deposit toward the first month’s rent.

Once you’ve signed the tenancy agreement and paid any other move-in expenses, both you and the landlord can rest assured that you’ve entered into a safe and secure agreement.

Tenants can access all of their documents at any time on the website’s dashboard. This includes all contracts, deposits, references, and other important paperwork. 

Expert Opinion

OpenRent has grown in popularity over the years, with hundreds of thousands of people a month searching for their brand name.

However in terms of low cost letting agent options, they now have competition which appear to be doing a great job for a lower price.

Hands on landlords just want a good option to get their property on the property portals and OpenRent fits the bill.

It’s exciting to see which such amazing growth, what technology OpenRent has in the pipeline to improve its offering. Additional filtering to help landlords vet enquiries is in high demand, based on online reviews.

In addition, better support mechanisms for its customers will be welcome.

Websites of OpenRent’s competition seem far more up to date and user friendly. But of course they need to be if they plan to eat into OpenRents market share.

Raj Dosanjh, Rentround Founder

OpenRent FAQs

When it comes to letting property in the UK, OpenRent is one of the largest and most widely recognized online property platforms.

Whether you’re looking for a property to rent or want to become a landlord, OpenRent has a variety of services and packages for you to choose from with a track record of proven success.