How Singapore landlords can successfully manage & let their London property from overseas

For many Singapore landlords, owning a London property is a long-term decision rather than a short-term trade. The appeal is round-the-year tenant demand, a solid corporate lettings market and a globally recognised legal framework.

That said, letting a London property from overseas is a straightforward process when the right systems and experienced, local teams are in place. Distance can introduce delays, regulatory risk and communication gaps. And if not managed properly, over time, these issues can affect tenant retention and rental performance.

This is one of the primary reasons many overseas landlords opt for experienced property management teams. It is crucial that day-to-day management, tenant support and compliance oversight function consistently, regardless of the owner’s location.

Letting a London property from Singapore: Key considerations

UK lettings regulations apply to overseas landlords in the same way as to local owners. In practice, this means that compliance is not optional and a professional property management team plays a key role.

For overseas landlords, key considerations include establishing an accurate London property valuation, managing communication across time zones, meeting UK lettings, safety and compliance requirements, coordinating with contractors and ongoing maintenance and ensuring timely rent collection and tenant administration.

If these factors are managed remotely without professional support, small issues can escalate into avoidable disputes or delays.

Safety & compliance

For overseas owners, the challenge is not understanding these rules, but ensuring they are consistently applied without being physically present.

Landlords must comply to UK rental regulations and meeting compliance requirements throughout a tenancy. Non-compliance may lead to penalties. Compliances requirements include right-to-rent and safety checks, fire regulations, deposit protection, electrical compliance and maintaining property standards throughout the tenancy.

Rental pricing & tenant profile

Before landlords introduce a property to the market, pricing needs to be grounded in line with current demand. A professional London valuation takes into account factors like location, demand, condition and market trends.

The tenant’s profile is equally important. Tenant profile is equally important. Corporate tenants typically prefer professionally managed units. Many employers will only place executives in fully managed properties.

Tailored property management services

Our London property management services are structured to support overseas landlords at every stage of ownership. This includes preparing a property for tenancy, conducting compliance checks, sourcing and referencing tenants and handling tenancy documentation and inventory reporting.

We also handle rent collection, address arrears, coordinate repairs and maintenance, offer 24-hour emergency support, regular inspections and portfolio reporting.

For clients with multiple properties, we also provide portfolio-level management for consistency and efficiency.

How Benham and Reeves supports Singapore landlords

Benham and Reeves established its Singapore office in 1999 in response to growing demand from local investors. We are one of the first London estate agencies to establish a dedicated office in Singapore.

Our local team works closely with the London offices, allowing overseas clients to deal with a single point of contact while the decisions are executed on the ground.

Speak to our Singapore team

If you are a Singapore investor reviewing how your London property is currently managed or preparing to let a property for the first time, contact our local office for practical guidance.