Comparing Thornley Groves, Aubrey Lee and RNE for your rental property
Choosing a letting agent in Manchester, Salford or Prestwich? This guide from RNE sets out questions for comparing a proposal from us with other local agents. RNE is independent and is not affiliated with Thornley Groves or Aubrey Lee.
Why choose RNE for your rental property?
We assess the application ourselves
Our team reviews affordability, credit evidence, employment, rental history and guarantor information. We question inconsistencies and explain the findings before you decide. See a real redacted landlord report below.
Know what you are paying for
Our current schedule sets out the management fee and separate charges. Maintenance overseeing is disclosed, with original contractor quotes and invoices provided. We explain the scope before you instruct us.
Reports followed by practical action
Inspections record condition and concerns. We coordinate the agreed follow-up, access, quotes and approvals, rather than leaving you with a report and no next step.
A local team when you live elsewhere
We handle the agreed tenant communication, rent monitoring, repair coordination and tenancy administration for local owners and landlords based elsewhere in the UK or overseas.
RNE fees: a clear basis for comparison
Our published full-management fee is 10% of actual rental income plus VAT, subject to the stated minimums. Tenant find is one month’s rent plus VAT. Maintenance overseeing is 11% plus VAT, separate from the contractor’s bill. Full management has no set-up fee, and the published schedule includes mid-term inspections and reports up to once per quarter. Your written quotation and agreement confirm the service and charges.
What does that mean at £800 monthly rent?
At the standard 20% VAT rate, the RNE management fee is £96 per month including VAT, or £1,152 over 12 months of £800 rental income. A new tenant-find instruction at that rent is £960 including VAT. Repairs, certificates and other separately charged work are outside that management-fee example. Compare the whole annual cost and the actual service, not just a headline percentage.
A management offer to discuss, not an automatic promise
Ask whether your instruction qualifies for up to six months with no management fee charged on rental income. Other agreed fees and third-party costs remain payable. We confirm eligibility, the offer period, later fees and any minimum term in writing before instruction. The annual fee example above excludes promotions.
See the evidence before you choose
We explain our process and show redacted applicant and inspection reports so you can judge what the service would give you. Ask another agent for equivalent examples. In-house assessment is not unique to RNE, and neither referencing nor a guarantor guarantees future payments. Our pitch is careful assessment, clear costs and practical follow-through.
Judge the RNE service for yourself
See our in-house applicant assessmentSee an inspection reportRead our full fee scheduleRead independent customer reviewsCheck my management offerThornley Groves: Manchester and Salford
Thornley Groves advertises lettings and property management in Greater Manchester, including Manchester and Salford. If you are comparing Thornley Groves alternatives, request the same service specification from each agent. For an apartment, identify who deals with the tenant, the building manager and repairs inside the flat, and ask how communal issues are progressed.
Aubrey Lee: Prestwich and north Manchester
Aubrey Lee & Company publishes a Prestwich office and dedicated sales and lettings services in north Manchester. When comparing Aubrey Lee with RNE for a Prestwich rental, use the exact address and tenancy position. Ask who carries out applicant checks, how you see the findings and who follows up any missing evidence.
Manchester, Salford and Prestwich need different evidence
Compare a city-centre or Salford apartment with similar apartments, including building access and management arrangements. For a Prestwich house, include its layout, parking, garden and condition. Ask each agent to explain the rental evidence for your home and which preparation costs could arise before marketing.
Wider Greater Manchester: Reeds Rains, Ryder & Dutton and Harrisons
Reeds Rains publishes Ashton-under-Lyne and Cheadle branches. Ryder & Dutton describes a Greater Manchester sales and lettings network, and Harrisons advertises lettings around Bolton and Westhoughton. These provide further starting points for comparison outside the city centre. For Middleton, Tameside, Cheadle Hulme or Westhoughton, confirm the individual postcode and who handles visits and ongoing management; do not assume every regional office covers the same addresses.
Managing your property when you live elsewhere
If you are a remote owner, ask who will handle access, inspections, repair quotes and approvals. Agree how urgent work is authorised, what updates you receive and which decisions remain yours. Send RNE the full postcode so we can confirm the service available for the property.
Compare the full annual cost
Ask every agent for a written fee schedule, whether quoted fees include VAT, and a worked example using the same monthly rent. Include letting and renewal work, inspections, maintenance administration, certificates and any exit costs. Compare the ongoing fee after any promotion ends as well as the introductory saving. We have not ranked these agents or verified a like-for-like competitor quote.
What you can inspect before choosing RNE
We assess applicants in-house and provide our findings and recommendation before the landlord decides. Our website includes redacted applicant and inspection reports, independent-review links and our landlord fee schedule. Use those examples to discuss the evidence and follow-up you want from your managing agent.
Already have tenants or an agent?
An occupied property may be suitable for a management transfer. Before changing anything, check your existing agency agreement and discuss notice, charges, records, keys, deposit information and unfinished repairs. We review these details before agreeing a handover date.