They advertised vacancies, dealt with tenants directly, arranged repairs when needed and kept the paperwork in order. For those with one or two properties, it was often seen as a practical way of keeping costs under control whilst maintaining a close relationship with tenants.
Today, the picture appears to be changing.
Recent reports suggest that increasing numbers of self-managing landlords are now approaching letting agents for support following the introduction of the Renters' Rights Act. Whether this develops into a major trend remains to be seen, although it does raise an interesting question. Is self-management becoming more difficult than many landlords anticipated?
The private rented sector has been evolving for years. Successive governments have introduced new regulations, higher standards and additional responsibilities. Most landlords would probably accept that good regulation has an important role to play in protecting tenants and improving housing standards.
The challenge comes when the volume of change continues to grow.
The Renters' Rights Act has introduced one of the most significant shifts the sector has seen in decades. The end of Section 21, changes to possession procedures, periodic tenancies, restrictions around rent increases and a range of new compliance requirements have all arrived within a relatively short period.
For professional landlords with larger portfolios, adapting may simply be another business process.
For smaller landlords, particularly those with one property or perhaps a former family home now being rented out, the situation can feel rather different. Keeping pace with changing legislation, understanding new obligations and ensuring every process is carried out correctly requires both time and confidence.
That is where some landlords appear to be reassessing their options.
A growing number are reportedly turning towards letting agents, not necessarily because they want less involvement, although because they want reassurance that they remain compliant. The cost of professional management may increasingly be viewed as an insurance policy against getting something wrong.
At the same time, self-management is unlikely to disappear.
Many landlords have built strong relationships with their tenants over many years and see no reason to hand over control. Some enjoy being directly involved. Others remain unconvinced that agency fees represent good value where a tenancy runs smoothly for long periods.
This creates an interesting divide within the market.
One wonders whether we are witnessing the gradual professionalisation of the private rented sector. Not necessarily through landlords leaving the market, although through more landlords choosing to surround themselves with professional advisers, agents and compliance support.
There is another angle worth considering as well.
If more landlords move towards fully managed services, will those additional costs eventually find their way into rental prices? The answer is unlikely to be straightforward. Some landlords may absorb the cost, whilst others may seek ways to recover it through future rent reviews.
Tenants also have an interest in how this develops.
Professional management can often bring consistency, documented procedures and clearer communication. Equally, many tenants value dealing directly with a landlord who knows the property well and can make decisions quickly.
Perhaps the reality is that there is no single right answer.
What seems clear is that the administrative burden on landlords continues to grow. Whether that leads to greater use of agents, more landlords leaving the sector, or simply a period of adjustment remains to be seen.
Join Gareth Wax, Hamish McLay and Silas J Lees for this week's Property Quorum. As the rental sector continues to adapt to one of its biggest reforms in years, it will be interesting to discover whether landlords are embracing professional support by choice, or whether regulation is gradually leaving them with little alternative.
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