An independent letting agency covering St Ives and the surrounding PE27 from our office on Brampton High Street. Three transparent service tiers, full Renters' Rights Act 2026 compliance, smaller managed portfolio.
22A High Street, Brampton, PE28 4TH · 01480 436161
8% + VAT
one off, of first year's rent
Marketing, viewings, referencing, deposit registration, tenancy paperwork. You take over rent collection and day to day management from move in.
10% + VAT
ongoing, monthly
Tenant Find plus monthly rent collection, statements and arrears chasing. You handle maintenance and compliance.
Most popular
12% + VAT
ongoing, monthly
Everything end to end. Compliance scheduling, maintenance, mid tenancy inspections, emergency line. The hands off option for landlords.
All tiers include a one off setup fee of £795 + VAT covering inventory, EPC liaison, deposit registration, AML and tenancy paperwork. No mark ups on maintenance.
St Ives has one of the most reliable rental markets outside Cambridge itself, and the guided busway is the reason. A direct, frequent run into central Cambridge in around 30 minutes, with no parking to worry about, keeps a steady flow of tenants: Cambridge professionals, NHS and research staff, commuters and growing families who want town amenities at a fraction of city rents.
That demand means plenty of letting agents chasing it, with varying degrees of attention per landlord. We're deliberately at the smaller, more involved end: limited managed portfolio, a named property manager per property, and a direct line for both tenants and landlords. Less scale, more care.
Practically, our St Ives lettings coverage spans the town and the riverside villages around it. We handle terraces and flats near the busway and the quay, family homes in the St Ivo catchment, period properties in the centre, and HMO licensed houseshares for the Cambridge commuter market. We'll tell you up front what kind of tenant your property will attract and what realistic monthly rent looks like.
Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026. All new tenancies are now open ended periodic tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act 2026, with mandatory grounds for possession, the Decent Homes standard, and Section 13 rent reviews replacing the old fixed term renewal model. Every tenancy we set up uses the post Act framework from day one.
Based on 107 Google reviews, verified and uneditable by us.
We have found that everyone at villagers homes have been fantastic, providing an extremely professional service and genuine nice people. We have been delighted with the process, from the marketing of our property, which in our opinion the brochures produced are fantastic to dealing with potential buyers. We would always recommend to anyone looking at buying or selling.
Matthew Dorrell · 1 week ago
Since 2015 we've sold 5 times and bought once with Kye. Always a pleasure and each sale he and his team have always been able to create a win-win for both seller and buyer, maximizing the sale price while ensuring the buyer knows they have the best deal possible.
Mark Davies · 3 weeks ago
Even as the buyer, Villager Homes were great at communication, giving me updates on progress whenever they could. This was great reassurance after a very long and frustrating process. I really appreciate Gail’s efforts contacting me and being proactive with chasing for updates.
Jessica · 1 month ago
We had a really positive experience selling our property with Villager Homes. From the start, their communication was excellent, we received regular, honest updates and useful feedback throughout the entire process. They did a fantastic job presenting our home. The photos were high quality and really highlighted the best features of the property, and it was clear they took the time to properly understand the house ahead of viewings. What really stood out is that, unlike many estate agents who tend to go quiet unless there’s a viewing, Villager Homes genuinely delivered on their promise to be proactive. We always felt informed and supported, not left wondering what was happening. After the sale was agreed, Ana in particular went above and beyond. She worked incredibly hard to keep us updated on everything happening across the chain, especially during times when communication from other parties was slow or unclear. That made a huge difference and really helped reduce the stress. Overall, we were really pleased with the experience. The whole team were friendly, professional, and consistently went the extra mile to help wherever they could. We’d highly recommend them.
Sam Whiston · 3 months ago
We had a very positive experience with Villager Homes in the process of looking to buy our home, Jack especially was very responsive and accommodating, we would highly recommend villager homes.
Jessica Kidd · 3 months ago
Yes. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and the periodic tenancy regime is now the default. Every tenancy we set up uses the post Act framework: open ended periodic tenancies, Section 13 rent reviews, mandatory grounds for possession, and Decent Homes standards. We brief every managed landlord in writing when rules change.
Three tiers: Tenant Find at 8% + VAT of the first year's rent (one off), Rent Collection at 10% + VAT (monthly), Fully Managed at 12% + VAT (monthly), the option most of our landlords choose. All include a £795 + VAT one off setup fee covering inventory, EPC liaison, deposit registration, AML and tenancy paperwork. No mark ups on maintenance.
Only what the Tenant Fees Act 2019 explicitly permits: holding deposit (one week's rent, offset against first month), security deposit (capped at five weeks' rent for rents under £50,000/year), first month's rent. No referencing, admin or check in fees.
Most correctly priced St Ives rentals are let in 2 to 4 weeks of listing. Homes within walking distance of the guided busway and the town centre go fastest, because so many tenants here commute to Cambridge. Smaller flats and properties further out vary depending on condition and finish.
Yes, including the regulatory side: HMO licence applications (where required), room by room safety checks, mandatory amenity standards, and the additional fire safety requirements that apply to licensed HMOs. We'll tell you up front whether your property qualifies and what the licensing position is.
We market 2 to 4 weeks before tenancy end where the existing tenant is leaving, and we work hard on tenancy retention via mid tenancy inspections, prompt maintenance and Section 13 rent reviews pitched at realistic levels. Across our managed portfolio, average void periods sit well below the regional average.
Yes. We handle the handover end to end: liaison with the outgoing agent, deposit re registration (or in place transfer where the scheme allows), tenant communication, and a fresh inventory if the existing one is thin. Most switches complete within 2 to 3 weeks of instruction.
Yes. Members of The Property Ombudsman, Trading Standards Approved, Client Money Protection through Client Money Protect (CMP), DPS Custodial Scheme for deposits. Company number 08965831.
Free in person rental valuation, written rent evidence, and a service tier picked to suit how hands on you want to be.
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