As has been widely reported, UK landlords are leaving the Private Rented Sector (PRS) for many reasons. From Section 24 and dwindling profits to tenant pressure groups and legislitative interventions – landlords all over the UK have had enough.

According to government data, in Nov 2024 31% of landlords have reported planning to decrease the size of their portfolio in the next two years, including 16% who were planning to sell all their properties but selling buy-to-let property isn’t as easy or straightforward as selling owner occupied properties so we have put together a guide outlining the selling options landlords need to consider.

Evict Tenants | Wait For Tenancy to End | Sell With Tenants in Situ | The Landlord Sales Agency Way

 

1. Selling BTL Property with Vacant Possession After Serving an Eviction Notice

Process:
• Serve the appropriate eviction notice to tenants (Section 21 or Section 8, depending on circumstances).
• Wait for the notice period to end and regain possession (or appoint bailiff if tenant refuses to leave, as is current advise from most councils/tenant groups to anyone hoping to be housed by a local authority).
• Market and sell the property as a vacant unit.

Pros:
✅ Can attract a wider range of buyers, including owner-occupiers.
✅ More flexibility in property presentation (staging, renovations, open house viewings).
✅ Potentially higher sale price, as buyers won’t be restricted to investors.
✅ More flexibility in property presentation (staging, renovations, open house viewings).

Cons:
❌ Can take several months/years due to notice periods, legal complications and long delays.
❌ Significant risk of tenants refusing to leave even after a court order to vacate due to council policy advising tenants to stay in place until evicted by a court appointed bailiff (or be classed as ‘voluntarily homeless’) leading to court action and further delays.
❌ Potential loss of rental income during the sales process if the property remains empty or tenants stop paying rent during possession/eviction processes.
❌ Empty properties are vulnerable to many risks, including fire, vandalism, theft, environmental damage and unlawful occupation (squatters).
❌ If a property is going to be unoccupied for longer than 60 days, you may need specialist unoccupied property insurance. The average time properties take to sell and complete is 6 – 9 months and more than 75% of agreed sales collapse.

2. Selling BTL Property by Waiting for Tenants to Leave Before Selling

Process:
• Allow the tenancy to end naturally (e.g., tenants serve notice or the fixed term expires).
• Conduct any necessary repairs or improvements.
• Market the property as vacant to maximise buyer interest.

Pros:
✅ Can appeal to both investors and owner-occupiers, increasing demand.
✅ Potential for a higher sale price, especially if improvements are made.
✅ Easier property access for viewings and maintenance.

Cons:
❌ Uncertain timescale—tenants may not leave when expected.
❌ Possible rental voids while waiting to sell.
❌ May need to cover mortgage payments without rental income.

3. Selling BTL Property with Tenants in Situ

Process:
• Market the property as a tenanted investment.
• Provide potential buyers with tenancy agreements, rental history, and financial details.
• Sell the property with tenants remaining in place.

Pros:
✅ Immediate rental income for the buyer makes it an attractive investment.
✅ No void period—rental payments continue throughout the sales process.
✅ No need for eviction, reducing stress and legal risks.
✅ Faster sales process as no waiting for tenants to vacate.

Cons:
❌ Smaller pool of buyers, as only investors will be interested.
❌ Likely to achieve a lower sale price compared to selling to owner-occupiers.
❌ Some investors may negotiate a discount due to tenant risks.
❌ Tenants may not provide access for estate agents to source material to list properties
❌ Tenants may not cooperate with viewings (either not allow them or sabotage interest) or provide access for surveys.
❌ Disgruntled tenants might stop paying rent in protest knowing the eviction process takes 6 – 12 months.

In Summary

• Selling with tenants in situ to an investor is the fastest method but may result in a lower sale price.
• Selling after eviction allows for a broader buyer pool but can be time-consuming and legally complex.
• Waiting for tenants to leave naturally is a middle-ground option but carries the risk of unpredictable timelines

The National Residential / Landlord Sales Agency Solution

The Landlord Sales Agency is an estate agency set up by landlords for landlords. We have developed our processes to provide landlords with a mixed strategy that combines the advantages of each option whilst minimising the disadvantages so we achieve vacant property prices with no need to evict tenants and achieve in a predictable timeframe with no void periods.

• Because we have a 100% success rate at rehoming tenants amicably, when we sell with tenants in situ we can advertise properties to investors and chain free buyers. The competition drives up prices so sellers benefit from a fast sale with less compromise on price – what we call our Goldilocks Sale.

• We recently helped a landlord maximise the value of her btl portfolio after she evicted tenants who left the properties in a poor condition.Without £40K required to refurb, she came to us hoping to sell two properties for £125K and another for £160K however we were so confident about being able to sell her portfolio we agreed to advance her the the money as a interest free loan and helped organised the building teams. After refurbs, they sold for £240K and £300K respectively, making her an additional profit of £200K after costs.

• We work with tenants through rewards and incentives to make the prospect of working with us rather than against us in tenants’ best interests and to avoid distressing and expensive legal action where possible. As a result, sellers avoid long delays and tenants pay rent upto completion.

If you are considering selling any or all of your buy-to-let propertiesand would like a clear, reliable estimate of your property’s sale value and how long it will take to sell, contact us today.

We are a company founded by landlords for landlords, who know exactly what it takes to overcome all problems associated with selling buy-to-lets with 300+ Google and Trustpilot reviews.

Contact us any time of day or night by phoning 0800 6123694 or use our callback form Our 24/7 receptions service will take your message and we will call you back ASAP during office hours.