Landlords, would you consider this if your tenants asked?

This is a shocking story.
Your landlord is the one being unreasonable.

Please DO NOT OFFER TO PAY HIM MORE £ THAN YOU ALREADY DO!

There's already been lots of good advice in this thread, and I'm glad you've been able to do some more research. If I were in your shoes, I would:

(a) get a friend (or use an anonymous email address, not connected to yours) to get hold of the home report/ whatever detailed description the estate agents are sending out to potential buyers - often more detailed than the Rightmove ad - so you know exactly what's been said about your legal status, the property and its value.

(b) compare what's been said in the description with the actual state of the property. Is there anything being included in the sale particulars that actually belongs to you, and therefore won't be there if you're moved out? any other inaccuracies or omissions that a potential buyer might want to know about?

(c) make a list of all the outstanding repairs/ maintenance issues, and work out what it would cost (you or another buyer) to fix them all. Ensure you've considered these costs when deciding what to bid.

(d) make a list of all the reasons why your landlord should consider selling it directly to you (less hassle, no commission to the agents etc).

(e) start looking for someone to act as your conveyancing solicitor (you'll need them whenever you do start bidding for property in 6 months/ whenever - so you may as well find someone good now) as they can always be instructed to carry out negotiations with the landlord/agent on your behalf, advise you about various mortgage options etc - their existence should help convince the landlord that you are serious about purchasing and know what you're doing.

(f) change the locks, as soon as possible, to prevent the landlord/ estate agents/ anybody else letting themselves into your home ever again without your knowledge and permission.
What they've done is a huge security risk for you/ your family/ possessions/ pets, as well as a breach of your privacy and rights as a tenant. Your landlord is supposed to give you advance notice of any visit to the property, and is definitely not supposed to hand over the keys to random photographers!
Does he know that you tend to work on Sats? And therefore deliberately came then? Do you usually deal with him directly, or with lettings agents? In which case, are these the same as the estate agents now handling the sale?
If I were you, I'd insist on being present for any viewings that I chose to allow (and you can choose not to allow any), as you obviously cannot trust these people, based on their behaviour up till now.

Then decide how you want to play it with the devious fucker (aka your LL).

Nothing helpful to add (sorry) but I’m surprised that you describe him as decent landlord. You have windows that don’t shut which he won’t fix, an unsafe gas fire, a dubious gas safety certificate, he’s clearly not told the estate agents the full story about the house.

Decent is the last word I’d use!

I'm not a landlord but 'shy bairns get nowt' which means just ask them! The worst that can happen is they say no.

Have you checked your AST? What notice period are you entitled to? If Wales this will be a minimum of 6 months which will suit your negotiations well.
It is v poor that photos have been taken inside your home, check your AST, if not agreed to, the Lld has broken the contract, though maybe it was the agent, check. Reflect before you respond to this, put together your positive case and timeline to be a possible purchaser, if that is want you can/want to do.

It is much easier for a Lld to sell to a sitting tenant for many reasons. Make sure any agent involved is not sabotaging your offer ( they are untrustworthy IME)
Good luck

Well, you need a strongly worded email to the estate agent about how photos were obtained at least.
Definitely ask the landlord if you can purchase. Don't offer a rent increase.

OP you really need to speak to your landlord, but get your facts and figures together first. Have you approached any mortgage brokers? If you can make it look like a real option your landlord might be willing to wait.

However, the fact they obtained entry to the property to take photos without your knowledge or consent (not legal) and the fact they have put it on the market without telling you and warning you about potential viewings makes me think they might not be a nice, reasonable landlord.

I feel for you, it’s a horrible and unsettling position to be in.

After that length renting you are entitled to at least 6 months if not more notice so definitely offer to buy.

I would definitely change the locks if I was you.

LL here… l am shocked your LL did not have the courtesy to call/ email you to let you know of their plans well in advance. Extremely unprofessional not to mention rude.
l would advise letting the LL know you wish to buy the property but need six months saving time.. if l was your LL ( and l have been in similar situations) l would be delighted.

It's strange that he doesn't didn't ask you first if you wanted to buy it. Definitely do not offer to increase rent but you definitely should make him an offer to buy in six months and get the ball rolling with your mortgage. He'd be mad not to take you up on it. It would make his life so much easier

You have nothing to lose by asking, but it just depends on his financial situation and what needs to happen from his perspective.

LL will save estate agent fees if sells to you

Please don't get to the stage of needing bailiffs to get you out as that will make future landlords (if necessary) reluctant to rent to you.

I cant believe your landlord has acted in such an underhand way. You have lived there for years, he/ she should have given you first refusal on purchasing the property. I would definitely ask , without offering to pay increased rent.

@DesperateTenant - I would offer to purchase in six months, without offering to up your rent (save it for the deposit).
We are (unfortunately) landlords, and our ideal is to sell to a tenant. You continue to get the rental income whilst the sale
Goes through; there is no eviction process to worry about and the transfer is much more seamless.
Only from
Personal experience, if we were in your LL position we would prefer to sell to you.
However, he didn't offer to sell to you initially, which we would have done. And he has been sneaky about the pics - do you think this is down to LL or agents?

Is the gas engineer the LLs son?

The gas fire can be made inoperable/capped off/warn notice, then the safety cert can be issued.

The listing was added to Rightmove on Monday. I think they let themselves in while I was at work on the Saturday.
It's illegal to do this! I'd write a very strong email to landlord and estate agent. Talk with the landlord and let him know you'd like to buy it in 6 months. Bear in mind prices may go down in this time, so don't agree a price with him until you've had a survey/ vacation done. If he's not keen to sell to you, you could then begin to gt more 'difficult' -don't allow viewings, inform the council about the unauthorised entry and change the locks (keep the old ones as you'll need to put those back on) and maybe get a camera at your door so you can see who is coming and going

"At the last check the gas engineer told us he didn't feel comfortable signing off on it but was under instructions to do so."

WTF!

That's got nothing to do with photographing their possessions all around the house. The identifying object could be anything that an abusive Ex sees in the photo. Admittedly it's not terribly likely, but that's not the point us it?

sges entitled to quiet possession & privacy. Neither the agent nor the LL are entitled to just walk in!

Do you have a contract?

Is your deposit in the deposit scheme?

Landlord will need to evict using 21 assuming you are not more than 8 weeks in rent arrears.
If he has none of the above in place, he needs to get that sorted before he can issue a legally binding section 21.

Just to add to the above, he needs to have had all the annual gas safety checks done without any being overdue during the whole time of your tenancy. He will find it extremely difficult to issue a valid S21 without this.
Check your deposit is in a scheme. If it isn't then you could claim up to 3 times as much.
I'd definitely talk to him nicely at first, and ask him to wait 6 months. Don't offer the additional rent and save this as a last resort.
Speaking as a landlord, your landlord has acted really badly in not telling you he's put it up for sale. How is he proposing to show people round without your knowledge?
He doesn't seem to have given any thought to how he is going to evict you. You don't have to go by the two month notice, and he'll have to get a court order to then be able to get bailiffs to remove you. It's a very long process and will likely take longer than 6 months. He'll be very relieved to sell to you once he realises this! (though I'd keep your hand close to your chest at the moment- the longer he doesn't know about s21 the longer you have, so don't educate him). On the upside for him, it'll also save him estate agent fees!

There's a really good Facebook group called 'Landlord and Tenant Advice Uk' that offers a lot of good advice.

There is no section 21 at the moment. The estate agents have let themselves into her home without asking permission in advance, photographed her home and published those photos on the Internet. That is definitely a breach of the right to quiet enjoyment. She didn’t even get the chance to put away any valuables etc.

op - make sure you have taken screen shots of the right move advert in case they pull it.

It would seem a fairly high risk that they would do the same again to facilitate viewings. I would not be happy with random people in my home without me knowing, it is a huge security risk.

There is another discussion of this issue here that might be useful.

https://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/my-tenant-has-changed-the-door-locks-can-he-do-that/

That's after an attempt at illegal eviction isn't it though? Section 21 eviction, properly delivered, isn't illegal.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction/how_to_deal_with_illegal_eviction/how_to_prevent_an_illegal_eviction

This says you can change the locks as long as you keep the originals to refit them.

Speak to the landlord, but if they are the sort to sell it without telling you then I wouldnt hold my breath

Changing the locks is legally a no-no in a rented property. Landlord was a twat for not telling you he was selling, but the law allows him to do so whether you agree or not, and to take pictures and conduct viewings, though decency should involve agreeing convenience for you.