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Original poster

Landlord selling, but won’t sell to me

344 replies

Flora73 · 13/06/2025 13:14

After 11 months in the house, my landlord has issued a section 21, my contract rather conveniently contained a break clause so he can do this earlier than the 12 month mark.

I have a mortgage in principle, I’ve been looking for somewhere to buy but he has rejected this and said I still have to leave as they want to maximise the sale price. He has even said that I move out and he will let me know which agent it is on with so I can purchase it that way. It just seems utterly bonkers.

And before anyone lays into me I am fully aware that it is his house and he can do what he likes, and I have no rights, but I can’t work out why he won’t sell to me. We’ve had a good relationship to date with no issues.

Can anyone thing of reasons why this would be?

OP posts:
Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 16:23

eyeses · 13/06/2025 16:20

The government is bringing in new laws this year to make being a small landlord much more risky, expensive and difficult. The result is landlords selling up while they still can. If your landlord doesn't get you out before October he might not be able to. If you are not out when the peoperty is listed buyers will be wary of being unable to get you to move out. It happens.

This has resulted in a glut of houses to buy and fewer properties to rent. Most people who rent cannot or don't want to buy. It's a lose/lose situation....except for the big landlords who can spread their risk, and maybe buy up some of that property for less.

And why shouldn't he want to maximise the price? Hands up who wouldn't want to do that!

Absolutely, I would! I’m not trying to rinse him or get a bargain. It’s just the fact that he will not engage one bit in the discussion.

As someone said previously, there is clearly something else going on which is driving this.

OP posts:
Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 13/06/2025 16:22

Mrsbloggz · 13/06/2025 14:22

OP, stretch all out for as long as you can, he'll soon be begging you to buy it because no one else will pay what he wants for it.

This post explains why LL has given notice ( and wants to sell the property)

Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 16:21

Jollyjollyjollygoodie · 13/06/2025 16:19

He probably wants to clean and decorate ready to sell, which of course he can’t do with you there. He then wants the best price he can get. He’s possibly hoping for a bidding war.

It doesn’t really need anything doing to it. He had refurbished it whilst living here, it’s in a really good condition. The kitchen and bathroom are both new. It may need main traffic areas having a lick of paint, but that’s really it.

OP posts:
TunnocksOrDeath · 13/06/2025 16:21

It is very possible that he wants to do some minor repairs or redecoration in order to achieve best price. Usually that work lifts the value more than the cost of the work.
He can't do that with you living there, and if he has the place valued now, as a ballpark for you to make an offer, it won't reflect the uplift, so he won't make that profit.

eyeses · 13/06/2025 16:20

The government is bringing in new laws this year to make being a small landlord much more risky, expensive and difficult. The result is landlords selling up while they still can. If your landlord doesn't get you out before October he might not be able to. If you are not out when the peoperty is listed buyers will be wary of being unable to get you to move out. It happens.

This has resulted in a glut of houses to buy and fewer properties to rent. Most people who rent cannot or don't want to buy. It's a lose/lose situation....except for the big landlords who can spread their risk, and maybe buy up some of that property for less.

And why shouldn't he want to maximise the price? Hands up who wouldn't want to do that!

Jollyjollyjollygoodie · 13/06/2025 16:19

He probably wants to clean and decorate ready to sell, which of course he can’t do with you there. He then wants the best price he can get. He’s possibly hoping for a bidding war.

Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 16:18

All this does is reinforce my need to buy somewhere that is mine!

OP posts:
Theroadt · 13/06/2025 16:17

Blackdow · 13/06/2025 13:16

He’s told you why he won’t sell straight to you. He wants to maximise the sale price. He wants to put it on the market and see if he gets any better offers.

This.

Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 16:16

EggnogNoggin · 13/06/2025 16:13

He's also probably worried you'll lead him down the garden path for 6 months and then it'll get nasty with you refusing to leave and the issues that can bring and he would still be exactly where he is now but with extra costs.

I’ve given him no reason to think that, but he could be being cautious.

OP posts:
GinnyandGeorgia · 13/06/2025 16:16

ArtTheClown · 13/06/2025 15:43

Remember you dont have to leave at his say so. If you want to get stubborn he'll have a long and expensive process getting rid of you.

and that's why landlords don't want a tenant when they start advertising the property.

SerendipityJane · 13/06/2025 16:16

girlwhowearsglasses · 13/06/2025 16:10

I’d go back really nicely and remind him he won’t be paying estate agent fees if he sells direct to you

He clearly isn't that bright though.

EggnogNoggin · 13/06/2025 16:13

He's also probably worried you'll lead him down the garden path for 6 months and then it'll get nasty with you refusing to leave and the issues that can bring and he would still be exactly where he is now but with extra costs.

Cattenberg · 13/06/2025 16:13

Flora73 · 13/06/2025 15:51

I agree! It does seem daft. But when I have tried to push him on the subject he shuts down and says he’s under no obligation to tell me what is going on and despite offering me a month or 2 extra (when he told me about the section 21), he has now gone back on that as well.

Show quote history

I repeat: I would NOT want to enter into the prolonged and expensive process of buying a property with this man.

EggnogNoggin · 13/06/2025 16:11

Flora73 · 13/06/2025 13:39

I probably would pay over the asking price yes, just to be able to have some stability.

You wouldn't though, even without the mortgage issue, because or would be silly.

He wants you out so he can put in cheap new carpets, bathroom and kitchen, give it a fresh coat of paint and put an extra 20k+ on it.

You'd be mad to pay that extra money When the work won't have been done.

girlwhowearsglasses · 13/06/2025 16:10

I’d go back really nicely and remind him he won’t be paying estate agent fees if he sells direct to you

EggnogNoggin · 13/06/2025 16:08

Flora73 · 13/06/2025 13:25

But wouldn’t an estate agent be able to give him a price as it is, and a price if it was empty?

He will want to do it up and sell it for more. Unless you can offer more than its worth (which will be a struggle as the mortgage company won't lend you more than the value).

And, gently, the fact you're trying to reason why you're the better bet instead of accepting his position or offering a stronger counter offer, is exactly why he doesn't want to sell to a tenant.

Digdongdoo · 13/06/2025 16:07

Flora73 · 13/06/2025 15:48

I’m glad I posted this question, it’s been so helpful seeing the array of responses and it’s really made me think about whether this is the house that I would buy if I wasn’t in this position.

it’s in immaculate condition and I’ve looked after it and spent my own time and money on it. It’s not big, a 3 bedroom cottage. It would probably be around 300k although he said when it was last valued it was 350k.

So it was valued at £350k last year? I'm assuming was much closer to the £300k you've guessed/were hoping it is worth?

pinkdelight · 13/06/2025 16:05

I probably would pay over the asking price yes, just to be able to have some stability.

That probably wouldn't work as your mortgage provider would only lend you what they valued it at, so unless you had the extra cash, you couldn't pay more. Generally I'm with the landlord in wanting to do it by the normal process. It's hard enough selling a house and he doesn't know that you'll be straightforward. If he sells direct to you and anything goes wrong with the process at all (e.g. you drop your offer or your mortgage falls through, which isn't uncommon), he's back to square one and still has the issue of a (potentially pissed off) tenant in situ. Better for him to end the renting situation then he's free do whatever he wants with the house, and as he says, you're welcome to offer on it then. You not wanting to move out is just one of those things when you're private renting and signed a contract with a break clause.

Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 16:01

TwigletsAndRadishes · 13/06/2025 15:55

Ok his reluctance to be straight with you and the weirdness of the situation means there is possibly something else going on. It's possibly because he wants it to move into himself because he plans to leave his partner but doesn't want to openly say this yet because his partner doesn't even know. Or some similar type of personal scenario which he's reluctant to discuss but it's important to him to do this in what seems like a counter productive way to everyone else.

It's frustrating but unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it.

Show quote history

I do think you are right. There are reasons that juts don’t make sense to me.

I’ll just have to find a short term rental until I have enough saved.

OP posts:
TwigletsAndRadishes · 13/06/2025 15:56

Sorry that was a bit garbled and repetitive. Hope it made sense.

TwigletsAndRadishes · 13/06/2025 15:55

Flora73 · 13/06/2025 15:52

And when I suggested paying more rent he declined saying I’m probably paying more than I should be anyway.

Ok his reluctance to be straight with you and the weirdness of the situation means there is possibly something else going on. It's possibly because he wants it to move into himself because he plans to leave his partner but doesn't want to openly say this yet because his partner doesn't even know. Or some similar type of personal scenario which he's reluctant to discuss but it's important to him to do this in what seems like a counter productive way to everyone else.

It's frustrating but unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it.

Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 15:52

And when I suggested paying more rent he declined saying I’m probably paying more than I should be anyway.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 15:51

TwigletsAndRadishes · 13/06/2025 15:47

It seems daft to insist that you leave when you could potentially be a buyer. I understand he doesn't want to market the house with a tenant in situ, but in this marker he's hardly going to get people going into a bidding war, so there is no real benefit to marketing it more widely if you are prepared to pay him a price that's close to what he wants to market it at.

He may as well just tell you what the house has been valued at and what he hopes to get for it, and you can either make him a great offer to keep it off the market, or move out and take your chances up against other people if you think he's asking too much. But the problem with that is that you may end up having to take a 6 month tenancy on somewhere else, unless you can stay with family for a while.

I can't understand his reluctance to progress the idea of selling to you. It makes no sense. It's an instant buyer with no uncertainty, no rental void, he won't be liable for council tax and maintaining the garden and insuring it as an empty property etc, plus he'll save himself agent's fees. It seems nuts to not explore this option first.

Are you sure he genuinely intends to sell it? If you are paying significantly less rent than he could get if he re-let it, he may just want to get you out so that he can spruce up the house and let it for much more. Then he'll claim a 'change of circumstances' when it never appears on the market.

I agree! It does seem daft. But when I have tried to push him on the subject he shuts down and says he’s under no obligation to tell me what is going on and despite offering me a month or 2 extra (when he told me about the section 21), he has now gone back on that as well.

OP posts:
TwigletsAndRadishes · 13/06/2025 15:50

ArtTheClown · 13/06/2025 15:43

Remember you dont have to leave at his say so. If you want to get stubborn he'll have a long and expensive process getting rid of you.

If you refuse to leave when you've been given perfectly reasonable notice to do so then that will affect your ability to rent somewhere else, should you need to. Don't make your landlord go through an expensive and stressful eviction process just on some sort of principle. It's not risk free. Other private landlords won't want to touch you with a bargepole.

Original poster
Flora73 · 13/06/2025 15:48

I’m glad I posted this question, it’s been so helpful seeing the array of responses and it’s really made me think about whether this is the house that I would buy if I wasn’t in this position.

it’s in immaculate condition and I’ve looked after it and spent my own time and money on it. It’s not big, a 3 bedroom cottage. It would probably be around 300k although he said when it was last valued it was 350k.

OP posts: