If your tenant had signed a years contract but you wanted to sell, when would you put it on the market?

[TheDayMyButtWentPsycho]

Say the 12 month contract ends in June, would you put the house on the market in March?

I don’t want anyone going through my home while I am out.

Good thing it isn't your home then grin.

List it as soon as possible as if that’s your attitude you’re a shit landlord and your tenant deserves better.

The tenant doesn’t have to allow viewings. But like so many things there’s probably a reasonable compromise to be found. Perhaps you could agree set blocks for viewings at a time that doesn’t inconvenience the tenant and in return give them a small rent reduction? I was a tenant and my landlord was selling it was absolutely fine as we were all considerate adults about it.

So why are you posting? You acknowledge it's entirely up to your tenant...

you sound like cheeky piss taker from this thread alone.

No the situation isn't funny.
Your amateur dramatics on this thread are though. Totally OTT responses.

You also have to consider that with a sitting tenant some people will be put off as the tenancy end date is no guarantee of vacant possession.

Sorry, thought you said it wasn’t her home. Realise you were talking to a PP saying it wasn’t their home. My bad.

So why are you posting? You acknowledge it's entirely up to your tenant...

Because my question was about when.
Not if.

I threw March time out there for example. That's what I was asking. 3 months before? 6 weeks before? (No weeks before if she refuses of course).

Yes when I was house hunting I wouldn’t consider houses with a tenant even if they were swearing blind they couldn’t wait to leave at the end of the tenancy. It’s no guarantee.

None of the responses have been OTT, you just don’t like them. You sound like a classic hobby landlord who thinks that they can treat tenants as a cash cow and then disregard their rights because you overstretches yourself financially.

If she agrees then 8 weeks before which is pretty much the minimum you’d expect conveyencing to take. It’s a reasonable timeframe for moving from having an offer accepted anyway.

Another thing you could do is send a nice letter asking if the tenant would be interested in ending the contract early.

Legally is that possible? I asked my solicitor about it and he said no.

It will be easier if the property is empty. It's usually contrary to the tenancy agreement for the landlord to let themselves in unannounced during the day when the tenant is out, or just in general.

We had a contract on a rented house until March this year. The landlord had said they would put it up for sale in the September before (they expected it would take a while to sell). We were looking to buy and were initially told we’d probably be able to end the contract early.

Instead they put it up for sale last June, we got the house immaculate for photos and viewings and didn’t feel we could say no as we knew it wasn’t ours. Seeing as it still hasn’t sold then it didn’t really make any difference (apart from to us) it being put on the market sooner.

Perhaps you could agree set blocks for viewings at a time that doesn’t inconvenience the tenant and in return give them a small rent reduction?

I think this might be the key here. This might be the way forward. She's really nice and I'm not an arsehole we are just under huge financial pressure. And as I said above, I totally appreciate that's she has the right to say no.
I'm a tenant and I've been a house that's been sold too. It's just life. I said no to some viewings and yes to a lot more. I knew I was in my rights to refuse all but I didn't feel the need to.

Another thing you could do is send a nice letter asking if the tenant would be interested in ending the contract early.

Legally is that possible? I asked my solicitor about it and he said no.

I've seen it done a few times. It didn't even occur to me that it would be illegal. I think you should ask a surveyor as they also know about these things

Yes when I was house hunting I wouldn’t consider houses with a tenant even if they were swearing blind they couldn’t wait to leave at the end of the tenancy.

Thanks for that, I hadn't considered it from that perspective. All set to move in and the tenants still there! I don't think she would do that, but how would the buyer be sure?

Do you have break clauses in the contract allowing you to terminate it early?

You sound like a classic hobby landlord who thinks that they can treat tenants as a cash cow and then disregard their rights because you overstretches yourself financially.

And you sound like a dramatic imbocile.
I'm a student paeds nurse with a baby on the way who luckily inherited a house. We weren't sure what to do so we rented it out for 12 months. We are still wet behind the ears of how to juggle this efficiently and fairly and Mumsnet is a great place to get advice, experience from others, different perspectives and ideas.
Then there's you.

My husband ans his flatmate were offered 800 in the mid 80s - half to facilitate viewings etc and half to be prepared to move out earlier if they got a buyer (which they did). They werent so fussed as they were single guys and could sofa surf a bit if they needed too. They took the money and eventually left, quids in.

Perhaps an arrangement like this might work?

I've been here... Honestly if you try and sell with a tenant in situe you won't get close to what the place is worth. Guaranteed. If at all possible wait until they move out, clean and redecorate and stage the house as lots of buyers now expect and you'll probably get a quicker sale for more money ...

If she agrees then 8 weeks before which is pretty much the minimum you’d expect conveyencing to take.
Thanks Nico. Perhaps I was being too panicked and going for 12 weeks.

Do you have break clauses in the contract allowing you to terminate it early?
I've no idea, DH sorted out that side of things. That's why we're in this position in the first place. If I had my way, we would have sold straight away.
This has become the very headache that I said it would, and we are financially worse off each month for it as well.

Honestly if you try and sell with a tenant in situe you won't get close to what the place is worth.

This has been worrying me a lot.

With reference to your first question I’d say 8-10 weeks before the end of the tenancy is reasonable (is it not written in the contract that viewings must be facilitated in the final 6 weeks - 2months of the tenancy?). Re your most recent q, if relations are amicable then why not have an informal chat to see what her plans would be....perhaps you could offer her a month’s free rent/golden goodbye if you can get it exchanged (and you can exchange with tenants in situ you’ll just need to have the correct paperwork!).

And you sound like a dramatic imbocile

You are incredibly rude and ignorant yourself. Goodness help any of your patients if you speak in rl the way you do on here.

This is exactly way people shouldn’t rent out unless they are prepared to act in a professional way, more legislation is needed.

Blimey, some overly dramatic responses on here. If the tenant is happy to facilitate viewings, stick it on in March. If she’s not, still stick it on in March and ensure you have communicated with her about it being sold and that the contract won’t be renewed.

Block viewings were the norm when we bought a buy to let a couple of years ago. It’s a way of causing least inconvenience to tenants.