Landlord selling up. What are my rights?

[VelveteenBunni]

As above really. Letting agent has informed me today that the landlord has instructed them to sell. They are trying to find an investor for it to be sold with us as sitting tenants I think he said?

We have had a turbulent time in this house with repairs not being carried out and such, so I'm really shocked instead of righting what is wrong with the house he has chose to sell it instead.

Surely being obstructive is just more stressful.

One person’s obstructive is another person’s right to quiet enjoyment.

As people have said I have the right to quiet enjoyment of my home. I don't have to allow viewings. Any decent landlord knows that. Not my problem he wants to sell. House is a shit hole anyway. Good luck to the future owners.

In your position I would move homes.

Then you can have a new place which meets your requirements and you don't have the disruption of viewers.

If you don't allow viewing I expect your landlord will serve notice on you. I doubt they will just give up, they must have their reasons for selling.

It's not fair to try and block the sale IMO.

In the meantime while you look for another property I would consider changing the locks if you’re worried about them entering anyway.

@Velveteenbunni
Are you in kent by any chance ? I was messed about by a landlord who had a number of houses and was selling up , also he also changed the letting agent recently

No but I believe the landlord himself lives in Kent.

I think you've been fair.

Did the landlord care about your struggling in property with multiple repairs needed? No. Did they care about doing the repairs on time or properly? No. Do they care about you being exposed to viewings without appropriate covid precautions? No. Those are all things they should be caring about, and legally should respond appropriately to. But they didn't. They have respected neither the law or basic kindness.

On the other hand you have no legal obligation to allow viewings. But they now expect you to go the extra mile?

Why on earth you should be expected to care about losing the landlord a sale I have no idea. If the landlord had been reasonable themselves maybe you would have. Anyway, how do they know the viewers would have made an offer? Sounds unlikely to me. Agents often get all threatening, the law doesn't back them up. Again, they don't care what stress they cause you, even when they are threatening to break the law. But they expect you to feel bad for doing something you are legally entitled to do? Fuck them.

The bottom line is you can own a property and have the ability to market it without disruption, or you can own a property and rent it out to someone (as their home with right to quiet enjoyment). If you choose to rent you make more money but you lose that flexibility, that is more than fair. Sorry the landlord can't have his cake and eat it.

Hope you find a better place soon OP.