Landlord selling, but won’t sell to me

[Flora73]

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?

And suggesting I move all my things out of this house, and make good any marks from living here, to then buy it on the open market and move back is ludicrous.

It's ludricous from your POV, but not at all from his. That's all that's happening here. You've got different goals and the way to achieve them is incompatible.

Glad you've accepted the situation anyhow and sure it'll all work out for the best, you'll find the right home and not look back on this with any regret.

Yes see this as an opportunity - to own your own place. Maybe this one, maybe something better. He might be very keen to sell to you in 3 month and you can negotiate the price

Your Landlord is breaking the law. Rather then just making you homeless, he has to give you first refusal

You might want to at least try to get it right, @JanuaryFlowers

As PPs have mentioned - and which I strongly suspect you already knew - this only applies where there are multiple flats in the same building, and even then there are further qualifying criteria

I recognise though that on here at least it's nothing new for the facts to be ignored in the stampede to damn landlords for just about everything

And suggesting I move all my things out of this house, and make good any marks from living here, to then buy it on the open market and move back is ludicrous.

Do you think he might not really trust your bone fides OP?

I mean according to you he may not even know that you have the finance in place and, that you've disputed his valuation, and, questioned his integrity, and, wanted to defer making an offer for another 4-5 months, (isn't that when the law changes on tenancy rights, hmmmm) and that offer would assumedly be what you feel it's worth then (with you as a sitting tenant I suppose) rather than equal to or more than the valuation he's said he received from a professional estate agent ~12 months ago, and lastly that you were entertaining the idea of hampering the section process to try to stop him exercising his legal right to break ; Yet he still wants to go to open market, rather than try to deal with you directly.... without knowing these all of these crucial ancillary facts....

Your LL seems very wise to me OP, sorry. Good luck with your house hunt.

Have you read any of my recent posts?

And also the Renters Reform Bill 2025 will most likely exclude any Section 21s that have already been issued. So that’s hardly something I’m factoring in to my decision making.

I have also said that I would pay whatever an agent suggested was a reasonable price for the house, not one with a sitting tenant! I do suggest you read all my comments before posting.

It seems he told you why he won’t sell to you: he wants to maximise his sale price.

So you can afford the £350k valuation? If so go in strong and offer it (or something very close) to your landlord. If you haven't done so, no wonder he won't negotiate.

So you think I should? This is why I’ve been reluctant because he’s completely shut down any form of negotiation on any level! I didn’t even think to offer him a price because he never asked me if I was able to buy it, despite knowing I have a MIP. Which he rather condescendingly congratulated me about.

I'm not sure how you expect a negotiation without making an offer. That would be the logical place to start. He must have told you what the valuation was for a reason...

You’d be mad to offer him the price he says it was valued at 18 months ago. Who does that when they don’t know if it’s been valued or not or whether it’s a figure he’s plucked out of thin air? I really don’t understand why he doesn’t get some current valuations from estate agents and work from there. Bear in mind it’s a buyers’ market at the moment so I’d go and look for a bargain if it was me.

I do think you’re right. This has made me think about what house is right for me, not from an emotive perspective or a practical one. I don’t want to move yet, I’ve not been here a year, and moving is so expensive and exhausting.

I don’t think it is worth what he said it was. There’s another house in the same town, albeit 25 years old and not 150, that has 3 bedrooms too but a garage and off road parking too, which this doesn’t. And that’s come on the market for £360k.

I did ask how much it was worth, he didn’t volunteer the information.

If you want the house, make a firm & fair offer OP.
(You should ask an estate agent for a valuation yourself imho & offer that or 350K or something in between)

You'll only be able to negotiate over furniture & white goods at this stage. But a fair price paid for something you want, with maybe a few cherries on top is probably better than the prospect of better & continuing to pay rent somewhere . Also the 2 moves will have costs, & be a double PITA.

If you can afford anything like that figure, and you want the house, I'd make an offer. His number isn't a million miles off the zoopla estimate, and you say it's a unique house. I guess it's up to you if you want to open up negotiations or not, because currently you haven't dealt your hand. You have to weigh up against the cost of moving, possibly a couple of times, too. It isn't only the landlord that would benefit from you buying it.
Of course he might still say no, but you haven't actually tried yet.

Exactly that! Moving costs, both financially and emotionally. And I need some stability.

Thank you. In his last message he did say he wouldn’t engage in a private sale, but it’s worth a go. I think I’ll get some agents to come and give me a valuation and take it from there.

You've got nothing to lose. I hope it works out for you either way.

Can you do that - get a valuation on a home you don't own so you can offer on it? Not being antagonistic, genuinely don't know if this is something EAs do, as they're not consultancy services for buyers who won't be using them. And when PP says 'nothing to lose', I dunno - if LL found out you'd got EAs to value his property for a private sale (that he's already said no to), it might pee him off.

I don’t know! It doesn’t sit right as it’s not my house to sell, but other posters have suggested it.

I don’t know what to do, I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I feel like you had it sorted in this post/reply and have gone down the spiral again since.

I'd imagine you can in the UK also. They normally charge a few hundred for a property they're not selling where I live.

Nonetheless, that could be a very good way to start the ball rolling with the LL, i.e. ask the LL for permission to get a professional valuation of the property. (Don't tell him the EA you're going to use until you see their valuation though ;) )

I just had a google about it - seems some people pretend to be the vendor in order to get a valuation, but then the issue is that EAs often give an inflated quote, thinking it's the vendor and wanting the business, so it's not v accurate. There is also the risk of LL finding out and thinking tenant is being sneaky. Not sure I'd go that route myself. Seems better to buy another house. The process is stressful enough without it starting off like this.

You’re absolutely right. I realised as soon as I posted that response.

I need to rein it in.

He could save a lot in estate agent costs if he agreed a reasonable price. I hope he gets 'messed about' by potential buyers.