Help! How do I tell the tenants?

[PurpleMustang]

I want to do this the best way possible so am asking for advice, do's/don'ts. Background is that I have a house that I need to sell (have no choice in the situation) and the tenants have been there about 10 years, hence feeling even worse about this. I have been putting this off as this first became an issue just before first lockdown, so put it off, hoping that the whole pandemic situation would be better by now but it's not as I would of hoped. An agency look after the property so I don't have direct contact with the tenants, in fact I have never met them. Always wanted to keep out of they way and not be in their face. So I don't know what their situation is like and how they will take this. I would obviously love and give them the option to buy it first. If they wanted, could I sell it with the tenants still there, do any landlords buy property with existing tenants? Do I let the agency tell them or if it was you would you prefer the owner to do it? I just feel really shit about doing this so want to make it as less crap for them as possible, without putting my foot in it. Any advice welcome (Oh and please don't complain about me being a landlord, it was accidental in that it wouldn't sell so this was the next option at the time)

I do also need inside the house to see if/what needs doing. I need to write a list of questions to ask the agency

Please bear in mind that you have no legal right to enter, inspect or otherwise access the house, while the tenants are still in situ. They also are not in anyway obliged to facilitate photographers, estate agents, or viewings.

Your agents may tell you different and your contract might say you can do all the above and more, but you have no legal rights to do so.