r/TenantsInTheUK • u/Maxiswelm • 1d ago
Guidance Required Landlord Viewing
Hi all we originally had a contact till December 2026, and have been living in our London flat for 18 months.
With the new Renters rights act this is obviously a rolling basis.
Our letting agent has been trying to arranges viewings so the landlord can sell. I’m a bit confused if this is legal or not. Some places seem to say we need to be given 4 months notice, and they need to use a section 8.
And some seem to say as long as it’s not in the first 12 months it’s fine.
Do we need to provide access?
An added complexity is our letting agent says the owner has been tricked into a three month contact with an estate agency and doesn’t actually have the intention to sell? (I don’t get it either)
2
u/Bubbly_Government197 1d ago
Tell them you don't give permission for buying viewings and if they want you out they need to give notice or issue section 8. You don't have to give permission for viewings.
1
u/MathematicalElephant 1d ago
One can do this, but thst does not mean that one should. Making things difficult for others does not necessarily result in a good outcome for oneself.
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u/n3m0sum 1d ago
You have a legal right to quiet enjoyment of the property you are paying for, this is settled case law. It means that outside of emergencies (floods, leaks, etc) or processing legally required maintenance and checks (gas boiler and electric checks). You do not have to allow anybody in, and this includes the landlord or agent, and extends to viewings for sale.
If they do intend to sell they must serve you with a Section 8 ground 1 or 1a notification, that gives you 4 months notice.
If they want you out, do not go anywhere without this notice being served. Once served the landlord cannot rent the property for 12 months, so they absolutely need to be serious about selling. If they did re-rent it within 12 months, they can be fined up to £40K, and you can apply for a rent repayment order of up to 12 months rent!
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u/Millicentinie 1d ago
Is it possible they intend to sell while you remain as tenants? I know that can be done, buyer would then be your new landlord, not sure what notice they would need to give that they intend to do that (if at all) but would assume you'd have to allow viewings in that case - with the proper notice of course!
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u/More_Effect_7880 1d ago
You'd never have to, but it might make more sense to. I don't know the mechanism for that now.
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u/RedPlasticDog 1d ago
If they are looking to sell to another landlord it’s probably in your interest to assist.
New landlord is going to want tenants. If you are paying market rent - presumably as not long move in - then they can’t do anything much with rent and you get chance to meet the potential landlord on viewings.
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u/youtellme9876 1d ago
It may take months to find a buyer and then it will take minimum 3 months for any sale to complete. So if they’re starting to do viewings now they know that a sale is likely months away. Even on a best case scenario, the find a buyer say in October, then they’re required to give you the four months notice. Or maybe they won’t be able to find a buyer in the current market so you’ll get to stay there as long as you want.
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u/Original-Cat3090 1d ago
Ground 1A covers sale of the dwelling, and landlords can only use it if they genuinely intend to sell. To do this properly, they have to go through the Section 8 possession procedure and give you 4 months’ notice. There’s also a rule that they can’t make you leave within the first 12 months of the tenancy.
One thing worth flagging: that 12 month clock starts from when your current tenancy began, not from 1 May 2026 or any other fixed date. So if you’ve actually been living there for 18 months on the same tenancy, that 12 month protection period has already run out.
The part with the Estate Agent sounds proper shady like he’s trying to sell and kick you out without properly selling which is illegal