Tenant is moving out in a month, I am trying to sell and have instructed a reputable estate agent to manage the process. I provide the tenant with notice ahead of viewings and allow them to agree/ reject according to their convenience. She is mandating that either she or I am present at every viewing. I have not and I don’t think can stop her from being present (although that is not ideal and very awkward only being a one bedroom flat), however I can’t practically and don’t want to be there for viewings, that is what I have instructed an agent to do. What are my rights as an owner/ landlord if any? Thank you!
You want to sell? Let her be there.
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@Bethany1 check what your tenancy agreement says.
Openrent ast said tenant must
"9.43. To permit the Landlord, and any superior landlord, or the Landlord’s employees/agents at all reasonable times after giving tenant 24h notice
to enter and view the Premises with any prospective future Tenants "
Best
I haven’t stopped her from being there. However she is expecting that when viewings happen and she is not present that I will be there. It is that part that I am not sure she can expect
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Thank you! This is what I thought (my ast says below) and a lot more than 24 hours notice given, more so a week. So assume okay for me to not be there/ send agent on my behalf. And the tenant is welcome to be present if they wish (or remove any valuables if they are concerned about this), but cannot expect me to be
“To permit the Landlord, and any superior landlord, or the Landlord’s employees/agents at all reasonable times after giving the Tenant at least 24 hours’ notice (except in an emergency) to enter and view the Premises with any prospective future Tenants or purchasers during the last 60 days of the tenancy. “
Its not a good idea to sell when a tenant is there. she can just passively aggressively non-cooperate and viewers won’t get a good impression. there are so many flats on market now you need to present it as well as possible. and it always raises the doubt in a buyer’s mind “am I wasting my time here as tenant may not move out”
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Well has tenant allowed boiler servicing etc without you there?
I get the concern about strangers in a home but so long as agent is from a local.agency with an office and not a random person off the internet you m ay be able to persuade tenant they are trustworthy not least because any issues they or you can visit the agent’s office.
If they still dont want best leave it. As others say, tenant.can easily put a seller off, till tenant leaves you need them to be ok and tske care of the place
Best
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I agree with Graham’s post. The property probably doesnt look at its best with the tenant living there either. The reality is that she can simply refuse all viewings if she wishes and your contract term won’t mean very much. I also think its not an unreasonable request. Do you really want a claim against you for theft of her valuables.
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That’s helpful. It effectively means that the best course of action is to halt the process and wait until you have a vacant property for viewings. It’s only a month, and this is not the time to mess with a tenant who could make life very difficult for you.
Either that or work it so that you can be there for viewings in the interest of selling your property faster.
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She’s clearly being very reasonable. Either agree to her conditions or wait until she’s out.
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