Open market with vacant possession
Usually the most money, because owner-occupiers and investors can both buy. It depends on the tenancy ending first and on a buyer's mortgage and chain.
Sell a rental property with vacant possession to a direct buyer
If you want to sell a rental property, such as a buy-to-let that is sitting empty between tenants, Resolute Estate Solutions Ltd buys directly with vacant possession. The tenancy must have ended and the property must be empty by completion; we do not buy properties with tenants in place. Our written offer is below open-market value, there are no fees, and we pay your legal fees.
Why landlords decide to sell a rental property
Landlords sell for all sorts of reasons. Some are retiring and want to simplify. Some have one or two properties that take up more time than they are worth. Others have watched the rules change, particularly in England from 1 May 2026, and would rather step back than adapt. Many simply want to use the money for something else.
Whatever the reason, a landlord selling property has two broad starting points: the house is already empty, or there is a tenant living there. We buy rental properties with vacant possession only, so the tenancy must have ended and the property must be empty by completion. What we will not do is tell you how to end a tenancy. That is a matter for you and your own solicitor, and GOV.UK publishes guidance for landlords on the rules.
We are a direct buyer. We do not market your property, and we never pass enquiries on to anyone else. That means there is no stream of viewings, and you deal with one company throughout.
Selling an empty buy-to-let between tenancies
An empty let costs money every week. There is no rent coming in, but the mortgage, insurance, utilities and council tax usually carry on. Void periods are also when repairs tend to surface: tired kitchens, damp patches behind furniture, a boiler that will not pass another inspection. Before long it can feel like a project rather than an investment.
If you would rather sell a buy-to-let than re-let it, we can view it, give you a written offer and buy it as seen, so you do not need to refurbish first. Because we take on the repairs and the resale, our offer will be below open-market value; the trade-off is no fees, legal fees paid and no wait for a buyer's mortgage.
Unoccupied homes carry their own risks. Many insurers change their cover once a property has been empty for a set period, and HM Land Registry lists rented, empty and unmortgaged homes among those more exposed to property fraud. Councils can also charge a long-term empty premium on council tax in some areas; our page on council tax on empty homes explains the English rules. If the house needs a lot of work, see homes that need major work, or, for a general overview of empty homes, read selling an empty house to us.
What to have ready when you sell an empty let
Gathering the paperwork early keeps a sale moving. For an empty buy-to-let, that usually means the Energy Performance Certificate, the most recent gas safety record, the electrical installation condition report (EICR) and any other safety certificates you hold. Your solicitor will also want the title details and your identification, and, if the property is mortgaged, details of the lender so the mortgage can be paid off from the sale proceeds.
It also helps to show that the last tenancy was closed off properly. Keep a record of the deposit being returned through the protection scheme that held it, the scheme's paperwork, the check-out report and the date the tenants handed back the keys.
Checking the property after the tenants leave
Once the tenants have moved out, walk round the property before anyone else does. Compare it with the check-in inventory, take dated photographs, read the meters and collect every set of keys. Look for leaks, damp and anything left behind, and keep the post collected so the house does not look abandoned from the street. Let your insurer know that the property is unoccupied, as many policies have conditions for empty homes.
Council tax on an empty let in England
While tenants live in the property, they are usually responsible for council tax. Once it is empty, the bill normally becomes the owner's, so tell the council the date the tenancy ended. In England, a council can charge a long-term empty premium once a home has been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for a year, and each council decides whether to charge one and at what level.
If your rental property still has a tenant living there
Many landlords do not want to end a tenancy at all. The tenant may have been there for years, paying on time and looking after the place. A landlord who wants to sell with the tenant staying will usually be selling to another landlord or investor, through an agent or at auction. We do not buy properties with tenants in place.
In England, when a let property is sold with a tenant in place, the tenancy continues. As one council's guidance puts it, the new landlord buys the property subject to the tenancy, and the tenant's rights stay the same. The law also requires a new landlord to tell the tenant their name and address in writing by the next rent day, or within two months of the sale if that is later (Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 3).
If you would rather sell to us, the tenancy must have ended lawfully and the property must be empty by completion. Take advice from your own solicitor and follow the GOV.UK guidance for landlords before you serve any notice. Our guide to selling a house with tenants sets out the general rules in England.
We never buy a home and let it back to the person who sold it; the seller is never our tenant.
Tenancy law for landlords selling in England
The rules on ending a tenancy have changed recently. The summary below is general information from official sources, not legal advice. Please speak to a solicitor before serving any notice.
| Nation | What the official guidance says |
|---|---|
| England | From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies, fixed terms ended and section 21 "no fault" notices were abolished. A landlord now needs a section 8 ground for possession. The selling ground (ground 1A) needs 4 months' notice and cannot end a tenancy within its first 12 months. A landlord who uses it cannot market the property to let, or re-let it, for 12 months. See the Renters' Rights Act overview for landlords. |
Treating tenants fairly while a let property is sold
A rental property is someone's home, and a sale can be unsettling for the people living there. We try to keep the disruption to a minimum.
- One viewing, arranged properly. We usually need to see the property once. The landlord or managing agent arranges it with the tenant, with their agreement and proper notice. We never turn up unannounced.
- No contact behind your back. We do not approach tenants directly before a sale is agreed, and we never discuss the sale price with them.
Selling a rental property to us, from first call to completion
Every rental property we buy must be empty by completion. You can stop at any point before exchange at no cost.
Tell us about the property
Call 0203 746 5656 or send us the property details. Tell us whether it is empty now or when the tenancy is due to end.
Viewing
We view the property once, arranged with the tenant if there is one.
Written offer
You receive our written offer, the Terms of Business and an explanation of how we reached the figure.
Solicitors and checks
You instruct your own solicitor, and we pay the legal fees. We check identity, the title and, for company landlords, the company's details at Companies House and a board resolution.
Exchange and completion
Contracts are exchanged. Then, on the agreed date, the money is paid to your solicitor.
You can read more about each stage of selling to us and about our identity and fraud checks.
Ways a landlord can sell, compared honestly
A direct sale is not always the right answer for a landlord. Here is how the main routes compare.
Open market with the tenant in place
Sold to another landlord through an agent. Buyers look closely at the rent and the tenancy, and there are agent's fees.
Auction
At a traditional auction, the sale is usually binding when the hammer falls, and tenanted lots are common. Auction fees apply, and the price depends on the bidders on the day.
A direct sale to Resolute Estate Solutions
With vacant possession only: one buyer, a written offer, no fees and legal fees paid. The price is below open-market value in return.
Our comparison of estate agents, auctions and direct buyers goes into more detail, and how we work out our offers shows the comparable sales, the cost of works and the margin behind every figure. Flats have their own considerations, covered on our page about selling a leasehold flat to us.
Portfolio landlords, company landlords and houses in multiple occupation
We also speak to landlords with more than one property, and to landlords who own through a limited company. For a company sale, we check the company at Companies House, including its directors and any charges, and ask for a board resolution authorising the sale and identification for the people signing. Each property is assessed and offered on individually, so you can choose which to sell.
If you want to sell a shared house or a flat that has been let to several tenants, the sale can be more complicated, because of licensing, the number of tenancies that must end and the condition of shared areas. We will look at it, but we will be honest early on if a property is not one we can buy.
If you would like to know more about the company before you call, you can read about who we are and how we trade.
Questions landlords ask about selling a rental property to us
Will you buy a property with tenants in it?
No. We buy rental properties with vacant possession only, so the tenancy must have ended and the property must be empty by completion. We do not buy properties with tenants in place. The tenancy must be ended lawfully, so take advice from your solicitor.
Is your offer lower than an estate agent would get?
Usually, yes. Our offers are below open-market value because we take on any repairs, the costs of owning and letting the property, and the risk. In return, there are no fees, and we pay your legal fees.
Can I sell a buy-to-let that still has a mortgage?
Yes. Your solicitor pays off the lender from the sale proceeds on completion, as with any sale. We check the title for any charges at the start.
Do you buy rental properties outside England?
We buy rental properties in England. We do not currently buy in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Who pays council tax while my let is empty?
Usually the owner, from the day the property becomes empty. Tell the council the date the tenancy ended. If the property stays unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for a year, the council can charge a long-term empty premium; our page on council tax on empty homes explains the rules.
Will you contact my tenants?
Not before a sale is agreed, and never without your knowledge. The viewing is arranged through you or your agent.
Page last reviewed on by the Resolute Estate Solutions team.