do letting agents have to inform you if the flat your going to rent is for sale?

robwend

hi guys, i only ask this as not got much responce from my other thread, as i need to know where i stand in getting my holding deposit back xxx

dopester

Good question... I don't know either for sure.

However I doubt there is any legal obligation for letting agents to provide such info to a tenant (assuming they even know it's for sale).

After all, are they supposed to search all Estate Agents and Rightmove every month to check whether the landlord has begun actively trying to sell their property?

Also what about repossession? I've read many a tale where a tenant has suddenly found their landlord's place being repossessed and worried about what it means to their right to live there. (I don't know tenants' rights here either). Good luck establishing more solid answers.

mrs.maverick

I don't think they are under any obligation to inform you if the flat you're going to rent is up for sale, though normally I would expect them to do so as a matter of courtesy and good business practice.

robwend

cheers, just im going down there tomorrow with evidence its on the market, demanding my holding deposit back,i made it very clear when viewing i need long term due to two small children,so i feel very very let down and bloody angry

PasturesNew

As the tenant you don't have to allow any viewings though, which can really p155 on their bonfire.

becky170

A house I was renting a couple of years ago was sold during my tenancy. The landlord informed us he was putting it on the market and then the estate agents contacted us by letter everytime they wanted to show someone around. We never had any contact with the people who took over our property (it was around the time we were moving out anyway), but they did return our deposits in full.

As for the repossesion issue, I've got a clause written into my tenancy agreement which says in the case of repossession I have two months to move out and as far as I remember I would get the deposit back.

robwend

dopester wrote: »

Good question... I don't know either for sure.

However I doubt there is any legal obligation for letting agents to provide such info to a tenant (assuming they even know it's for sale).

After all, are they supposed to search all Estate Agents and Rightmove every month to check whether the landlord has begun actively trying to sell their property?

Also what about repossession? I've read many a tale where a tenant has suddenly found their landlord's place being repossessed and worried about what it means to their right to live there. (I don't know tenants' rights here either). Good luck establishing more solid answers.

a letting agent would know if a property is on market as they have to show viewers, hence i feel ive been done over

realitybet

My landlord says he is selling his selling up and wants the flat back. Have been served me with 2 month notice via letting agents. Cheeky sod. After 3 years I have 2 months notice. Surely he's shooting himself in the foot as he's going to have the property empty until it's sold? In the current climate may be a while! Especially as it's not especially sort after (1 bed flat). In his letter to the agency he even offered to sell it to me, no thanks mate.

Anyway they would have to give you 2 months notice, and you do not have to accept viewings. Contact the agent and see what they say. How long have you been in the property?

kunekune

Sorry, but although I have masses of sympathy for you, I'm not sure there's much you can do. The letting agency might be the selling agency but that doesn't mean that the two different parts of the business talk to each other, and the EA might be a different business altogether. And, unfortunately (because security is so important for us as tenants) ASTs give no assurances of long term. It's one thing to say to them that you want to stay for years but they will only give you an AST. And if it is only for a year, that is what you can rely on. No more.

It stinks. I'm sorry.

robwend

ooh i understand that totally. its the fact i woudl nt have looked twice at this flat had i have known it was for sale also, thats my arguement.ive paid out a deposit for a flat that very uncertain. when ive stated to lettin agent i need stability

silvercar

Don't panic yet, it may be that the landlord only intended selling if he couldn't find a tenant.