Yes. In England your landlord can sell while you live there, and if you stay, your tenancy carries on with the buyer as your new landlord. If they want you out to sell, they must use the selling ground on a section 8 notice, give you at least 4 months’ notice, and cannot evict you on that ground in the first 12 months of your tenancy.
Two ways your landlord can sell
Shelter says a landlord who is selling might either:
- sell the property while you still live there (with ‘tenants in situ’), or
- take steps to evict you so they can sell it empty.
Either way, you do not have to leave straight away. An email or text telling you to move out because the home is being sold is not a legal notice. Your tenancy carries on until you agree to leave or your landlord takes the proper legal steps.
Some landlords offer money to leave so the home is empty for the sale. You can accept, but make sure you have somewhere to go first.
If they want you to leave so they can sell
Since 1 May 2026, most private tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies. To end one because they are selling, your landlord must:
- Give you a section 8 notice using ground 1A (sale of the property), with at least 4 months’ notice.
- Get a possession order from a court if you stay after the notice ends.
- Apply for bailiffs if you stay after the date in the order.
Ground 1A cannot be used to evict you within the first 12 months of a new tenancy. Your landlord can serve the notice during that time, but it cannot end before the 12 months are up. So you may get more than 4 months’ notice.
Ground 1A is a mandatory ground. If the landlord proves they are selling and the notice is valid, the court must make the order. Shelter says you could stop the eviction if you have evidence they don’t plan to sell, such as messages showing this or adverts for new tenants. A court also cannot order your eviction if your deposit has not been protected or returned by the hearing. You can check whether your deposit is protected.
They can’t re-let straight away
To stop the selling ground being misused, the government’s guide to the Renters’ Rights Act says landlords will not be able to market or re-let the property for 12 months after using it. Shelter puts this as a year after your notice ends. If your landlord breaks this rule, you can report them to your council, which can fine them.
Viewings, surveys and valuations
Your landlord may ask to bring in buyers, surveyors or valuers. Shelter says you do not have to allow access for these unless your tenancy agreement says so. You can say if times or days don’t suit you. Refusing viewings does not stop a sale, or an eviction on ground 1A done the right way.
Your landlord or their agent must not pressure you to move out, threaten you or harass you. Ask your council for help if this happens. For the notice rules on visits, see can your landlord enter without permission?
If the house is sold with you still living there
Your tenancy does not end when the home is sold. The new owner becomes your landlord, on the same terms. Shelter says:
- Rent stays the same. The new landlord must follow the proper process to put it up.
- You don’t have to sign a new agreement. If you do, it replaces your old one.
- They can’t just tell you to leave, even if they bought it to live in. They need a legal notice on a valid ground.
- They must tell you who they are. Their name and address, and the date they became the owner, within 2 months of buying.
- Repairs are theirs from the day of the sale, even for problems the old landlord caused.
What happens to your deposit
Your deposit is usually passed to the new landlord as part of the sale. They have 30 days to make sure it is protected in a scheme and tell you which one. If the money is not passed on, your old landlord is still responsible for protecting it. Whoever is your landlord when the tenancy ends is responsible for returning it.
Worked example (fictional)
Aisha’s tenancy in Leicester started on 1 August 2026. On 1 November 2026 her landlord serves a section 8 notice on ground 1A because he wants to sell.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Notice served | 1 November 2026 |
| 4 months after the notice | 1 March 2027 |
| End of the 12-month protected period | 31 July 2027 |
| Earliest the notice can end | After 31 July 2027 (about 9 months’ notice) |
Aisha doesn’t have to leave when the notice ends. If she stays, her landlord must go to court. If the sale falls through and he keeps the flat, he can’t simply re-let it to someone else for a year.
Planning your next move
A sale can come with a deadline, so start budgeting early. Use the moving house cost calculator to add up removals, deposits and overlap rent, or browse all our renting calculators. If you decide to go yourself, read how to give notice to leave a rented home.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules for ending tenancies. This guide covers England only.
Related: Can a landlord still evict you without a reason? · What happens if your landlord’s home is repossessed?
Sources
- Shelter: Landlord selling your home? What are your rights?, checked 10 October 2026
- Shelter: Eviction rights if your landlord is selling, checked 10 October 2026
- Shelter: Allowing access to your home, checked 10 October 2026
- Shelter: If your home is sold to a new landlord, checked 10 October 2026
- Shelter: Your tenancy deposit if your landlord changes, checked 10 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Grounds for possession guidance, checked 10 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act, checked 10 October 2026
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.