As featured in The Telegraph’s Buy To Let Master Class Series
The private rented sector is shifting fast. Since the approval of the Renters’ Rights Act, landlord instructions to sell have surged, with over 254,099 previously rented homes listed in the year to March – nearly 700 a day.
And it’s forcing landlords to confront a difficult question: how do you exit without losing time, money, or control?
Get this right, and you can exit efficiently into a hungry, motivated market.
Get it wrong, and you risk sitting in an increasingly crowded marketplace — or taking an unnecessary hit on price.
The Hidden Cost of “Doing It the Normal Way” (via the high street)
The article quoted a National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) spokesperson, who said tenanted properties typically sell for 5 -10% less [than those offered with vacant possession].
That’s the view of an organisation that positions itself as an independent voice for landlords, offering impartial advice based on market evidence and member experience.
But it doesn’t stop there:
- Legal costs are often higher – because tenancy agreements, compliance documents, and historic records are frequently left for solicitors to untangle late in the process
- Sales take longer – buyers need reassurance on tenants, condition, and compliance
- Deals are fragile – like any property sale, they’re not legally secure until exchange
Around 30% of standard property sales fall through. There are no official figures for tenanted sales, but given the added complexity, it’s reasonable to assume the risk is significantly higher.
Traditional Auctions Are Faster… But at What Cost?
For some landlords, auction offers certainty. Sales are legally binding, and many of the delays tied to financing, surveys, or tenant referencing are removed.
However, as highlighted by Philippa Martinez of Auction House, this route often comes at a steep price — discounts of 30–40% are common, alongside upfront listing fees whether the property sells or not.
Auctions can make sense for harder-to-sell stock — such as leasehold flats or low-demand locations — but for landlords holding affordable houses in strong rental areas, it’s often an unnecessarily expensive exit.
Caught Between Two Extremes
So where does that leave landlords?
- Traditional sale → lower discount, but slower, riskier, and more complex
- Auction → fast and certain, but heavily discounted
It’s this gap — between risk and sacrifice — where Landlord Sales Agency has built its model.
A Smarter Route: Certainty Without the Heavy Discount
Landlord Sales Agency offers a different approach:
👉 Sell with tenants in place
👉 Move quickly, with committed buyers
👉 Achieve 85–90% of vacant possession value
In other words, get the speed and security of auction for only marginally more discount than expected when selling tenanted property through an estate agent.
A Market in Transition — and Opportunity
As David Coughlin recently observed:
“More than 50pc of their sales in the past few weeks had been to landlords with 10 to 15 properties who were capitalising on the exodus of smaller landlords to expand their portfolios. The ones leaving are either between 60 and 70 years old and just want to retire, or they’re worried about fines and the finances don’t stack up for them anymore.”
This shift didn’t happen overnight.
“We’ve been warning landlords about this and preparing for it since 2015, when Section 24 clearly signalled the Government’s long-term direction of travel.”
Over that period, a new generation of younger, well-capitalised investors has emerged – ready to buy, adapt, and grow and Landlord Sales Agency has built a database of over 30,000 active buyers, including both investors and owner-occupiers, helping to drive competition and support stronger sale prices.
Timing Matters More Than Ever
With regulations and scrutiny intensifying at the same time supply is flooding the market, how you sell is now just as important as when you sell.
The strongest demand currently sits with:
- Affordable freehold houses
- Northern towns and cities
- Properties with stable tenancies in place
Get this right, and you can exit efficiently into a hungry, motivated market.
Get it wrong, and you risk sitting in an increasingly crowded marketplace — or taking an unnecessary hit on price.
The Bottom Line
Yes — selling with vacant possession may still achieve the highest price on paper.
But when you factor in:
- Lost rental income
- Holding costs
- Time delays
- Risk of fall-through
…it’s not always the most profitable route in reality.
Don’t Settle for Either Extreme
You don’t have to choose between:
- uncertain, drawn-out sales, or
- fast exits at a heavy discount
Sell through Landlord Sales Agency and achieve the best of both worlds — protecting your tenants and your wallet.