We’ve all read the headlines and seen the facts – the landlord sell-off is already happening and experts across the PRS are predicting that the sell-off is going to get even to get much bigger.
According to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), a record 26 % of landlords sold at least some rental properties in 2024 — the highest quarterly figure on record. At the same time, data from TwentyEA shows that in Q1 2025, 15.6 % of all new sales instructions came from formerly rented homes, up sharply from 9.8 % in Q1 2024.
Most experts are also advising landlords who plan to sell some or all of their rental stock; the time to start the process is now before the market gets inundated and 2026 prices react to the expected “buyers’ market”.
We agree with that advice and urge any landlord who is planning to sell some or all of their rental stock to start thinking seriously about which properties they want to sell and how and they’re going to do it to achieve their main aims and objectives.
We have put together the following guide to help landlords who want to sell ex-rental properties how to weigh up which properties are worth keeping, and which make the most sense to sell.
In short, our advice to any landlord planning to sell rental properties in 2026 is to make sure you think carefully about your ALL the factors – think about the financial return, the reasons you need to sell, the ‘hidden’ costs involved in selling (the costs of eviction, the costs of running empty property while you wait for a sale to complete), what you want to do next, AND the buyers you hope to attract.
Below we look at these and other factors in more detail:
Financial Return
As well as the estimated property value, consider: the rental yield; the equity tied into the property; the taxes you will have to pay after the sale; mortgage costs and obligations.
Tenant risk, rent affordability & payment history
With landlords having to prove their grounds for eviction from May 1st 2026 and fears that the process will be subject to huge delays and cost, landlords might need to consider the potential for rent increases and their future options to manage the risks associated with tenants who have a history of payment difficulties and/or anti-social behaviour before they are forced to use Section 8 to evict all tenants.
Property condition and compliance
If a property needs substantial repair work or fails to meet minimum standards, selling ‘as is’ with tenants in situ might be a more cost-effective solution than evicting tenants, refurbishments and void periods with many landlords are choosing to prioritise selling properties with poor condition, high maintenance costs or coming-up compliance obligations.
Equity and Cash Flow
Landlords who want to prepare their portfolios for tougher rules and regulations should consider the equity tied into their properties and which can release the most disposable income to ensure the remainder of their properties are ready for inspection and the implementation of The Renters’ Rights laws.
Buyer demand and VOID – Think About Your Target Buyers
Selling a property can take a long time! The cost of lost rent (void periods) – especially where sellers are paying mortgage costs or maintenance costs against a property – should be a factor landlord consider before choosing what properties to sell. Properties that are difficult to sell could sit on the market for years.
Some property types sell faster than others — e.g. terraced houses or well-presented 2-bed homes are often in higher demand.
For flats / leasehold properties: compliance issues (such as fire-safety certificates, compliance with building regulations, sensible lease terms, manageable service charges, etc.) can drastically affect marketability. Properties with EWS1/FRA/BSA issues or excessive service charges may be harder to sell.
If you want a quick, reliable sale, you need to pick properties that are attractive to a ready pool of buyers (owner-occupiers or landlords), not just ones you personally think are redundant.
Think About How To Sell As Well As What To Sell
- Do you want a clean, fast exit — or are you happy to unload properties slowly over time?
- How much is your time worth? Selling properties individually via high-street agents can be drawn-out and management-heavy.
- Do you prefer certainty — a guaranteed sale now — or are you willing to wait longer in return for a higher price?
- What’s your long-term goal: reduction of portfolio size, release of capital, or just simplification of holdings?
- Would you prefer to bypass the eviction process and sell you property with minimal disruption to your tenants?
Talk To The Landlord Sales Agency
If you would like more help to choose which properties to sell, contact the Landlord Sales Agency today – we pride ourselves on our realistic and research based valuations. Find out what your properties are worth and how fast we can sell them.
Whether you want to sell a single buy-to-let or multiple properties at the same time, we have the best team in the UK who know exactly what it takes to get your properties sold. We’re the experts at overcoming every single obstacle landlords face, be it tenant issues, selling with tenants in situ, evictions, or properties in difficult conditions.
- Fast house sales (average ~28 days)
- Typically 85–90 % of full market value — far better than auction discounts while still realistic when you account for timing, voids and refurb costs.
- Zero fees on our side.
- We can sell with tenants in situ — avoiding voids, refurb costs, compliance delays and tenant-break friction.
- We have a large ready buyer pool — 30,000+ buyers on our list — which speeds up sales and can create bidding competition.
- We handle the “difficult” deals — properties needing refurbishment, with tenants, or in challenging locations — situations traditional agents often avoid.
We know exactly what’s needed. Our team is ready. And we’re here to get the job done.