Selling a block with the tenants still in it.

The tenancies carry on.

When a let building is sold, the tenancies stay exactly as they are. The buyer becomes the landlord on the day of completion.

Nobody has to move, the rent stays the same and the agreements don’t need rewriting. The tenants get a letter telling them who their new landlord is and where to pay.

What happens to the deposits.

Deposits stay protected and pass to the buyer with the building. The solicitors deal with the transfer as part of the sale.

If a deposit was never protected, or the paperwork has gone missing, say so early. It can usually be dealt with, and it’s better found at the start than in the last week.

Why not just get vacant possession?

Since the Renters’ Rights Act came in on 1 May 2026 there is no Section 21. A landlord who wants a flat back in order to sell has to use a specific ground and give four months’ notice. It can’t be used in the first year of a tenancy, and if the sale falls through the flat can’t be re-let for a year.

Across five or six flats that’s months of lost rent, and possibly court. Selling with the tenants in place avoids all of it.

What a buyer will ask for.

• The tenancy agreements, however old
• A list of who pays what, and any arrears
• Deposit protection certificates
• Gas safety and electrical certificates
• The EPC for each flat
• Any licences, and the fire risk assessment

If some of these are missing or out of date, that’s normal. Most blocks I look at have gaps in the file. Tell me what you have and I’ll work with it.

What to tell the tenants.

You don’t need to tell them anything until a sale is agreed. If I need to see inside, it’s arranged through you with proper notice, the same as any inspection.

This is a plain-English guide written in October 2026 for owners in England. It isn’t legal or tax advice, and the rules change, so check your own position with a solicitor or accountant before you decide anything.