We are feeling SO trapped?

It would be best to build up a separate pot of saved money to tide you over the period of selling your properties and to help you continue paying the council tax, utilities, insurance etc, once your rent stops coming in. Allowing a two year window for this period is now practical in today’s slow housing market.
Your not going to be the only landlord selling up in similar circumstances and properties are already flooding the market. Actual sold property prices are going to be drastically lower than expected. The Renters Right Bill is having its planned outcome come true. The government wants to get rid of small independent landlords and if you do decide to stay on then they will control you and continue to make your life a complete misery, that’s if it isn’t already!

Ive been a landlord since 1981. Small, 4 properties was my maximum. I rejoined the nrla last week in order to get some support through all of this. I have just one buy to let now (plus an annex on an AST). The advice I received from the person on the helpline was less doom and gloom, the opinion of this person was that probably things are not going to be as bad as we Imagine.
As long as the numbers still add up, of course. But it is absolutely crucial that you have proper paperwork in place. if you found you have done something not 100% cast iron with the paperwork you might want to look at that and put it right. Landlords with good tenants have a business which is a going concern. Even in this climate. And Labour won’t be in forever.

Reply to the comment left by Suicide Jockey at 19/01/2026 – 09:26
I’m in exactly the same boat. Heartbreaking to tell good tenants to leave because of all this stuff being thrown at us.

From AI, so don’t rely on it 100% but sounds about right to me:
You can issue a Section 21 notice in England up until April 30, 2026, but any court possession claims based on these notices must start by July 31, 2026, as the Renters’ Rights Act abolishes “no-fault” evictions from May 1, 2026, with transition rules allowing existing notices to be used for a short period after.
Key Dates & Rules:
Last Day to Serve Notice: Before May 1, 2026 (i.e., April 30, 2026).
Last Day to Start Court Proceedings: Before August 1, 2026 (i.e., July 31, 2026).
Abolition Date: From May 1, 2026, the Section 21 process ends for new claims.
Important Considerations:
Valid Notice Required: The notice must still be a valid Form 6A and meet all legal requirements (e.g., deposit protection, EPC) to be used.
Transitional Period: Landlords who served a notice before May 1, 2026, can still use the court system to seek possession until the July 31, 2026 deadline.
After July 31, 2026: No new possession claims using Section 21 will be allowed.
So I don’t think you will be able to use a long notice period!
Autumn is never the best time to sell, now should be better. Re the vacant property, everything sells at the right price. If you’ve had little or no interest look again at the price you are asking.
You clearly would prefer to exit the btl business so I would try again to re-market the 2 properties with tenants (rather than suffer the uncertanties of empty properties and the expenses etc). New agent? Different auction house?
Finally, look at the properties through the eyes of a purchaser. Could they do with a lick of paint, new carpets/curtains, maybe tidy up the garden etc? Make them look as appealing as you can!
Good luck

Denise,
I agree with Colette M.
Keeping 2 empty properties empty will cost you a great deal of money from your pension pot.
This government will not last. It will be proved in 2 to 3 years all the damage done and the next government or even this government may be forced to do a turn.
Now responding to your questions.Yoy can give S21 notice by 30th April 2026 to your tenants to leave. This is currently 2 months notice or as per your current AST.
This will come into effect as if notice given on the next rent due date, so 2 months from the next rent due date in May.
So the tenants would leave on July.
However, if they don’t leave then you have until 31st July 2026 to apply to court for S21 termination.
Again this is very badly done as it does not give a lot of time between giving S21 and applying to court.
If the tenant says they are happy to leave but will leave in September or when they find another place. You trust them, but after 31st July 2026, you cannot apply to court for a date to get rid of them.
I am hoping to give notice myself to my tenants in at least 2 properties for selling purposes or using it myself. They all want to stay on, so it is worry that if they have not left within 2 months, I shall be left with applying to the court. One tenancy, I can give 2 months notice now as it is periodic but 2 are not due for notice until May for them to leave in July.
You can put it for sale and earn the tenants that you would try and sell with the tenants and viewing be allowed. If they wish to continue staying then they may agree to maybe one or two viewings a month.
One of tenants, who has been there over 18 years is happy for this arrangement.
Alternatively from 1st July you can give notice S21 but that will be 4 months notice and the reason needs to be to sell or use it for yourself or relatives.
However once they leave you cannot rent out for 12 months, so yes it could be costly. Depending on your turnover being £50k in the current year, you will need to file using MTD from April 2026 every quarterly.
We are ok between us as 3 are shared properties in our joint names and all others in a company names.
But quite likely, we will need to MTD from April 2027, unless we sell one and keep other empty for my use.

Yes, it does feel like “this is not the deal landlords signed up to”.
I feel optimisim about “Labour will not be aorund for much longer” somewhat doubtful. The business/investment has become increasingly burdensome since 2013 under Tory/Libdem coalition.
Also a note to @Denise – DOUBLE council tax will apply in many areas if a propery does not sell within 12 months. Also, I am not sure Denise can “get another deal” if the property is to be left vacant (other than very expensive bridging loan).

But even under rental right act, grant of possesion is mandatory under S8,1A,, if the landlord gives notice to sell, although the notice period will be 4 months.

Reply to the comment left by Colette McDermott at 19/01/2026 – 09:48
Labour didn’t start the attacks on ‘small’ landlords. They have just put the seal in their demise.

I am in a similar position, except I am a joint owner with an ex-partner who is not in a position to cover any sale losses, so she won’t go to auction. She’s got her head in the sand! Our mortgage ends in 18 months. We cannot remortgage with that company, and the value of the flat has dropped so much that we won’t be able to remortgage anywhere.

Sorry to hear your predicament.

30 April latest date to serve a valid s21.

Lots of small LLs selling up so now even more difficult to sell with tenants in situ which carries risks to buyer anyway (they have to check how tenancy was set up deposit protected etc). So long as these are covering mortgage costs why not leave them for now. You can always get grounds to sell under new Act later. At moment putting on market (with or without tenants) won’t get the best price compared with a year or two and if you have good tenants no need to sell just yet. And no issues due to new Act either- the fact they have longer allowed to be in rent arrears before you can evict makes no difference if they are good payers and you expect that to stay the same. EPC req of C is from 2028 for new tenancies so you can decide whether to sell or upgrade when they leave after that.

If you haven’t sold the vacant by auction, then that’s because it’s at the wrong price. And/or not attractive to investors right now. Auctions are good for people seeking fast sales with a discounted price. People buying often tied into short timescales and have to pay large upfront fee to auction house /to reserve even before survey done. Puts people off even viewing.

Try getting some up to date valuations from local agents, advice from then on anything needing doing to present it better and get it sold that way

Good luck

I would ask 2 or 3 other local agents round to your vacant property & see what they value the property at, for a quick sale. I would relist with a more active agent, at a price that will sell it.
I would then discuss with your tenants at the other two your situation and that you plan on selling. They may want to buy or may be sympathetic to your current position & you can come up with a way forward.

Ps also worth considering the websites/companies that advertise buying btl portfolios with tenants (may mean a discount but at least you get a valuation of the lowest amount you should accept and tenants dont have to leave if you go down that route);