Selling a rented property can involve visits from prospective buyers, valuers and surveyors while someone is still living there. Arranging those visits calls for clear communication and attention to the tenancy, rather than assuming that a marketing instruction provides unrestricted access.
This England-focused guide replaces an archived legal question published in January 2025. It does not predict the outcome of that individual dispute or repeat its advice about the former Section 21 process.
Check the agreement and purpose
Shelter’s current guide for private assured tenants says to check whether the tenancy agreement requires access for viewings or related visits. It also says tenants can explain when proposed times or days are inconvenient. Its advice distinguishes access arrangements from the landlord’s ability to sell the property through the appropriate process.
Shelter’s guidance on unwanted visits explains that landlords cannot usually enter without agreement and that tenants have a right to quiet enjoyment, including where there is no written tenancy agreement. A disagreement about a viewing should be handled with that context in mind.
Make the request specific
An agent can make a request easier to consider by stating the purpose, proposed time, likely duration and who would attend. Ask for confirmation before telling a buyer that an appointment is settled. Where a time does not work, discuss alternatives and record what has actually been agreed.
For example, a short appointment record can separate requested slots from confirmed ones. This helps colleagues avoid booking overlapping visits or treating silence as confirmation. Make clear who is responsible for contacting the resident if an appointment changes.
Keep everyday arrangements practical
Discuss whether the resident wishes to be present and how keys would be handled where access has been agreed. Confirm the scope of the visit. A valuation appointment and an extended survey are different requests, so do not assume an arrangement for one covers the other.
If communication breaks down
Keep messages and a dated record of what was requested and agreed. Shelter advises people experiencing harassment during visits to note what happened, when it happened and whether anyone witnessed it. Its selling guide says landlords and agents must not threaten or pressure residents to move out.
Get appropriate advice about the actual tenancy and circumstances where access is disputed. A general guide cannot decide a contractual claim, give permission to force entry or resolve competing accounts of what happened.
Sources checked 8 November 2026: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/landlord_selling_renters_rights/allowing_access https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction/harassment_by_a_private_landlord/unwanted_visits