The Renters Rights Act has permanently changed the UK landlord landscape. Whether you're reducing your portfolio or exiting buy-to-let entirely, Howsold gives you a market-value sale, a committed buyer, and zero seller fees — in around 56 days.
Indicative estimate only · No obligation · No commitment
Enter your postcode — indicative estimate based on comparable sold prices.
Indicative estimate only. Based on comparable sold prices and AI analysis — AI can make mistakes. Not a formal valuation or professional appraisal.
The Renters Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in October 2025. It abolished fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies, introduced stronger possession grounds, and significantly increased compliance obligations for private landlords across England. For many landlords, the maths of staying in the market has fundamentally changed.
According to Propertymark, over 93,000 landlords exited the UK rental market in 2025, with more than 110,000 forecast to do so in 2026. The majority turn to traditional estate agents — and find a process that is slow, expensive, and poorly equipped for tenanted property sales.
Traditional agents typically require vacant possession before marketing effectively. They charge 1–2% commission plus VAT. The UK average sale takes over 20 weeks from listing to completion — with a 26% chance of falling through entirely. For a landlord with a tenanted rental property, this means months of notice periods, continued compliance obligations, and running costs that erode your net proceeds.
Howsold sells tenanted and vacant rental properties to pre-qualified investors who need no mortgage, understand buy-to-let, and can move to completion fast — with zero seller fees and a target 56-day completion window.
Howsold uses the Modern Method of Auction to deliver competitive buyers, a committed sale, and zero seller fees — with a target 56-day completion window you can actually plan around.
Member of the Property Redress Scheme
Get a Free Estimate →¹ ~26% of UK private treaty sales fell through in 2025 (Quick Move Now). Auction reservation terms require buyers to commit financially before proceeding. † Based on Howsold sales to date. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Not a quick-buy company. Not a traditional estate agent. A genuinely better model — built for sellers who need speed, certainty, and fair value.
Our buyer network includes professional investors who actively want income-producing buy-to-let stock with tenants in situ. You don't always need vacant possession — we match your property to the right buyer for its current state.
You pay Howsold nothing. No listing fee, no commission, no deductions from your sale price. The buyer pays the reservation fee. On a £200,000 property versus a 1.5% agent that's £3,600 extra to you.
The moment you instruct us, we contact our database of pre-qualified cash buyers and investors. No mortgage delays, no chain complications. Over 70% of our properties sell before auction day.
Unlike private treaty where the timeline is entirely open-ended, your auction date is set when you list. This creates buyer urgency, concentrates competitive attention, and gives you a clear completion horizon to plan around.
Every buyer pays a non-refundable reservation fee — typically 4.5% inc VAT or a minimum of £6,600 inc VAT. This financial commitment is what keeps them from walking away and is why our fall-through rate is a fraction of the private treaty average.
If a strong pre-auction offer comes in from our investor network, we present it to you with honest advice. You choose whether to accept, negotiate, or push to competitive bidding on auction day. The decision is always yours.
We'll discuss your current tenancy arrangements, whether vacant possession is needed, and structure the listing to attract the right buyer pool — whether investors comfortable with sitting tenants or buyers requiring vacant possession.
Your property is listed and we contact our pre-qualified investor network straight away. Many buy-to-let properties attract pre-auction interest from our investor network quickly. The fixed auction date creates urgency from day one.
Whether agreed prior to auction or on the day, the buyer signs reservation terms and is financially committed. We target exchange and completion within 56 days of agreement. Zero Howsold seller fees.
Illustrative figures based on stated assumptions — see footnote. Not financial advice.
| Traditional Estate Agent | Quick-Buy Company | HOWSOLD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seller fees | £3,000–£4,800 (1.5–2% + VAT) | Often 0% (but low price) | £0 |
| Works with tenanted stock? | Requires vacant possession usually | Yes | Yes — investors actively want it |
| Buyer committed from day one? | No — can pull out any time | Yes | Yes — reservation fee paid |
| Timeline to completion | 20+ weeks average | 4–8 weeks (but discount) | Target 56 days |
| Fall-through risk | ~26% nationally | Very low | Near-eliminated by reservation fee |
| Sale price mechanism | Single buyer negotiates downward | Company sets price unilaterally | Multiple buyers compete upward |
| Net result (illustrative) | Lower after fees & fall-through risk | Lower after fees & fall-through risk | £0 Howsold fees + competitive market price |
Sellers remain responsible for their own legal and conveyancing costs, typically £1,000–£2,500. Howsold fees are £0. Individual results vary. Not financial advice.
Illustrative figures on a £200,000 rental property. Estate agent at 1.5% + VAT. Quick-buy company assumed at 15% below market. Individual results vary. Not financial advice.
The Modern Method of Auction (MMA) is a conditional online property auction used across the UK each year. Unlike traditional property auctions with 28-day completions, MMA allows buyers to use mortgage finance — which means a significantly wider and more competitive buyer pool.
For landlords, MMA has three specific advantages. First, investor buyers dominate the pool — people who understand buy-to-let, accept tenanted properties, and can move faster than a typical residential buyer. Second, the reservation fee means the winning buyer is committed from day one — no 26% fall-through risk after a long void period and notice process. Third, the fixed auction date creates buyer urgency that private treaty listings simply cannot replicate.
The result is typically a market-competitive price achieved faster, with zero seller fees, and a committed buyer who completes.
Investor buyers understand tenanted property Our buyer network includes professional landlords and investors who actively want income-producing stock. Sitting tenants are often an advantage, not an obstacle.
Reservation fee keeps buyers committed The buyer pays 4.5% inc VAT (min £6,600) to reserve your property. If they withdraw without justification, they forfeit the fee. This produces our near-zero fall-through rate.
Auction date creates urgency A fixed deadline converts fence-sitting investors into competitive bidders. The urgency mechanism that private treaty entirely lacks is built into every Howsold listing.
Works nationally — not just locally Your rental property is marketed nationally to our investor network. A Liverpool terrace can attract a buyer from Manchester, London, or anywhere. Maximum competition, maximum price.
Yes. We regularly sell tenanted properties to our investor network. Many of our buyers actively want income-producing stock — tenants in situ mean immediate rental income from day one of ownership. In many cases a tenanted property is more attractive to our buyer pool than a vacant one.
Not if you're selling to an investor who will take on the tenancy. If the buyer requires vacant possession, you'll need to follow the appropriate procedure under the Renters Rights Act's new grounds-based possession system. We strongly recommend independent legal advice on your specific tenancy situation before serving any notices.
The Renters Rights Act 2025 significantly changed the tenancy landscape, including how possession is obtained. We recommend taking independent legal advice specific to your tenancy situation before making any decisions — the legislation is complex and circumstances vary.
In most cases yes — our competitive bidding process drives competitive pricing between investor buyers. Combined with zero seller fees, your net proceeds are typically higher than a traditional agent sale, though individual results will vary and are not guaranteed.
All types of residential rental property across England and Wales: single-let houses and flats, HMOs, purpose-built student accommodation, blocks of flats, and mixed-use properties. Tenanted or vacant, all conditions, all price points.
The buyer pays a reservation fee of 4.5% inc VAT or £6,600 inc VAT — whichever is greater. This is paid entirely by the buyer, not by you. It's the financial commitment mechanism that keeps them from withdrawing without serious consequence.
If bidding doesn't reach your reserve price and no pre-auction offer suits you, the property doesn't sell and you pay Howsold nothing. We can re-run in the following month's auction with any strategic adjustments discussed beforehand.
Three key differences: your auction date is set from day one creating a fixed buyer deadline; we work our off-market investor network immediately from instruction, so over 70% sell before auction day; and you deal directly with our Liverpool team — a named person, a direct number, no call centres.
Not for the Howsold process itself. For your own tax purposes — particularly Capital Gains Tax calculations on a buy-to-let disposal — you may wish to obtain an independent RICS valuation. Our indicative estimate is not a formal valuation. We are not RICS-qualified and our estimates should not be relied upon for tax or legal purposes.
Enter your postcode for an indicative estimate based on comparable sold prices in your area. No obligation, no commitment.
Enter your postcode — indicative estimate based on comparable sold prices.
Indicative estimate only. Based on comparable sold prices and AI analysis — AI can make mistakes. Not a formal valuation or professional appraisal.