Notice to Sell a Tenanted Property in Wales

The rules under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016

Since 1 December 2022, renting in Wales is governed by the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Tenancies became occupation contracts and tenants are contract-holders. To take back a property with vacant possession so you can sell it empty, a landlord uses a section 173 notice (the “no-fault” route). According to the Welsh Government’s landlord guidance:

• You must give at least 6 months’ notice.
• A section 173 notice cannot be served in the first 6 months of the occupation date.
• If you don’t act on the notice, you generally can’t serve another for 6 months.

In practice, for a contract that started on or after 1 December 2022, a contract-holder who keeps to the terms is entitled to occupy the property for a minimum of around 12 months before you can regain vacant possession (the 6-month protected period plus 6 months’ notice).

The faster alternative: sell with the tenant in place

You don’t have to wait a year, and you don’t have to lose the rent. You can sell the property as a tenanted investment to another landlord or a cash buyer – no notice, no void period, and the income keeps running right up to completion. This is often the quickest, least disruptive way to exit, and it’s exactly the kind of purchase we handle.

Common questions

Related guides