I want to sell my house with vacant possession, what now?
Giving Notice (The Official Bit)
Once you give us the go-ahead, we’ll issue the correct notice to the tenant—90 days’ notice, nice and tidy. We’ll make sure everything is legally sound and clearly communicated. If the property has already been sold with the tenant in place, we’ll issue 42 days’ written notice for them to vacate once the sale goes unconditional.
Sales Agent Access
We’ll pass on the sales agent’s details to the tenant so they can work together to arrange viewings. Just a heads up: tenants are only required to provide reasonable access—this typically means a bit of give and take, with fair notice and viewings at sensible times (no 7am Saturdays, sorry!).
Counter Notice (Sometimes a Plot Twist)
In some cases, the tenant may decide to move out earlier and give us what’s called a counter notice—21 days’ notice to vacate. This only applies if they’re on a periodic tenancy (not a fixed term). We’ll keep you in the loop if this happens.
Final Inspection
Once the tenant has moved out, we’ll conduct a detailed final inspection within 1–2 business days, using the original condition report as our guide. If required, we’ll arrange for meth testing and take a final water reading (charged to the outgoing tenant).
Pro tip: Always allow 3–5 days between the vacate date and you taking possession (or settlement day) so we’ve got time to handle any surprise repairs or clean-ups before handover.
Sorting the Bond
If any damage or cleaning pops up, we’ll take care of organising the work and recover the cost from the tenant’s bond. If there’s a disagreement, don’t worry—we’ll manage the Tenancy Tribunal process on your behalf. Just note it can take 2–3 months in some areas to get a hearing date, so patience may be needed!
Handover Time!
Once everything’s squared away, the keys will be ready for collection from our office. If you’d like a handover pack with all the important info from the tenancy (if they are staying on), just let us know—we’re happy to provide it to help you (or the new owner) start fresh.