Selling a Rental Property (House) Commercial Contract with Deposit ?

[Another Fine Mess]

I rent out a small house which brings in a rental return of 5.5%
I am thinking of selling it when the next tenant leaves.
Having been messed about by buyers when selling houses I lived in where with one a buyer did not sign the contract until 3 days before they were due to move in, and having sold a Commercial Property where the buyer had to pay a £25,000 Non Refundable Deposit and having bought a property in France where once a buyer says they want to buy they have to pay a 10% Non Refundable Deposit,
I wondered if I put my rental up for sale, could I ask if that could be treated as a Commercial Sale with a Contract and a deposit like a Commercial property.
The 2 bed terraced houses in this street go for rental and are usually snapped up quite quickly.

[theartfullodger]

.....
Having been messed about by buyers when selling houses I lived in where with one a buyer did not sign the contract until 3 days before they were due to move in, and having sold a Commercial Property where the buyer had to pay a £25,000 Non Refundable Deposit and having bought a property in France where once a buyer says they want to buy they have to pay a 10% Non Refundable Deposit,
I wondered if I put my rental up for sale, could I ask if that could be treated as a Commercial Sale with a Contract and a deposit like a Commercial property.....

What a very long sentence

[nukecad]

If you are selling then you can set the terms of that sale.

I can't see anything unlawful in what you propose except maybe the 'non returnable' aspect and that may depend on just how it is worded.

TBH anyone stumping up such a deposit is showing genuine interest even if it is returnable

Whether anybody would accept those terms is up to them.

[jpkeates]

I'm not sure if there's a legal reason you can't do that, but good luck finding a buyer (or a conveyancer).

[boletus]

Have a search for 'modern method of auction'.

[Gordon999]

You could ask the estate agent to advertise " property comes with rental tenant under 1 year AST agreement". Residential properties are usually sold subject to "exchange of contracts" and any deposit is held by buyer's solicitor until contracts are exchanged. .