Long Settlement

At best you sell the house in the long term and get a tenant for the short term if that is what you were intending to do anyway, it’s a bonus, perhaps it might be worth having the agent manage the property to keep the separation, and get checks to make sure he is going to be a suitable tenant.

I am assuming your bank meant that he could not secure finance this early for the property, so if it had a subject to finance clause for a long term than in 9 months time if he can’t secure finance the sale falls though. He probably just has to wait for the proceeds of sale or transfer of his existing property, so it is something you have to decide on.

As long as a formal sale contract is finalised you should have a claim for some costs, though this could also be a headache to go through court if it gets to that so is it worth it?

One final thing I can suggest is to find out more information on why he wants the long settlement, if it is due to a pending transfer from his marriage breakdown, perhaps suggesting a “sunset clause” could be a better option. Essentially this allows you as the seller to continue to take offers on the property whilst it is under contract, and the buyer isn’t locked into buying until his other property settlement is completed. In the event you get a suitable offer or better offer (if the price goes up over 6 months you may get a better offer), you simply give notice to terminate the contract and the first buyer has the days stipulated (3 or so) to go unconditional on the contract or forfeit the property.

Then you can simply tenant the property as a separate matter from the first sale contract to him if he so wishes, but if you do get an offer the following week, it is now with a 12 month lease, so you cannot sell it with vacant possession.