Landlord doing viewings MONTHS before I'm "leaving"? More below?

The owner always has the right to sell. Your rental contract does not override the landlord's right to sell at ANY time. All your contract gives you is the right to continue living there until the lease expires. Any new owner must honor the terms of the lease. If the existing rental agreement gives you the unilateral option to extend the lease for another year, then the new owner will be forced to honor that, too. The people looking to buy, if they are smart, should ask for copies of all existing leases. When you buy property that is leased out, you know you are stuck with the existing tenants for a time, but few want to be locked in for another year at the tenant's whim. I see that option as a potential problem for you.

a) Because they want to have someone in place if they need them
b) Maybe they aren't planning on having you back. YOU can say you want to come back, they don't have to agree...

They may be selling the property, rather than re-letting. In which case your lease stands; it just transfers to the new owner.

In any case - no-one here would know. Call your landlord and ask.

Its possible the property is being sold to a new owner.

landlord can check on the place any time he wants to make sure nothing is damaged. he can check it every month if he wants to

Could the landlord possibly be trying to sell it?

Email back saying under the terms of your contract (say what you said above) so they are breaching their own contract and you will not be answering the door or allowing them in. Phone the CAB today and get advice, they do phone advice so it sounds like this landlord is unscrupulous and breaking the law.

Here is a novel idea - Ask them! Sounds like they are not going to give you the option to renew. They do not have to.

Think in terms of having tenants that are tearing your place up. They want to come in and snoop around and be sure you are taking care of the place. It's no big deal but they have the right to check. I've had so many bad tenants in a row I am going to start checking on a regular basis.

An owner can always view the property for any reason with enough notice. Sorry for your inconvenience.

Many properties owners do checks on their properties. Usual procedure.