Sell My Veterinary Business

Market your veterinary centre to our database of over 10,000 approved buyers

How to sell a veterinary practice

When selling a veterinary practice it’s advisable to plan your exit strategy well ahead, allowing sufficient time to address any issues that could adversely affect the outcome. Sector-specific challenges that aren’t dealt with can damage a practice’s worth in the eyes of buyers, and significantly lower the final sale price.

So what ongoing issues in the veterinary sector could negatively affect a sale, and is there anything you can do to increase the perceived value of your business when you place your veterinary practice for sale?

Customer expectations

The high expectations of pet owners in terms of animal care and continuity of care can have a negative effect on your business if they’re not carefully managed. Customer experiences are often relayed to the world very quickly these days via social media, so given that negative feedback can rapidly damage a business’ reputation, it’s important to manage customer expectations effectively.

 

---

• Previous sales and acquisitions experience
• Sector specialisms and average success rate
• Sales value expectations and growth potential

Free Guide Download

10 Key Questions to Consider Before Appointing an Advisor

Our Essential Checklist to Selling your Business

Potential for staff shortages

Brexit may have a negative impact on veterinary businesses in the UK if restrictions are placed on members of staff from the EU, and they’re unable to remain here to work. A shortage of vets educated in the UK could also create a challenging environment for veterinary practices. Attracting and retaining key members of staff may require a higher wage offering, and associated increase in employment taxes for the business.

Keeping pace with new technologies

Veterinary practices that haven’t invested in the latest diagnostic and monitoring methods and technologies may be viewed as having a lower value by potential purchasers. Technology is constantly evolving in this sector, both in terms of pet treatments and also workflow management within the practice, but it can be difficult for practices with limited capital to keep up.

Value my Veterinary business

We understand that selling your veterinary business can be challenging, which is why the Selling My Team will assist you through each stage; from valuing your veterinary business, sourcing a reputable buyer to completing the sale. To get you started, we offer a veterinary business valuation service to help you determine the worth of your business. Valuing a veterinary business is vital as with this knowledge to hand; you can negotiate a competitive price with prospective buyers.

How to value a Veterinary business

Our in-house valuation team can help you determine – how much is my veterinary business worth? Many business transfer agents will take a standard approach to value your veterinary clinic or animal care business; however, the Selling My Business team will delve into your financials by analysing more than just profit and loss. To begin the valuation process, the SMB valuation team will require 3 years’ worth of historic/recent accounts.

Veterinary practice sales – what can you do to encourage a sale?

Obtain specialist help

A veterinary practice sales broker can make a significant difference when selling this type of business. Selling My Business operates an extensive database of potential business buyers, including those looking to buy a vet practice. We can help you plan your sale using sector-specific experience, and ensure you stand the best chance of maximising the business’ value.

Know your main objectives

The reason why you’re selling your vet practice will help you determine your main goals and objectives from the sale. If you’re planning to retire, for example, you may want to keep to a strict timeline or balance the timescale with extracting the highest possible value from your business.

Consider confidentiality

When you send out your initial sales memorandum, you’re releasing sensitive commercial information and data so it’s important to make sure all interested parties sign a non-disclosure agreement. This protects your practice information from rivals, and makes the process easier to manage.

Ensure your figures are reliable

People looking to buy a veterinary practice will need to carry out due diligence before the transaction completes – this is inherent to every business selling process and protects buyers from misleading or inaccurate information. Securing professional assistance in gathering and providing information to potential purchasers helps to garner confidence that you’re a trustworthy seller. 

Selling My Business understands the sector and can help if you’re selling your veterinary practice. We advertise locally and nationally for people looking to buy a vet practice, and operate a large database of potential business purchasers.

Our experts can also provide a reliable valuation for your business, negotiate with purchasers on your behalf if you prefer not to be actively involved at that stage, and offer consistent moral and practical support along the way. Please contact one of our expert team to find out more. We can arrange a same-day consultation free-of-charge.