Ending tenancy letter

[Jon12345]

I have been renting for the last 7 years and now wish to leave. It was originally a 6 month short-hold tenancy agreement, but after that time it went into the standard rolling agreement, whatever its called!

 

1. Are there any stock letters I should be using to end this agreement?

 

2. My tenancy monthly date is on the 28th of the month. If I give a months notice now it means I can leave Jan 28th. But I would rather leave earlier. Can I and not pay until the 28th of Jan? Or do landlords often let you go earlier?

 

3. Do landlords have the right to let loads of possible tenants see your property before you leave?

 

Thanks,

 

Jon

[GuidoT]

You need to look at your tenancy agreement to see how you get out of it. It may contain a provision that says you must break on a specific date, like the date you pay the rent etc.

 

Once you establish this, then a simple 'I give notice of my intention to vacate the above property on the x.'

 

You can of course make arrangements to leave the property earlier, providing your landlord agrees with such. Ensure that this is tied up in writing though.

 

It is usual for you to allow access to potential new tenants, but there should be a provision for such in your tenancy agreement. If there is not you may be able to refuse, but I would temper that with the need to stay on good terms with the landlord in case you want a deposit back.

[Kentish Lass]

Your tenancy is now a statutory periodic tenancy. This means that you are corrent in your assumption that your month's notice must end on the last day of a rental period, which in this case is 28th January. You may try to negotiate an earlier leaving date with your LL, but he/she does not have to agree. In this case, you will be liable for the rent, and all other obligations, to the end date of the tenancy.

 

Regarding viewings of the property, whatever it might say in the AST you do not have to allow this. It is a breach of your right to quiet enjoyment of your property. However, you might perhaps use this as a bargaining tool in negotiations with your landlord? (e.g. if he doesn't let you leave early, you won't allow any viewings.... and stick to your guns. Others have discovered agents or landlords letting themselves in when the tenant is not there - in this case you are entitled to change the locks, provided you replace with the old locks when you leave).

 

Many people do not want strangers traipsing through their home when they are not there and have some concern for the security of their property and I would therefore recommend that you stipulate that you require adequate notice of viewings, and might even consider stipulating specific times and days to suit you.

 

By the way, although getting your deposit back should not depend on you being nice to your LL, but on the condition of the property being the same at the end of the tenancy as it was at the beginning, since you have not signed a new agreement since April 2007, your deposit will not be protected so this may well be something you need to consider.

[Jon12345]

Good points and informative posts. Thanks guys.