Tenancy Agreement

[theleeroy55]

I live in a rented house

My tenancy agreement expires in april.

I want to move out next week.

What do i tell my landlord and what can he do in terms of the police etc

[CheekyChops]

I don't thnk the Police can do anything, it is a civil matter not a criminal one.

Your landlord would have to take you to court and sue you to get the remaining rent. You signed a contract to April, he is entitled to rent until April whether you have moved out or not. Also if you paid a deposit, you won't get it back obviously.

Can you find someone else to take over the tenancy so that your landlord doesn't lose out and therefore won't come after you for the money?

[Twenty20]

Well, there's nothing stopping you moving out next week but, unfortunately, you signed a legal agreement which says you will pay rent and other costs up until the end of the tenancy in April. The landlord will very probably take you to court for the missing rent and any other costs until a new, suitable tenant is found if you simply walk out now. Is there a particular reason why you want to break the contract?

[Seafarer1966]

You can be sued in the small claims court for the amount of rent outstanding quite easily. Thats why the tenancy agreement exists in the first place to protect the interests of the property owner.

Legally you haven't got a leg to stand on. If you get taken to court and don't turn up, the judgement will be made against you in your absence and you will be issued with a bill for the amount anyway. Failure to pay will result in a County Court Judgement (CCJ) which will hound you for years to come. people with CCJ's can't get mortgages, loans or finance (unless they use shark operators who charge extortionate interest). failure to pay will also result in the Court appointing a registered bailiff who will pursue you for the money. The bailiffs fees will add onto the existing debt.

[Megaricht]

the leeroy.

In actuality I doubt whether he will pusue you. Read your agreement, I would expect there to be a termination clause there (though not 1 week). I'm surprised he is not holding a deposit -

[Twenty20]

Megaricht, as a landlord I would certainly chase the vacating tenant for the money if he left halfway through the tenancy. Why wouldn't I? It's going to cost me a whole lot of money if the tenant simply decided to walk away and it costs very little to take the tenant to Court.

Very few tenancy agreements would have a break clause within the first 6 months. If you go onto a periodic tenancy then the tenant can give one month's notice but not whilst on a fixed term AST.

The deposit is held against dilapidations and not to cover missing rent payments. Deposits are normally held by Deposit Schemes these days anyway which only pay back on the instruction of both the landlord and the tenant.

As stated before, it's a legal agreement. I'm always amazed at the number of people who think they can just walk away from it and everything will be ok.