Can you end a rental tenancy?

Renting a home can be a minefield of issues, right up to the ending of your tenancy agreement. When the time comes to say goodbye to your rented property, you will need to give your landlord or letting agent the correct notice; otherwise, you might find yourself having to foot the bill for rent payments or extra charges. How you end your tenancy depends on the kind of agreement you have.
Three main types of tenancies apply to residential lettings:

Ending a fixed-term tenancy

Fixed-term tenancy

Fixed-term tenancies end automatically, and you will be able to leave the property if you so choose. Most fixed-term tenancies will require you to give the landlord one or two months’ notice, but always check the tenancy agreement for how much notice you have to give.

Periodic/rolling tenancy

After a fixed-term tenancy ends, it may become a periodic or rolling tenancy whereby the tenancy continues every month. Tenants usually need to provide one to two months’ notice to the landlord when they decide they want to move out.

Statutory periodic tenancies explained

Statutory periodic tenancy

You are usually required to give the landlord one month’s notice to end the tenancy.

What happens if you have a joint tenancy?

If you have been living with friends or a partner and you want to set out on your own, there are some other things to consider. All tenants must agree to end the tenancy unless the lease or rental agreement says otherwise; for this reason, if one tenant wants to leave, the remaining tenants may need to find a replacement tenant or renegotiate the lease.

Writing your notice letter

Tenants who leave a joint tenancy are still responsible for their share of the rent and other bills or charges until the end of the lease term unless the landlord agrees to waive these fees. Even so, this is much less complicated than severing a joint tenancy when you are a joint owner of a property. If this applies to you, companies such as https://www.parachutelaw.co.uk/severance-of-joint-tenancy can help with the severance of joint tenancy agreements.

What to include in your notice letter

When giving notice to your landlord, you must include the day you will be moving out, the amount of notice you are giving, and a request that your deposit be returned subject to any tenancy checks after you leave. Remember to take a copy of the letter and obtain proof of posting.

Summary

Explains how to end a rental tenancy correctly depending on the type of agreement, covering fixed-term tenancies that end automatically, periodic or rolling tenancies typically needing one to two months’ notice, statutory periodic tenancies needing one month’s notice, what happens with a joint tenancy if only one person wants to leave, and what to include in a notice letter.

Questions this article raises

• What happens if a tenant leaves without giving the correct notice?
• How is a joint tenancy divided if one tenant wants to stay?
• How is a deposit protected once notice to leave has been given?