Help and advice needed please!!!!

maroon_jelly

Hello,


I was in a shared house with a 6 months fixed term tenancy. At the end of month 5 (last week) I moved out without informing the landlord (I had to get out ASAP as I was being bullied by one of the other housemates and had my TV stolen by him).

The landlord is now flooding me with texts saying I need to pay an extra months rent because I left before the 6 months was up. He said he's getting a debt recovery agency involved tomorrow and I will have to pay all the fees, which I really cant afford.

Can he do this? Does he not need give me more time (I left the property 5 days ago) or take it to a small claims court before a debt recovery agency get involved?

Any advice wellcome

Thanks

superfran_uk

Well you have to pay it for the full six month tenancy, although the landlord hasn't gone about it in a nice way. He sounds like a winner! Ah well, he's not your landlord anymore. I'd imagine that he's bluffing, but my advice is to pay up before it gets any further and thank your lucky stars you got out!

silvercar

The rent willl be due as prescribed in your tenancy agreement. You chose to move out without giving notice and before the initial fixed term was up, so of course you owe the rent.

You should have paid the rent on the day it was due, so the landlord will contact you to inform you that you are late with the rent.

He doesn't need to give you more time, as you should have paid when the rent was due.

Yes, he can go to court (and you would be liable for his court costs).

Yes, you could end up with a CCJ.

pixiepie99

Why don't you explain to the landlord why you left in such a hurry?

Fire_Fox

How did the housemate steal your TV, did they literally up and run off with it? Have you reported the theft to the police? Have any of the other housemates supported you against the bully?

I suspect the landlord is not giving you time because you have missed a month's rent and not left a forwarding address. You are still on the tenancy agreement so can't leave until six months are up, need to provide a full calendar month's notice, are jointly responsible for all the utility bills and council tax (until you inform them otherwise and supply meter readings) and are jointly responsible for the condition of the property of the last day of the tenancy.