moving home. tenancy notice??

ilovecows

just been offered new home with housing association as i was put on the highest band to bid for a home with the council.

I have a chronic lung condition and my home i am in is in a bad state with damp due to burst water pipe, the extent of the repairs needed is pretty bad which is why i have to be rehoused

However....

My landlord is saying they need 4 weeks notice for me to move out and we dont claim housing benefit cos my partner earns too much so how can we afford rent on both properties for a month?

i am being rehoused because of my health needs so its unfair to keep me in my property for 4 more weeks when ive already suffered enough

Gwhiz

What does your contract say? If you have a contract that demands 4 weeks notice then I do not think there is much you can do about it unless you can argue the house is not habitable.

Jowo_2

What is your rental period - 4 weekly? monthly? Are you in a fixed term contract or did this lapse so you are now automatically on a periodic tenancy?

Your personal circumstances are completely irrelevant to your contractual obligations - the landlord could not have ordered you out of the property if he is poorly. This is why the forum members need to know more about your contract (AST).

Potential solutions are to ask the HA if you can move in when your current notice period expires so there's no overlap, or offer the landlord a repayment schedule for the arrears if you leave early, or get an overdraft, or ask the landlord for a rent rebate because of the inconvenience of the water damage. You could also report him to the environmental health department to request a health and safety assessment if he is slow to do the repairs.

Speak to Shelter to determine if the issues with the damp are sufficient for you to argue that the tenancy agreement has been frustrated (which could be the case if the place is uninhabital and in poor condition, it places the onus on the landlord to sort out or agree to alternative accommodation).