Changing a 3 way lease on a rented property?

london_dude

Just want to know what my options are before I approach my landlord.

I am currently in a three way lease with two other people I work with in London. However i am due to start a new job in the North East of England so I wish to leave the contract.
The years lease is up at the end of September but I want to move out by the end of June.
Our current contract does allow us to close the contract by giving two months written notice.
So my first question is would all three of us need to agree to an early closure for this to happen?

The other two flat mates have expresses a wish to remain in the property so how easy would it be for me to get my name off the list? Could the land lord force me to pay till the full completion date of September if my flat mates would not agree to submit two months notice?
I don’t want to leave my name on the lease you see till September even though I could still pay the rent (although the two remaining flat mates say they will cover extra costs) because one flat mates has already told me that he will be moving his cat into the flat as soon as I leave ( could not move it in sooner because of my allergy). Even though the lease says no pets and he even asked the land lord last month if he could have the cat and was told a very definite no. Also leaving myself on the lease is dangerous in my view as I will still be liable if they trash the place.

How easy is it to simply get my name off the lease even if I abandon were to abandon £600 quid deposit simply to leave the property?

BitterAndTwisted

Speak to your landlord. You are currently all three of you tied in to the contract until September. If one person WRITES to the landlord to signify their intention to end the tenancy at the end of the fixed-term contract contract from September onwards they are ending the contract for all three. Your two flat-mates should have a chat with the landlord and see if they would be amenable for either the two of them to enter into a new contract or to find a new third person with their landlord's agreement.

You are in a fixed-term agreement and you will not be able to leave the property without paying your rent in full until September unless your landlord agrees to an early surrender. Speak to your landlord.

G_M

What exactly does the contract say about early surrender/termination of the tenancy? Does the 2 months notice apply to the fixed term or to any Periodic tenancy that follows?
B&T is probobly right, but I'm not sure that a clause giving a right to early termination might not be valid.

However, whether you have that option legally, or are bound till Sept, the best advice is always to discuss things with your LL. He may well agree to early surrender, with a new tenancy being granted to the other 2 tenants. Are they likely to agree to a new 6 month tenancy in their own names?

I would certainly be wary about leaving your name on the agreement, esp if one tenant is planning to breach the tenancy by bringing in a cat. At the least your deposit would be at risk, in addition to rent being payable. Whose name are the utilities in? If yours, there's another risk.

Discussion and agreement is the way forward.

london_dude

[FONT=&quot][/FONT] [FONT=&quot]To terminate the contract says:


[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Term: 12 months (2 after 4)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]If I’m not mistaken above means two months notice after the initial 4 months.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]The other two flat mates do seem set on staying at the property. So i will have a chat with the LL. So far he has been good with us and we have not had any issues. Thanks you for the help :cool2:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

G_M

london_dude wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]To terminate the contract says:[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]Term: 12 months (2 after 4)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]If I’m not mistaken above means two months notice after the initial 4 months.[/FONT]

Doesn't really make sense. If it's a 12 month term, then both sides are commited (and have security) for..... 12 months. The ability to give notice basically would remove the legal meaning of a 12 month term.

Be that as it may negotiation is the way forward.