How do I give notice to a landlord (nicely)?!

superbabe612

Having rented our current property for 2 years we started thinking about buying a home of our own so are now on a rolling contract with only 1 month's notice needed. We are due to exchange contracts on our purchase this Friday, which is when I plan to give notice to our landlord.

Last month when he asked if we'd found somewhere, I said yes, and that we hoped to move in a couple of months, so it's not 'out of the blue' or anything. I actually feel quite guilty about only giving one month's official notice because obviously the landlord will be out of pocket until he finds another tenant, or possibly puts it on the market (he offered to sell it to us but we needed a bigger property). I'm also concerned that he'll look for excuses to retain as much of our deposit as possible (even before the short notice!). He seemed quite offended that we didn't want to buy the house we were renting, but we needed somewhere bigger.

I plan to give notice by email, which (according to our original lease) is perfectly acceptable, but how do I word it? Do I keep it strictly business or should I try a friendlier approach?

BitterAndTwisted

It doesn't matter about the tone of your notice now. Just stick to the facts and ensure that you give the correct notice according to the end-date of the month on your you original contract.

If there was an inventory at the time you started your tenancy you should ensure that you return the property in exactly the same state. Landlords can't make spurious deductions just because they feel like it. They need documentary evidence and will have to provide it to the deposit-protection scheme"s arbitrators if you dispute them.

G_M

I actually think Bitter is wrong here: Yes, the important thing is to give the correct notice, correct dates etc, but the tone makes a difference too. Not legally, of course, but a) just as a matter of human interaction and b) looking at it selfishly, if you've been friendly, he's more likely to respond in kind over the deposit whereas if you are blunt/rude (albeit legally correct) he may react by being more awkward over the deposit.

Manners cost you nothing.

DVardysShadow

Keep it short, businesslike but cordial

Dear <Landlord>

I write to advise that we will be leaving <address> on <date>. Please accept this letter as notice of one rental period to terminate our tenancy on the <end of next unstarted rental period> as required by our current periodic tenancy. We will of course cooperate in your arrangements to relet the property and will be in touch to finalise surrender of the tenancy nearer the time. We would thank you for our time at <address>.

Yours sincerely

superbabe612

climbgirl

Agree with G-M - you're doing everything by the book, so you have nothing at all to feel guilty about. Just write a polite letter, stating all the facts and then it's done. If the relationship with the landlord is good, I'd call and let them know it's coming. Obviously it needs to be in writing, but if you have a good relationship, letting them know by phone is probably polite.

ElleR

I know how you feel! I felt bad giving notice to our nice landlord but wrote pretty similar to above adding that we wanted somewhere bigger (not necessary but it made me feel better, lol). Just be polite and cooperative. I also gave about a month and a half notice, so pretty much as soon as we got our new place, which I think was approciated. It gave him more time to find a new tenant.

tbs624

superbabe612 wrote: »

Having rented our current property for 2 years we started thinking about buying a home of our own so are now on a rolling contract with only 1 month's notice needed. We are due to exchange contracts on our purchase this Friday, which is when I plan to give notice to our landlord.

...which is, of course, sensible timing because this is the point at which your vendor is committed to the sale. Note that you may actually need to give the LL *more* than one month's notice, depending on your tenancy/rental period. If your preceding Fixed Term ended on 7th of the month , then your subsequent stat periodic tenancy will run on from the 8th to the 7th of each subsequent month ( even where "rent due" date is on a date other than the 8th)

superbabe612 wrote: »

I actually feel quite guilty about only giving one month's official notice because obviously the landlord will be out of pocket until he finds another tenant, or possibly puts it on the market (he offered to sell it to us but we needed a bigger property).

Don't feel guilty - it's a business transaction and those are the terms. Intelligent LLs factor in the possibility of short voids.

superbabe612 wrote: »

I'm also concerned that he'll look for excuses to retain as much of our deposit as possible (even before the short notice!)..

If propertyis in Eng/Wales then your tenancy deposit should be scheme registered - is it? If you are not sure then check with each of the 3 schemes for yourself : mydeposits, TDS, DPS. Detailed photos on move-out should help you with any necessary challenge to proposed deductions - so pix to include down the lav bowl,inside of bath/basin, inside & out of any white goods, on tops of shelves, wall cupboards etc, any outside areas and so on.

superbabe612 wrote: »

I plan to give notice by email, which (according to our original lease) is perfectly acceptable, but how do I word it? Do I keep it strictly business or should I try a friendlier approach?

Send a hard copy of your notice via the post ( allow time for it to reach the LL) and get yourself a cert of posting. A LL may simply say that they have not received your email in time. As DVS suggests, you can be brief but pleasant.

tbs624

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

If there was an inventory at the time you started your tenancy you should ensure that you return the property in exactly the same state. Landlords can't make spurious deductions just because they feel like it. They need documentary evidence and will have to provide it to the deposit-protection scheme"s arbitrators if you dispute them.

My bolding. 6 important words missing there - "save for fair wear and tear"

superbabe612

The tenancy period runs from 9th to 8th monthly so I hope I'm right in thinking if we give notice by 8th July we can vacate by 8th August?
Our deposit is protected in the DPS scheme so that's ok.
I can't send hard copy of the notice by post because we're due to exchange on Friday (the 8th) so they wouldn't get the hard copy until the 9th or 11th, which would be too late! And I can't send it before exchange, just in case we don't!

tbs624

superbabe612 wrote: »

The tenancy period runs from 9th to 8th monthly so I hope I'm right in thinking if we give notice by 8th July we can vacate by 8th August?

Yes, your one month notice would expire 8th August

superbabe612 wrote: »

Our deposit is protected in the DPS scheme so that's ok.

That's good

superbabe612 wrote: »

I can't send hard copy of the notice by post because we're due to exchange on Friday (the 8th) so they wouldn't get the hard copy until the 9th or 11th, which would be too late! And I can't send it before exchange, just in case we don't!

Could you personally hand deliver a hard copy of the notice on Friday - type your own acknowledgement slip and get LL ( or LA if one involved) to sign to say they have received it? Or have a witness with you when you shove it through the letterbox?

superbabe612

Good idea on the hand delivery, tbs, thanks!