Help! Signed a contract but think I want to leave...

timan914

Hi everyone. Hope you can help. I've moved into a shared house and I signed a 6 month contract. The house isn't fully occupied at the moment and one of the guys living here acts as the manager of the property so if there are any issues then he sorts them out.
I signed the contract in the belief that the guy who was managing the property would be here for the duration of my contract. No it turns out he may not be, is there any way I can get out of the contract without havin to pay the full 6 months rent or am I stuck? Thanks in advance.

jamie11

I assume your contract will be with the actual landlord, you would need to negotiate with him. The least you should expect is that he may be willing to let you go if he can find a replacement, he would expect you to pay all his expenses in doing so. Otherwise you're stuck.

McKneff

Why does it make any difference whether he is there or not.....

And its not definite yet that he wont be, so your mithering about something that hasn't happened and may not happen.

mrginge

jamie11 wrote: »

I assume your contract will be with the actual landlord, you would need to negotiate with him. The least you should expect is that he may be willing to let you go if he can find a replacement, he would expect you to pay all his expenses in doing so. Otherwise you're stuck.

The least the OP should expect is nothing, since that is what they are entitled to.
The LL may be accommodating (and if sensible they should be) but is under absolutely no obligation to allow a release. OP should remember this fact and not go into any negotiation expecting or believing that they have any right to terminate.

timan914

Thank you for your replies so far. I don't expect anything at all. I was jus wondering if it would be possible to leave before the 6 months. I didnt think it would be seeing as I signed up for 6 months.
It doesn't make a huge amount of difference if the manager of the property doesn't live here but he knows the house well as he has lived in it for a good while and he is a nice person to share my living space with.

He might be staying but from the sounds of it the landlord wants him out as he can get more money from a paying tenant which I understand but that wasn't the initial impression I was given when I signed the contract.

AndyPK

Do you fancy him lol ?

G_M

What kind of contract?

Who is named as your landlord on the agreement you signed? (this chap orsomeone else?)

Who do you pay rent to?

Is your contract a sole tenancy (ie just you & landlord named on it) or joint tenancy (several named tenants on same contract)?

Did you pay a deposit? What date? Has it been registered? What date?

Read:

Ending/Renewing an AST (what happens when the Fixed Term ends?)(What is a Periodic Tenancy?)(How can a LL remove a tenant?)(How can a tenant end a tenancy?)

timan914

Hiya and thanks again for your replies.
No I don't fancy the property manager, not my type.
The contract is a short term contract.
I'm the only name on the contract apart from the landlord.
I paid the first month rent and the last month rent so no deposit paid.
The landlord is who I pay the rent to.
It must be a sole tenancy as its jus my name and the landlord name on the agreement. People are moving into the property at different times.

G_M

Sounds like an HMO (see here).

As for breaking the 6 month term, you can.... if the LL agrees (see my link above). You may have to compensate the LL for the trouble/expence before he agrees- eg the 'last month rent' you've paid...?

As you have a sole tenancy, this will not involve anyone else either legally, or practically.

But why is this other chap's presence so important? If something needs fixing you contact the LL, initially by phone and then in writing.

anotheruser

Plus, 6 months isn't that long anyway.
3 months in, start looking for a new property, the last month you can agree to let one, so:

In November, agree to let mid December. This leaves a good 3-4 weeks for all the paperwork and stuff to be sorted, you to get yourself sorted and change all addresses to the new address.

timan914

Well, the property had cockroaches which got taken care of, and now I find out there are mice. I can't sleep properly and the thought makes me feel ill. I've seen them a few times and if I had known this I would never have moved in in the first place.
Just wish I had only signed for 3 months but previously I have always signed for 12 months with no issues.
This really is stressing me out. I've always stayed til the end of my contracts before and in fact several time renewed contracts.