What to do regarding ending a tenancy agreement

frustrated12

Hello,

At the beginning of Aug I received a letter from the letting agent informing me that the landlord wanted to gain possession of the property in Oct (section 21).
I have then acted upon this request and have found a new place to live. I sent a letter to the letting agent giving them one months notice of my intention to leave the property at the end of Sept, they received the letter the following day.

4 days later I received a letter directly from the LL, he says that there has been inconsistencies with the letting agent and under no circumstances am I to pay any more money to the letting agent and to cancel the standing order. I done this immediately. I also sent an e-mail that day to the landlord asking how I am meant to pay the rent on 1st Sept, I also mentioned that I had already given notice to the lettings agent and to let me know what I should do regarding check out and handing keys back. I done this through email as I wanted a paper trail.

I waited 2 weeks and no letters have arrived from the LL nor any e-mails. Today I called the number on the letter as the rent, that was due, was now late as they had no provided me with any details of how to pay it. They gave me the bank details over the phone and I have now paid it. While I was on the phone I mentioned again that the money I paid today was the last as I am moving at the end of the month, I explained that I had sent the letter to the lettings agent before I had received the letter from the LL. The girl on the phone said that they haven't had any dealings with the letting agent for several month and she said I would need to write another letter regarding my intention to leave.

My question is, can I still leave at the end of Sept although the LL wouldn't have a full calendar month's notice?

The LL is a company based in London and the property I am renting is in the south. I asked to speak to the LL directly but the reception said I was not allowed.

G_M

Stop ringing. Stop emailing. Write letters.

Please confirm:

1) You have a written instruction from the LL not to pay the letting agent?

2) You have NO written instruction from the LL where/how to pay rent - just a phone instruction from " a girl"? :eek:

3) Is your rent payment tracable/provable?

4) Your notice was sent (written?) to the agent before you received the letter from the LL?

5) Is your depsoit protected? Which scheme? Have you checked yourself or just taken the word of the agent?

6) Was you Notice valid(ie sufficient time - see link below)?

You now need to WRITE to the LL, enclosing a copy of the earlier letter to the agent, confiming the original notice you served (NOT giving notice again), requesting instructions for the keys/inspection, and reminding them you expect your deposit to be released form xxxx scheme and forwarded to you at xxxx address


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?)

anselld

frustrated12 wrote: »

I sent a letter to the letting agent giving them one months notice of my intention to leave the property at the end of Sept, they received the letter the following day.

.

This remains valid provided the dates are correct and the agents address is still the "address for serving notices" as defined in the tenancy agreement.
The fact that they may not have passed it on to the LL is not your problem.

frustrated12

G_M wrote: »

Stop ringing. Stop emailing. Write letters.

Please confirm:

1) You have a written instruction from the LL not to pay the letting agent?

2) You have NO written instruction from the LL where/how to pay rent - just a phone instruction from " a girl"? :eek:

3) Is your rent payment tracable/provable?

4) Your notice was sent (written?) to the agent before you received the letter from the LL?

5) Is your depsoit protected? Which scheme? Have you checked yourself or just taken the word of the agent?

6) Was you Notice valid(ie sufficient time - see link below)?

You now need to WRITE to the LL, enclosing a copy of the earlier letter to the agent, confiming the original notice you served (NOT giving notice again), requesting instructions for the keys/inspection, and reminding them you expect your deposit to be released form xxxx scheme and forwarded to you at xxxx address


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?)

Thanks for the help guys.

1) Yes I received a letter from the LL instructing me not to pay the letting agent any more money.

2) It says in the letter that they will be appointing a new lettings agent shortly and any payments should be made directly to the address on the letter.

3) Yes all payments are traceable via standing order.

4)Yes notice was written to the letting agent, this was also sent recorded delivery.

5) Yes it is with the DPS - I will check today if it is still showing on there.

6) Yes, I gave nearly a month and half's notice.

7) I was valid, I followed advice from this forum to ensure that it was correct.

frustrated12

The LL wants another letter, should I just sent him a copy of what was sent to the letting agent, with the same dates on etc?

princeofpounds

Yes, send a copy, with a covering letter if you like.

The LA was still the LL's agent at the time you served your notice, at least as far as you were concerned.

Presumably this notice was sent to the LL's address for the service of notices on the tenancy agreement, which was c/o the LA?

You should not have paid rent anywhere simply on verbal instructions, although it's probably fine given you can trace it.

G_M

frustrated12 wrote: »

The LL wants another letter, should I just sent him a copy of what was sent to the letting agent, with the same dates on etc?

You now need to WRITE to the LL, enclosing a copy of the earlier letter to the agent, confiming the original notice you served (NOT giving notice again), requesting instructions for the keys/inspection, and reminding them you expect your deposit to be released form xxxx scheme and forwarded to you at xxxx address

I cannot make my advice clearer than previously!

frustrated12

I have written to the landlord and he received the letter on 9th September, but I have not heard anything back from them. My tenancy runs out on 26th September and I need to hand the keys back, what should I do??

I don't want to be held responsible for a flat that I am no longer living in and I also do not want to pay another months rent.