Ending tenancy Early due to LL Selling

AdrianC

Yep, exactly that. You name a figure, the LL decides if it's worth accepting or not. If not, he can try and negotiate or he can shrug and say "Soddit, we're only talking about a couple of months"...

AleMrsT

They can't 'make' you move out just because the ownership has changed, you still have 3 months left of a fixed term tenancy, the best they can do is serve you notice in January asking you to leave, if you don't, they'll have to go to court.
Tell them you're circumstances have changed, you are no longer able to vacate before March. Sorry.

Paul_the_Painter

Personally I'd want to move out and into a new rental property with enough cash to cover all of my costs, including (but not limited to) moving costs, by a professional moving company, any exit fees from utilities etc, full deposit return, and walk away with enough for a 2 week holiday.
I'd also be inclined to inform the current landlord that rental properties are hard to find and that after my fixed term ended, if he doesn't agree I may well be inclined to stay on until such time as I am able to locate a suitable property, and that he may have to go down the route of court proceedings and bailiffs etc which will probably translate into a completion date of July/august (assuming buyer still around by then!)

kinger101

Paul_the_Painter wrote: »

Personally I'd want to move out and into a new rental property with enough cash to cover all of my costs, including (but not limited to) moving costs, by a professional moving company, any exit fees from utilities etc, full deposit return, and walk away with enough for a 2 week holiday.
I'd also be inclined to inform the current landlord that rental properties are hard to find and that after my fixed term ended, if he doesn't agree I may well be inclined to stay on until such time as I am able to locate a suitable property, and that he may have to go down the route of court proceedings and bailiffs etc which will probably translate into a completion date of July/august (assuming buyer still around by then!)

Good advice. It will reinforce to the LL that just because the fixed term is supposed to end in March, that doesn't mean you'll be out then. Use a bit of carrot and stick.

If the LL leaves his balls in the vice, he shouldn't be too surprised if someone tightens it.

dancingfairy

You are in a contract. If you wanted to leave early it would be down to the landlord to set what conditions of an early surrender he would accept (or not). In this case, he/she wants an early surrender and you can set whatever terms/conditions you want (or refuse to move altogether).The landlord then has to decide whether your terms are worth it or whether to honour the existing contract.
Whatever you decide it's worth getting it all in writing, and don't give in, you are the ones being inconvenienced here so it should be on your terms. I'd want any set up fees covering (ie for references, inventorys etc), moving costs, and any difference in rental prices for the remainder of the contract. I'd possibly want a bit extra on top of that if they wanted me out before Christmas just due to hassle/inconvenience. It does, of course though also hinging on you finding something suitable.
On the other hand if you can't find anything suitable then you are still in a contract and can remain where you are (which would probably annoy the landlord , but that's their fault for trying to sell with a tenant not only in situ but in a fixed term contract, it's complete madness). They may well loose their buyer over this mess.
df
P.S I'd probably laugh if you agreed an early surrender and got everything you wanted in terms of removal costs etc and then their sale fell through and you moved out off, into your new home and your landlord had a void period and had to start the sale again

aldredd

It probably won't come as a surprise to most of you, but it's looking like the sale is going to fall through, as the seller wants to complete before Christmas - but of course, they can't with us in there.

As it happens, we went to see a couple of properties at the weekend which we liked - one of which is available pretty much now (just been bought as a new rental property). We've told them if they cover all our moving costs - including a packing service, we'll move out before Christmas and let them try and salvage their sale. Given them until the end of the day to decide, as there are others lined up waiting to take the property we're interested in.

aldredd

Thought I'd give a little update for those interested! We did move in the end - on the 15th December, so did the whole move in about 7-10 days, which, a week before Christmas and with 2 children, was pretty painful, but we did it.

The selling agent had promised us some money would would have covered our moving costs. This was actually to have come out of their commission fee, rather than being paid by the owner (I guess they wanted the end of year sales number). Because we were having to 'negotiate' between getting approved for the new house we'd seen (there were several applicants) and getting the necessary written approval from the previous LL re ending the contract early, it didn't appear feasible to insist on the money up front - big mistake it would seem. Funnily enough, the chap I'd been talking to has done a bit of a disappearing act since, and doesn't seem to want to talk to us.

So, all in all, feel like we've been harassed & bullied out of our home before Christmas, and are the best part of a grand out of pocket to boot. Merry Christmas and all that.
End of that day though, we did agree to it, and have nothing but a verbal agreement with a 3rd party on the payment, so more fool us I guess. Lesson learnt for next time.
Still, we do like our new home, and whereas our previous LL was very much hands off, our new one is the complete opposite - very hands on, approachable, and even left us a bottle of fizzy when we moved in - so hopefully we'll be happier here in the long run.

Lesson to anyone else out there in a similar situation? From day one, refuse to have anything to do with the selling agent - and get anything agreed / discussed in writing

Guest101

aldredd wrote: »

Thought I'd give a little update for those interested! We did move in the end - on the 15th December, so did the whole move in about 7-10 days, which, a week before Christmas and with 2 children, was pretty painful, but we did it.

The selling agent had promised us some money would would have covered our moving costs. This was actually to have come out of their commission fee, rather than being paid by the owner (I guess they wanted the end of year sales number). Because we were having to 'negotiate' between getting approved for the new house we'd seen (there were several applicants) and getting the necessary written approval from the previous LL re ending the contract early, it didn't appear feasible to insist on the money up front - big mistake it would seem. Funnily enough, the chap I'd been talking to has done a bit of a disappearing act since, and doesn't seem to want to talk to us.

So, all in all, feel like we've been harassed & bullied out of our home before Christmas, and are the best part of a grand out of pocket to boot. Merry Christmas and all that.
End of that day though, we did agree to it, and have nothing but a verbal agreement with a 3rd party on the payment, so more fool us I guess. Lesson learnt for next time.
Still, we do like our new home, and whereas our previous LL was very much hands off, our new one is the complete opposite - very hands on, approachable, and even left us a bottle of fizzy when we moved in - so hopefully we'll be happier here in the long run.

Lesson to anyone else out there in a similar situation? From day one, refuse to have anything to do with the selling agent - and get anything agreed / discussed in writing

Last paragraph is best advice.

Sorry to hear the troubles. You can try a letter before action ( only costs stamp and the ink to print it ) - but I suspect you'll be flogging a dead horse.

PS you're far too nice, I literally would not pack one box until money had cleared in my account ( but I can be a right grumpy !!!!!!! too!)

aldredd

I know - we should have done the same - it just got a tad awkward, given the property we were looking to move to was with the same letting agent, am I'm pretty sure they're very chummy with the selling agents - they're located just around the corner from each other, and it's a small town. I know they were in regular contact, so imagine they pigeon-holed us a little, and as soon as we'd paid a holding fee for the house we wanted, the selling agent knew they'd get us out for free and our attempts from that point onwards were always in vain. Oh well, onwards & upwards.

Guest101

aldredd wrote: »

I know - we should have done the same - it just got a tad awkward, given the property we were looking to move to was with the same letting agent, am I'm pretty sure they're very chummy with the selling agents - they're located just around the corner from each other, and it's a small town. I know they were in regular contact, so imagine they pigeon-holed us a little, and as soon as we'd paid a holding fee for the house we wanted, the selling agent knew they'd get us out for free and our attempts from that point onwards were always in vain. Oh well, onwards & upwards.

Just so you know, and others, just because you rent one property, doesn't mean you can't rent the old one too.

Anyway, bright side, silver lining, etc etc. glad you sorted the move.

( make sure you come back here if you need more advice - my rates are very reasonable! )