Leaving a rental - notice

RandomGuy235

Hi all

Hoping someone can help to advise me.

I am renting from a relative who I no longer have any personal contact with. Our relationship is no longer anything more than landlord and tenant.

Here's a few facts..

I rent privately and we don't not have any contract.
I have rented the property for about 6 years.
I have had no contact from the landlord for 3 years.

Something has happened which makes me think the landlord is planning to either increase the rent, sell the house or ask me to leave. Therefore I have decided to leave of my own accord.

What are my rights? I pay my rent in advance and I was planning to pay this month and send them a letter of notice to advise that I will be leaving and that I won't be paying any more rent. Can I?

I know you have to give 60 days notice but as we have no contract and nothing official I wondered if I have to do anything at all?

My plan is to look out for myself by giving notice and paying one last month's rent but in reality I will be leaving this week.

Thanks in advance.

Pixie5740

You pay rent to live there ergo a contract does exist even if there is nothing in writing. Assuming that this is in England or Wales you will have a Contractual Periodic Tenancy and if you pay your rent monthly you will need to give two rental periods (i.e.) 2 months notice not 60 days. Your notice also must align with the tenancy start date. That all said you are free to negotiate a different notice period with your landlord.

See G_M's guide to Ending/Renewing an AST for further information.

G_M

* Ending/renewing an AST: what happens when a fixed term ends? How can a LL or tenant end a tenancy? What is a periodic tenancy?

G_M

Hey Pixie - one of us is having a brainstorm....

Pixie5740 wrote: »

You pay rent to live there ergo a contract does exist even if there is nothing in writing. Assuming that this is in England or Wales you will have a Contractual Periodic Tenancy and if you pay your rent monthly you will need to give[STRIKE] two[/STRIKE]one rental periods (i.e.) [STRIKE]2[/STRIKE]1 months notice not 60 days. Your notice also must align with the tenancy start date. That all said you are free to negotiate a different notice period with your landlord.

See G_M's guide to Ending/Renewing an AST for further information.

Might well be me......

Pixie5740

I wouldn't put money on it not being me.

RandomGuy235

Thanks guys. I read this from the links would I believe would apply to me?



Tenants typically only need to give one month’s notice when they’re on a periodic tenancy, which may not allow a comfortable amount of time for the landlord to!find new tenants!if the current tenant gives minimal notice.!

Pixie5740

And? That's the landlord's issue not the tenant's. Void periods happen but if the property is desirable enough it won't be void for long.

Your reasons for leaving are that you think the rent might go up or the property might be sold. If those are the only reasons you want to move would it not be prudent to hang fire until you find out what's what? The rent can't just be increased overnight. The landlord would need to serve you notice first which will give you some time to make a decision. The property being sold would not end your tenancy. Your tenancy would continue with exactly the same terms as it has now it's just that you'd have a new landlord. Besides properties take around 3 months to go from being marketed to completion.