Leaving the property before end of the contract

Kjack

Hello Everyone,

I have a bit of a problem with the property I used to earn.
I was not sure how to title the thread as it is a bit complicated but will try to explain it below.

In April 2017 my friend and I have rented a properly. 18 month contract and no break clause.
Unfortunately, in June I was made redundant and I have not been able to find a suitable employment since.
As there is a chance I might get a job abroad we asked to be released earlier from the contract. The agency and landlord agreed if they manage to find new tenants, we pay back to the landlord the agency fees and obviously pay for the inventory check out as well as the cleaning.

The agency found new tenants and they started the referencing process. As far as we know they went through and at some point, the agency booked the check-out inventory for the 20th February and asked us to have the property cleaned and emptied by then.
The new tenants were to move in on the 26th and therefore we were liable to pay rent up until the 25th February.

We received a signed letter stating:
We can confirm that OUR NAMES have rented the above property from the 12th April 2017 and are due to end their tenancy on the 25th February 2018.
Rent of £1,500.00 per calendar month is due up to and including the 25th February 2018 and should be paid on a prorate basis to the 25th February 2018.
Kind regards

As I have been getting the Housing Benefit and the Discretionary Housing Payment I already cancelled those benefits from the 26th February onwards.

Now, I just received an email from the agency saying that the people who were supposed to move in decided now to move in and as they had not signed the contract (it is three days before their 'moving in' date) that we still need to pay rent until they find someone new.
We have moved out and paid all those money to clean the property. The agency had it checked and took the keys. At no point, they told us that the contract is not signed by the new tenants.
Because we were under the impression that everything was done and dusted with them we happily moved out and made other plans.

Now the obvious question is:
Are they allowed to do that and keep charging us rent?
We do not have access to the property anymore, all bills are closed.
They have not informed us of the process not being completed with the new tenants.
And they booked the check out for us letting us believe that all was fine.
They sent us a letter saying we were renting the property until the 26th of February.

Any help would be appreciated. Any info, law extracts, contact numbers to people who could help or just some advise what to do would be very helpful as we cannot afford to pay rent for the property anymore.

Thank you in advance!

greendoor665

No, you are not liable for further rent past the 25th. You have the signed letter which very clearly shows the agency has agreed to a mutual termination, that's all the proof you need. It's not your problem the replacement tenants didn't go through with it. Have you had your deposit returned? If so and there is nothing else you need from the agent/landlord then you might as well ignore this.

Kjack

Unfortunately, the deposit has not been returned yet.
The 'good' thing is we were to lose half of it to pay back the 'agency fees'.

greendoor665

Kjack wrote: »

Unfortunately, the deposit has not been returned yet.
The 'good' thing is we were to lose half of it to pay back the 'agency fees'.

OK, then I suggest a polite but firm email that you have a signed agreement that your contract ends on the 25th and that you are not liable for and will not be paying any rent for past this date.

You should still be able to get the rest of your deposit back. What 'agency fees' are these and did you agree to them as part of your mutual surrender?

Kjack

Thanks for the advice. I will wait till Monday and write one.

We were told that the landlord paid the agency to manage the property and those fees should be returned.
But it is ok, we agreed for that to be released from the tenancy.


Thanks for all your help.