Do I have any legal standing at all?

GraceDaily

I currently live in a 4 bed professional house share. We are all responsible for paying for our individual rooms and I am currently 3 months into a 6 month fixed term tenancy. My room is a big room/ with en suite.

I was recently headhunted for a dream job in a new city. I will be relocating over four hours away and will need to rent in the new city. Although it was unexpected, the offer was brilliant and I decided to take it. Before house sharing, I've lived independently in flats by myself and I've always paid rent ahead of time.

I spoke to my landlady about the new job and told her that I would be vacating the room. I would of course have kept paying for the room for the final 3 months, however I asked her if I could perhaps find someone to take over the tenancy as paying two rents would be extremely tight. She replied in writing that she was happy for me to find someone to take over the room, as she did not want the room empty and sent me photos to set up a spareroom account.

My housemate who is on a rolling month to month contract, and is currently in a box room, came forward and asked me if she could take my room as she needed more space and she'd recently had a pay rise and could afford the extra. We approached the landlady who agreed to this and Landlady said that housemate could take over my room in writing. Housemate has since given in her notice. I was delighted and have since prepared to leave.

Now landlady has come back demanding that although housemate has taken over my room, I need to pay the remaining three months rent for the housemates box room which is now empty. Landlady says I have played things at her expense she is unhappy etc. Although previously she agreed to the swap.

I'm unsure of how to proceed. As I see it, I found someone to take over my room as agreed (and someone who the landlords know is financially reliable and a good tenant) and the box room is their's to sort out as its nothing to do with me? I understand their dissapointment to

I just feel uncomfortable paying for a room, I have no contract for, that has nothing to do with me, and that as I will be living 4 hours away, I'm unsure would be used by someone else. Is there any legal standing to make me pay this? (I could really do without it as double rent again, but I don't want a CCJ either after years of being a good tenant).

Landlady is currently threatening to withhold deposit too.

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Grace

jimbo2108

I think that you have to find a replacement for the box room. You first agreed to get a new tenant for your room then internally switched with another housemate, this doesn't solve the problem of one room being empty. You should find a replacement for the box room and pay rent until that is found. The landlord shouldn't have to foot the cost as if you stayed she would still be getting rent for all rooms and not for one room empty.

youth_leader

My daughter has just moved into a rental with a similar set up. I can't understand why the landlady is asking you to pay the rent for the box room. Why isn't she asking the person who has just vacated it to find another tenant?

GraceDaily

The box room is on a month to month tenancy so paying three months for a room on a one month contract seems silly.

jimbo2108

Well there should be some negotiation to pay for one full month for the box room as its no different then the other tenant if she decided she wanted to move out and give her notice. Just to add your also in breach of contract, you need to see what your contract states and she could come for 3 months rent payment regardless.

lincroft1710

Finding a tenant or paying rent for the room vacated by the person taking OP's room is not OP's responsibility. It is the responsibility of the person taking OP's room and only if she doesn't give required notice of quitting that room.

jimbo2108

I've read it as they have now switched so the OP's original 3months outstanding tenancy still stands, and the other tenant is still on the rolling contract. This should mean that the OP has to find a new tenant for the so called 'box room' as its a switch and not a transfer.

GraceDaily

I think the way it was going to be played would be

Housemate would take on my remaining 3 months tenancy and pay for this,
Housemate would find someone new for her box room.

We have not done a room switch. Housemate has agreed to end her tenancy and take over my room as a fresh one. There was no switch done.

Would that not stand?

Paully28

I would say that you have kept up your end of the agreement by finding someone else so you should not have to give any further money from the moment the new person moves into your room.

The flatmate who is moving should pay for any remaining money owed on her month-to-month room contract, including notice period on her contract, and start paying for your old room as soon as she moves.
The box room contract is not your responsibility.

lincroft1710

If your housemate ends her tenancy by giving required notice and her rent is up to date, then all I can see you being responsible for is paying rent on your room until housemate begins her tenancy thereof

GraceDaily

We are very sorry you are leaving us – and are happy to let HOUSEMATE NAME move into your room. As you see it - you may have found a new tenant for your room – but at our expense!

So unfortunately this does not alleviate the fact that you signed a 6 month contract. Shifting the empty room from yours to HOUSEMATE NAME is not a solution – although we will be quite happy to accept the rent for the smaller room at £600.00 for the next three months from yourself.

this is the landlords reply for reference today.

Previous to this, she agreed to finding someone else (who was not a housemate). Originally her message via whatsapp was ''Yep absolutely fine to find a new tenant- will send you pics to put up on spare room and help with viewings''....but since the new tenant is a current housemate she wants me to cover the loss for the housemates old room?

Is this fair considering housemate could have given notice at any point and left of her accord?