Need advice regarding ending tenancy

aaad1

Hi
I am in a bit of a tricky situation where I have paid two months worth of rent when I first moved in, unfortunately I am moving out of my current place at the end of month (after 1 month). The contract is 3 months minimum but I have found someone to take over my contract and move in at start of August.

Unfortunately I am having a difficult time getting my 2nd month's rent back from the landlord (he is a registered company).

I have complained to the landlord in the past regarding the house being very dirty, a broken fridge (out of the two where the other one is dirty), toilet seat broken etc. Some of the things are yet to be fixed.
Although he has exchanged my chest of drawers for a bigger one and also changed the curtains to blackout curtains due to my insomnia. I have also asked for a hook at the back of the door where he says he is going to get someone to fit it (and possibly paint?), he gets someone else to do it for £25 per hour.

The landlord states that his time isn't free and that he has spent hours on admin, practical efforts etc. He wants to deduct £40 from the gap in contract between when I move out and the replacement person moving in but he also wants to deduct £160 for time and money on tenancy.

Please can someone provide a unbiased opinion on this situation? Can he ask for £160 for admin? I do accept that he has changed the curtains but £160 is a lot for admin that is not covered by rent?
I.e. If I pay a letting agency rent money, they wouldn't charge me extra for admin etc?

Thanks

Alter_ego

Not tricky at all, 3 months minimum means you pay 3 months minimum.

aaad1

Alter_ego said:

Not tricky at all, 3 months minimum means you pay 3 months minimum.

I know that it is a 3months minimum contract but I have found a replacement person to take over the contract. I would like to know if charging £160 for admin etc. is fair?
I have never met a landlord charge for admin tasks and I have found a replacement person to take over contract.
Thanks

sammyjammy

Seems fairly reasonable to me

swingaloo2

Does the landlord agree to this other person taking over? Presumably he will be checking out this other person. Did you agree with the landlord about leaving after 1 month and give notice or did you just decide to find someone else to take over. The landlord cant be pleased at you agreeing to a tenancy and then deciding to leave so quickly.

dimbo61

Has the Landlord taken a deposit from you ? Did he protect the deposit and give you the deposit details and Information for tenants leaflet ?
Did he do Right To Rent checks on you ? Copy of passport/Birth certificate, ID ?
Have you got a copy of the How to Rent leaflet ?
Does the rental property have a valid EPC, EICR,GCS, Pat testing ?
I would not dream of offering a 3 months tenancy as not worth the hassle of all paperwork involved.
Fridge dirty Why not clean it or is that someone else's job ?
Has LL taken references from you or the new tenant, Credit checks, etc

This all costs money and time for the LL or someone paid by him to do.

saajan_12

aaad1 said:

Hi
I am in a bit of a tricky situation where I have paid two months worth of rent when I first moved in, - was this 2 months rent or 1 rent + 1 deposit? 
unfortunately I am moving out of my current place at the end of month (after 1 month). The contract is 3 months minimum but I have found someone to take over my contract and move in at start of August. - okay, has the LL agreed to the replacement? What were the terms (ie what date do you leave / they start, what happens to deposit, fees etc? 

Unfortunately I am having a difficult time getting my 2nd month's rent back from the landlord (he is a registered company).

I have complained to the landlord in the past regarding the house being very dirty, - thats fine, you can leave it dirty. a broken fridge (out of the two where the other one is dirty), toilet seat broken etc. Some of the things are yet to be fixed. - time to complain was while you're living there, irrelevant now
Although he has exchanged my chest of drawers for a bigger one and also changed the curtains to blackout curtains due to my insomnia. I have also asked for a hook at the back of the door where he says he is going to get someone to fit it (and possibly paint?), he gets someone else to do it for £25 per hour. - that sounds pretty good, he didn't have to do either. 

The landlord states that his time isn't free and that he has spent hours on admin, practical efforts etc. He wants to deduct £40 from the gap in contract between when I move out and the replacement person moving in but he - fair enough if there's any void in rent, why should the LL suffer? also wants to deduct £160 for time and money on tenancy. - very reasonable, as the LL now has to do all the admin twice, not once. 

Please can someone provide a unbiased opinion on this situation? Can he ask for £160 for admin? I do accept that he has changed the curtains but £160 is a lot for admin that is not covered by rent? - not for the curtains, but on negotiating / signing contract, checking ID, references, inventory, checkout, deposit protection, etc.. that would be covered by rent over a long period, but not so soon after. 
I.e. If I pay a letting agency rent money, they wouldn't charge me extra for admin etc? - they wouldn't if you stayed the full term. If you want something you don't have a right to, then they absolutely would charge the rest of their fees. 

Thanks

The point is you had a min 3 month contract. That rent (and likely longer) would cover all the admin etc. However if you want to leave early,, you don't automatically have a right to stop paying rent. Its all a negotiation - the LL can just insist you keep paying for 3 months. Here the LL is willing to go through the hassle of changing over after just 3 months in return for you finding the replacement and £160 for the duplicated admin. You can take it, or pay the full 3 months.