Rent Debt Advice

ej2095

Going to take some typing this....

My Daughter and her Ex boyfriend started to rent a property back in Jan 2021

Sadly the relationship broke down in March 2021 due to Domestic Violence, Police and Hospital were involved.

Unfortunately, the contact was for 12 months on the lease and Dual signed.

She let the landlord know what has happened, but he was not interested, she also advised she doesn't live there any more but again he kept on about they both on the lease.

The contract was due to end in Jan 2022, but for some reason the ex-boyfriend kept rolling the contract over.

The ex-boyfriend sadly built up a lot of rent arrears and by the looks of it has been evicted.

Fast-forward to this weekend, my Daughter has been sent you have 14 days to pay 9 grand letter from the landlord.(Sent to her new address)

So questions i have is what are her options here?

Grumpelstiltskin

What does the letter say? Is it a letter before action? ie. saying she will be taken to court?

Problem is if it was a joint tenancy both are equally  liable for the full amount of the arrears and the landlord will be going after the one he thinks will pay.

fatbelly

Provided the figures are correct it looks like the two of them are jointly and severally liable for £9k.

When leaving a property early and you want to end your responsibility for rent, you need to follow

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/how_to_end_your_tenancy?

If your daughter did not end the rolling tenancy by giving the landlord a legal notice, then her options are

pay in full
see if she can make an instalment arrangement
ignore and see what happens

If she has other debts she should be getting advice on the whole lot. If it's just this issue, then a chat with Shelter is probably the best bet.

ej2095

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Just been sent the letters
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ej2095

Letters are above seems very not professional

ej2095

Sorry all i made a boo boo see redacted letters

fatbelly

The arrears only started in March 2022.

The fixed period would have ended in Jan 2022. Did your daughter send a notice to the landlord ending her interest in the property at that point? If she did, she is not liable for any of this.

If she didn't, then provided the figures add up (I haven't checked) then it's likely a court would agree to make a judgement for £6823.29 (not 9k as you originally stated)

ej2095

She advised in March 2021 she was not there due to domestic violence via text ( she has copies of this) also emailed as well about police and hospital. But seems the landlord is not interested... She started a new tenancy in a council property in May 2021 ( just her)

fatbelly

If that text was a request to terminate the tenancy then that is a defence to any claim.

It would have been better done in writing but may count

Check your most recent agreement to see if it says how to give your notice.
You should either:
use registered post or recorded delivery
deliver your notice in person and get proof, for example, a signed receipt
Only use email if either:
your tenancy agreement says you can give notice by email
your landlord has agreed to accept notice by email and you have proof of this

Let him start a court claim and defend on that basis. The court will decide.

fatbelly

Notice template

NOTICE TO QUIT
To: [landlord or agent's name and address]
From: [your name and address]
I am giving 1 month's notice to end my tenancy as required by law.
I will be leaving [property address] on [tenancy end date], or on the day when a complete period of my tenancy ends next after 4 weeks from the day this notice is served.
Signed: [your signature]

ej2095

Text and email where sent ( will ask for the email later)