Help Breaking a Fixed Term Tenancy Agreement

Lanveans

I am 4 months through a 12 month fixed term tenancy agreement with no break clause in a flat with two other housemates (first job in London). I have been subject to intimidation via the house ‘whatsapp’ group from my two housemates . I am the newbie to the house as the other two girls have been friends for many years. I am sensitive to fronting it up in case it heightens the issue and I have no way of leaving the contract early and at £1000 per month its a lot of money to leave early and loose. 

Is there an approach to exiting the contract early? Any advice welcome. 

la531983

Find someone else to take over the tenancy, or appeal to the better nature of your landlord, are likely the only two options you have here, unless you can afford to rent somewhere else and continue to pay rent and bills on a property you arent staying at.

_Penny_Dreadful

Lanveans said:

I am 4 months through a 12 month fixed term tenancy agreement with no break clause in a flat with two other housemates (first job in London). I have been subject to intimidation via the house ‘whatsapp’ group from my two housemates . I am the newbie to the house as the other two girls have been friends for many years. I am sensitive to fronting it up in case it heightens the issue and I have no way of leaving the contract early and at £1000 per month its a lot of money to leave early and loose. 

Is there an approach to exiting the contract early? Any advice welcome. 

Is it a joint tenancy you have with the other two girls or a tenancy solely in your name for a room in the flat?

Lanveans

hi there, its a joint tenancy by the looks of the contract. Thank s for looking

Ksw3

leave the WhatsApp group? 

la531983

Ksw3 said:

leave the WhatsApp group? 

She still has to live with them, suspect the "intimidation" will manifest itself in other ways if she did that.

theartfullodger

You may leave any date/time you choose.. but need to negotiate with fellow tenants and landlord/agent over how much you need to pay.

Nobody may prevent you physically moving out .


Does tenancy specify how much rent each person pays? (a stupid mistake usually for landlord).

Best wishes, hope it gets sorted.

propertyrental

Yes please clarify
1) do you have a joint contract with all 3 of you named as tenants on the same contract or
2) do you each have individual contracts with the 'landlord' (or perhaps the other 2 have a shared joint contract and yours is separate?)
3)or do you perhaps pay the other 2 your rent ie they are your landlords (you are their lodger) and they have a tenancy with 'the owner/landlord' but you don't?

Each scenario is legally different and probably requires different 'tactics'.

Lanveans

The tenancy propertyrental said:

Yes please clarify
1) do you have a joint contract with all 3 of you named as tenants on the same contract or
2) do you each have individual contracts with the 'landlord' (or perhaps the other 2 have a shared joint contract and yours is separate?)
3)or do you perhaps pay the other 2 your rent ie they are your landlords (you are their lodger) and they have a tenancy with 'the owner/landlord' but you don't?

Each scenario is legally different and probably requires different 'tactics'.

Answers
1. joint contract with all 3 named and same term
2. the contract states the total amount payable
3. one of the other girls pays and I pay her (I have a higher proportion for bigger room)

thanks for help

Lanveans

theartfullodger said:

You may leave any date/time you choose.. but need to negotiate with fellow tenants and landlord/agent over how much you need to pay.

Nobody may prevent you physically moving out .


Does tenancy specify how much rent each person pays? (a stupid mistake usually for landlord).

Best wishes, hope it gets sorted.

One joint amount is quoted in the contract

_Penny_Dreadful

What a horrible situation to be in.  In my opinion (and I am not a lawyer) you have three main options:

1. Sit down with your flatmates to get to the bottom of what's going on.  Hash it all out and see if you can grin and bear it until such time as the fixed term ends and you can bring a periodic tenancy to an end for all of you by serving notice.
2. Sit down with your flatmates to hash it all out and if it becomes clear that the relationship has irretrievably broken down suggest you all approach the landlord about finding a replacement tenant and having the tenancy assigned or the current tenancy ended and a new tenancy created.
3. Similar to the above but instead of finding someone else to take your place take a gamble and just move out.  With a joint tenancy you each have joint and several liability for paying the whole rent meaning legally there's no such thing as your share.  From a landlord's point of view it's easier for me to chase the joint tenants who live remaining in the property than you.