England - Can I end my licence agreement early due to a cockroach infestation?

cat_house123

Hi everyone,

I've lived in a shared house in Ealing since August 2025. I renewed my agreement in January 2026, and it was due to end on 31 July 2026. I decided not to renew because of an ongoing cockroach issue.

The house is very old and has had ongoing maintenance issues, but the housemates and I keep it clean. I started finding cockroaches in my room and reported them immediately. Pest control couldn't come for several days, and I was so distressed that I stayed in a hotel for two nights before moving to my parents' house.

Pest control eventually attended and said they found no active infestation but treated the property anyway. Since then, I've found another suspected cockroach.

The managing agent says because I didn't give two months' notice before the end of my fixed term, my agreement has rolled on until 29 September, meaning I have to pay another month's rent despite moving out. I've asked them to reconsider and offered to find a replacement tenant, but they haven't replied.

My questions are:

• Does the ongoing pest issue give me any grounds to end the agreement early?
• Would contacting Ealing Council's Environmental Health team help?
• If I find a replacement tenant, can they still refuse to release me?
• Does the fact this is a licence agreement rather than a tenancy make any difference?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ritz55

Answers below

• Does the ongoing pest issue give me any grounds to end the agreement early? No it doesn't
• Would contacting Ealing Council's Environmental Health team help? Don't believe so as the landlord is pro actively willing to send out pest control to resolve the issue.
• If I find a replacement tenant, can they still refuse to release me? Yes they can.
• Does the fact this is a licence agreement rather than a tenancy make any difference? Em, not sure TBH.

I though would be give the 2 months notice ASAP and move out.

QrizB

Welcome to the forum!

I've lived in a shared house in Ealing since August 2025. I renewed my agreement in January 2026, and it was due to end on 31 July 2026. I decided not to renew because of an ongoing cockroach issue.

...

The managing agent says because I didn't give two months' notice before the end of my fixed term, my agreement has rolled on until 29 September, meaning I have to pay another month's rent despite moving out.

Did your licence agreement say what would happen at the end of your fixed term? Were you required to give notice that you'd be moving out, with it turning into a rolling agreement if you didn't?

caprikid1

2 Cockroaches is not an infestation.

elsien

Licence or tenancy because your title and post reference both?

cat_house123

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079082#Comment_82079082

It is a “license agreement” however after reading the contract it seems they are using this term to avoid new regulations as the landlord doesn’t live there and never enters our room without our keys

cat_house123

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078972#Comment_82078972

of course haha not sure how it came across in my post but been seeing them in kitchen , bathroom, on my bed! and even seen after the pest control apparently sorted it out

cat_house123

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078935#Comment_82078935

Thank you! it does state would need to give two months notice before end date otherwise becomes a rolling contract which needs 2 months notice again. after reading my contract it seems that this is more of a tenancy just phrased as a license agreement so they don’t follow new regulations

cat_house123

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078886#Comment_82078886

agreed. however not able to as cannot live in such an environment there’s big and small ones which is the worrying part too scared to sleep because of these insects

elsien

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079272#Comment_82079272

The landlord doesn’t have to live there - that refers to lodgers which is different again. Hostels are a classic example of somewhere that can validly use a licence.