Q: I need a little advice on behalf of a friend. Hopefully someone who could offer some help.
My friend was an idea that they need not give notice when they leave the building at the end of their fixed term assured short hold tenancy. Is this really the case or will they find that they are automatically transferred to a regular tenacy their failure to give notice, and the landlord will follow if they leave when the fixed ends? 977,503 9775 03Anyone know anything about this?
http://http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-3145.cfm
which says…
What happens when my agreement runs out?
If your agreement is for a fixed term (eg. six months), you can leave on the last day of the fixed term without giving notice. But you must ensure that you do not stay even one day over, or you will automatically become a periodic tenant and will have to give proper notice or come to an agreement with your landlord.
If you intend to leave on the last day you are not legally required to give the landlord any notice, but it's usually a good idea to do so, to avoid any dispute about when you actually left. Good communication helps things to go smoothly. Remember that you may need a reference to get a new home (http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-99.cfm) and, if you've paid a deposit, (http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-112.cfm) you're more likely to get it back if you keep the landlord informed.
Looks like I might have lost the argument after all…
They also are still talking about a requirement for stamp duty on rental income. I hope I read that wrong and they are more knowledgable than that.
Thank you Saint. This service of the S21 at the beginning of the tenancy has been questioned by me on other forums. I contend that the tenant could rely on that notice to leave at the end of the fixed term without notice, because the LL has already told him he has to go. I am really not sure which carries more weight, the advantages or the disadvantages of issuing a S21 at the beginning.
So far, it seems about even and I am still waiting for something to tip the balance one way or the other. Any help there??
This would be if the landlord had served an S21 during the the fixed term of the tenancy. It is true that the tenant would have to give a months notice during the fixed term in this case. It isn't true that he will be locked into any term that the landlord may impose on them
originally posted by guy
If they do not give one month notice of their intention to quit the premises, it will be assumed that they intend staying on and will be locked into any other agreement which the landlord may impose on them e.g licence agreement of 12 months, shorthold tenancy of 6 months, et al.
my friend is about to buy a property with his partner and money is tight. The completion date has not yet been agreed but he expects it to coincide with the last month of the fixed term AST. What he is telling me is that he doesn't want to risk giving notice to the landlord in case a completion date cannot be agreed in time and he is left homeless. If a completion date is not agreed, he tells me that he will be in a periodic tenancy, he'll give a months notice, and stump up the money for another months rent. If completion IS agreed in time then he just plans to walk away from the tenancy without having given any notice.
I can't believe this is not going to lead to trouble…
LINK TO THE FULL ARTICLE
Key Points:
Landlords must give tenants 2 months notice of termination of an Assured Shorthold tenancy which is in the form of a notice requiring possession. This must be in writing but the 1996 Act does not prescribe a particular form of notice.
Once the fixed-term has ended the tenancy automatically becomes a periodic one. Here, the landlord is required to give 2 months' notice, and the tenant gives one months' notice in writing (when rent is paid monthly) or 4 weeks' notice (28 days) when the rent is paid weekly.
LANDLORD ZONE – LEGAL ADVICE.
Sorry, I think you are ill advised. Tenancy will only end if either party officially ends it. However, will a LL chase for the last months rent if the tenant doesnt go? Prob not.
Problem is that LL has no legal right of access to his property if there is nothing from the tenant to say that he has left and the LL will have to go to court to get automatic right of possession using the relevant ground. Will most LL's wait for this (often months and costing approx £600 – £1000) again, prob not but for the sake of handing in notice, surely it isnt worth causing someone this much grief! If tenants choose to come back after one month and no notice has been serced by either party, you may be forced to let them back into the property and this is whether rent is paid or not. Happened to someone I know! Took 8 months to get through court during which time the tenant was living else where and no rent was paid.
Note that if the shoes were on the other feet, the landlord cannot easily kick out a tenant, even if the signed tenancy is up. In a court of law, the landlord must show proof that they sent the tenant(s) a reminder or Notice Seeking Possession at the end of the tenancy or any forced eviction will be void.
Giving notice also helps with recovering any deposit the tenant may have paid.
Wrong. An AST has an ending term date (END OF CONTRACT). The tenant can leave on that date and there is not a lot the LL can do about it. A LL has to serve notice, but, unfortunately, a tenant does not, even though we tell him in the contract he has to.
My friend has an idea that they do not have to give notice if they leave the property at the end of their fixed term assured shorthold tenancy. Is this really the case or will they find they will automatically be rolled over into a periodic tenacy if they don't give notice, and the landlord will chase them if they leave when the fixed term ends?
Anyone know something about this one?
Unfortunately, a tenant can leave at the end of the fixed term without notice. This would not be a very nice thing to do however and, hopefully, he won't need a reference from the LL because it won't be a pleasant one.
Similarly, their LL would need to give two months' notice.
GG