Breaking a 12 month lease on a flat? (UK question)?
We have recently re-signed a 12 month lease for our flat. This is the second year we’ve been there, but are not able to get a “rolling” contract and have to keep signing a new 12 month lease every time.
We are thinking of having a look at some flats to buy as they are starting to become affordable in our area but if we went ahead with buying a place, we would probably need to break the lease early because it would be almost impossible to time it exactly right for when the lease it up, and if we renew again it has to be for another year.
Is there something in property law which stipulates that it is possible to break a lease if was a renewal, or if you pay a fine, or something? We’ll never be able to leave if we can only ever move in the month of May.
Every place I’ve ever rented for more than a year has been the same, I’ve never been able to find a place that will allow a contract to roll after 12 months, so assuming this is not uncommon, I wonder what everyone else does in this situation?
Repossession
Related articles:
- Is it possible to arrange a 9 month lease for a flat in Glasgow city centre, or is a 12 month term the norm? My girlfriend and I are looking to move to Glasgow. I am undertaking a masters course and will only need to be there from September - June, i.e. 9...
- Should I use a contract to lease my flat for a period of only 1 month? I’ll be letting it out for a month, and would like to use a contract. I can find no style of contract that is suitable - I live in...
- Apartment Hunting Tips - Checking Rental Agreement For Lease Section Rental agreements usually come accompanied by lease agreements in which several, important points are stipulated. You can find there several sections regarding the conditions under which the agent can...
- I would like to fit airconditioning to my lease hold flat. Do I have the right to do this? (UK Law)? i.e. this will mean I will have to drill through the external wall. i.e. this will mean I will have to drill through the external wall. (Yes I this...
- Guide to Residential or Commercial Leases on UK Properties So, you’re leasing a property. Why pay for commercial property services when you’ve done it all before?After all, a lease is a lease is a lease – isn’t it?Well,...
September 30th, 2009 at 7:03 am
It depends on the wording of the lease you have signed. Usually you can end a tenancy early, but sometimes you will have to continue paying the rent until your landlord finds a new tenant. Alternatively, some others may just keep your deposit instead. Speak to the letting agent or check the wording of what you have signed to see what applies in your case.
There are significant legal implications to your landlord in letting you have a rolling lease, that’s why very few (if any) do it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:28 am
It is not going to make the landlord’s day to lose you, but you have nothing to lose by talking to him/her, not the agent or the solicitor, him/her. You have nothing to lose, the worst you can hear is that nothing will induce them to release you from the lease.
Other than that sit down with the lease and re-read it, I assume you read it before you signed it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
A lease is a lease- it makes no difference weather its a renewal or not- it acts as an entirely new lease.
Every lease is different and the penalties for breaking it early are not always the same either.
You just have to read your lease and see what you have to do to leave early - but there WILL be some kind of penalties.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
A standard UK lettings agreement permits you to end it after the first six months by giving one month’s notice.
In the first six months, you have no legal right to end the tenancy but many landlords or lettings agents will let you do so by negotiation. You should expect to give two month’s notice, and you should be as cooperative as possible regarding viewings and so on. Remember that a landlord doesn’t care if *you* live in the property; they just want to make sure that it is let to a decent, responsible person. You could also ask if you could find someone to replace yourself, and sublet for the remainder of your tenancy, or else get them to move in and take the place on on a permanent basis.
I have a rolling contract but I rent one room in a houseshare, not a whole flat. Perhaps you could consider moving into a houseshare if absolutely necessary, as many of them either have rolling contracts or have no contract at all.