If you have decided to end your tenancy with us, please read through the information on this page. It includes details of what you need to do, as well as a handy moving out checklist.
There are a number of options you may wish to consider if you have chosen to move on from your tenancy with us. Sometimes it may be possible to pass your tenancy on to another member of your family. You may also be able to apply for a transfer or a mutual exchange. If you are a relative of a Hastoe resident who has passed away, please contact us.
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How to end your tenancy
- Let us know. You need to give us at least one calendar month's notice in writing. To do this, you need to complete two copies of the Tenancy Termination form as soon as possible. One copy is for you to keep and one is to be sent to us.
- Allow us to carry out a property inspection. We will contact you to arrange a visit to your home to assess its condition before your tenancy ends. We will tell you if you need to do any repairs before you move out.
- Continue paying your rent. Rent is due on your home until the end of the one month notice period you have given. This applies even if you choose to move out before then. Please make sure that you pay all rent you owe before you give back the keys to us. Remember that if you receive Housing Benefit it will only be paid for as long as you are in your home. If you move out before the end of your notice period, your Housing Benefit may stop. This will leave you responsible for all rent due. Please speak to your Housing Officer for more information about this.
- Leave your home in good condition. You are responsible for both the interior decoration of your property and the garden. Please make sure they are left in good condition. Please remove all of your belongings and any rubbish before you move out. If you do not leave the property and garden in a clean and tidy condition we will charge for the cost of the works. You will need to repair any damage you are responsible for. If you don’t repair this damage, we will charge you for it. You will also need to turn off the water stopcock on the day you leave. Please test this before we visit and let us know if you are unable to turn it off. We will not buy any carpets, curtains or other household items from you. Additionally, we cannot get involved if you want to sell any items to the incoming tenant.
- Ensure your property is empty. It is important that we have vacant possession of the property. This means no one must be living in your home when you return the keys. It is your responsibility to make sure it is empty.
- Return your keys. You must return all the keys you have for your home on the day your tenancy ends. You do not have to bring the keys to us in person – we can leave a key safe for you to put the keys inside. Please be prompt as if they are returned late, we will charge you rent up until the point the keys are received. If you do not return your keys on time or some are missing, we will charge you for lock replacements.
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Moving out checklist
- Give us one calendar month's notice of your intention to leave.
- Tell us where you are going so we can get in touch if we need to.
- Let the Council Tax office and Housing Benefit office know that you are moving. This will make sure you continue to receive any benefits and are not charged Council Tax for the property.
- Arrange for the gas, electricity and water meters to be read. If you do not then you may be charged for a period when you are not living there.
- Arrange for your TV Licence to be moved to your new address (telephone 0990 246246).
- Contact your telephone, internet and digital TV suppliers, where appropriate.
- Repair any damage you are responsible for and fix any holes in walls.
- Make sure that your property is in good decorative order and fully empty before you move out.
- Ensure your rent account is up to date.
- Arrange to return all keys (including stores, carports and garage where applicable) on the day your tenancy ends.
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Relationship break ups
When a couple decide they can no longer live together, a decision has to be made about their shared home. If you and your partner are joint tenants and you agree who should keep the tenancy, you can just contact us to let us know. Your Housing Officer will then help to transfer the tenancy if there are no breaches of your tenancy agreement. If you cannot agree or the partner wanting to stay is not a tenant, you should contact us immediately and consult a solicitor or the Housing Advice Centre.
Here are some basic guidelines:
If your marriage ends
During divorce proceedings, a husband and wife have equal rights to their marital home until a property settlement order is made. This is the case whether the tenancy is in joint names or in the name of only one partner.If you are not married
- Joint tenants
Joint tenants each have an equal right to their home. The county court can order them to transfer the tenancy to their partner for good if that partner has custody of any children. - One tenant
If the tenancy is held by one person, and the couple have no children, that person can apply to the county court and force their partner to leave. However, if the partner has children, the court may order the tenancy to be transferred to them.
- Joint tenants
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When we can end your tenancy
In some cases we may want to end your tenancy. We can only do this in certain circumstances and we need to follow a set of rules.
The Housing Act 1988 (as amended) details the situations when an assured tenancy may be ended.
The main reasons are:
- Not paying your rent
- Breaking the conditions of your tenancy
- Causing damage to the property
- Being involved in antisocial behaviour
- Death of the tenant
- Not living in your home.
This is not a full list and only outlines the main reasons.
Exceptional circumstances
In exceptional circumstances, for example if your property is redeveloped, we may need to end your tenancy. In these circumstances we would make sure that “suitable alternative accommodation is available for you or will be available for you when the order for possession takes effect”. This is in line with the Housing Act, 1988.
The procedure
If we want to end your tenancy, we will serve a Notice. If you do not leave we will apply to the county court for a possession order.
