Ending Your Tenancy
If you or the landlord want to end the tenancy there are things that both landlords and tenants must do at the end of the tenancy:
Giving Notice
It is a legal requirement for landlords to give you proper notice if they want you to leave. Normally, the landlord must allow any fixed period of the tenancy to have expired, and they must have given at least two months’ notice. Your tenancy agreement should say how much notice you must give the landlord if you want to leave the property – one month’s notice is typical.
Return of deposit
Try to be present when the property is inspected to check whether any of the tenancy deposit should be deducted to cover damage or cleaning costs (a ‘check-out inventory’).
If you do not agree with proposed deductions contact the relevant deposit protection scheme.
Outstanding Rent
Make sure that your rent payments are up to date. Do not keep back rent because you think that it will be taken out of the deposit.
Outstanding Bills
Do not leave bills unpaid. This might have an impact on your references and credit rating.
Clean Up
Remove all your possessions, clean the house, take meter readings, return all the keys and give a forwarding address.
The landlord is entitled to dispose of possessions left in the property after, typically, 14 days.
