What can landlord do if I terminate the contract and move out with his agreement?

Question

As questioned. We're foreign students. Our contract didn't cite that we have to pay whole rent of contract period if we move out before that. I was told that if there's no such clause, then i may only lose the deposit. Is that correct? If he really takes us to court, what's the worst thing I might face? Our landlord is a solicitor and I'm worried that he might take actions. The reason of moving out is because the house is overwhelming bed bugs n' my flatmate is very sensitive to insect bites. Though pest controller came, concil environment adviser told us the life cycle is a year and they won't gurantee bed bugs will be killed all and they might come back again. Had asked concil home visitor write a note to prove that our property is not fit to habitate but he said b/c it's bed bugs so they can't provide us such doc. Don't know why. Since landlord refused to change carpet and old furniture which we found lots of bed bugs, we decided to move out. Can anyone help with solutions? Thanks

We tried everything... uni's student adviser&solicitor, got medical certificate, talked&write to the landlord. It's useless when it's a unreasonable landlord. He gave us 20 ponds for whole house laundry and said should be enough for collect&service laundry! Gosh, my wife even had to take one week antibiotics tablets and that cost 1/3 money he gave us. We think he thinks we're international students and not good in English so he could take some advantage from us.
If we move out and he doesn't have our forwarding address, what can he do to us? Our landlord only got our passport number and full name. Will we have any problem when going back home country or travel out of UK? Will we be stopped at custom if we have court record? We're all very tired spending lots of time looking for legal advice and tell us do this and what. Even we done so much, the landlord still refused us to move out and so we decided no matter how he treaten us, we gonna move out by next week!

Answer 1

Do NOT, under any circumstances, accept untutored advice from laymen on this site. The Residents and Tenants Act is a legal minefield and you put one foot wrong and you'll find out that your landlord owns the right to your kidneys. Talk to Citizens Advice - I know this means queueing up outside their office from 7.30 am in order to get to see someone, but you cannot handle this yourself.

Answer 2

I work in law but can't give you advice you should rely on without reviewing your tenancy. As a layman I would advise you to leave. I do not think that the landlord, solicitor or not, will pursue you for the rent for the entire period. Has he threatened this? Even if he's entitled to claim, it probably won't be worth his time and trouble. Do you have the money to pay it? A rich person is the only person worth taking to court. Even if it did go to court a judge will listen to what you have to say regarding the state of the house, even if you do not have a letter from the council.

Have you tried talking to your landlord on a friendly basis? Try it you never know.

If this doesn't work then I would advise you to leave. YOu will lose your deposit but it's very doubtful that you would be pursued for anything else.

Don't give your landlord a forwarding address!

Answer 3

First, tell the council environment adviser to write a letter stating whatever they found including the part that the bed bug's life cycle is a year. Then, your roommate needs to go see a doctor. Ask the doctor to write a letter stating she is sensitive to bug bites and it will cause infections if she keeps being bit. If you can, also go see a counselor/psychiatrist (for depression, anxiety) just once and complaint about her not being able to sleep, eat or study because of anxiety of being bit. Get a letter from them too. Then write a letter to the landlord saying you would either want the carpet and old furniture taken out or the lease canceled without penalty. Say that if he refuses, you will be seeking a legal advise. Make sure the letter is well worded. Also make sure to tell him you want a response within one week. Send all the letters to the landlord certified. Keep the copies of everything.

Answer 4

Write to the council (keep a copy of your letter), confirming that they visited the property & found bed bugs & quote the adivce that that gave you. Just state in the letter that you are formally recoring the fact of the infestation & the adivce of the council & whatever action they have said they will take. State the date on wichi the visit from the council took place. It is unreasonable to charge rent for uninhabitable or insanitary property so whatever the lease says you have some counter arguments. The deposit is normally not in lieu of rent though is tenants abscond it is common for landlord's to keep the rent in practice. In future though there will be legislation about deposits that will make it less easy for landlords to keep the rent. I am hazy about when this will come in. A few internet seaches on tenant's rights should help. WARNING I am not a legal expert but that is what I reckon!

Answer 5

I Work in a Estate Agents the land lord will normally chase you for the rest of the rent for the remainder of your contract. But the bed bugs may be a vealed reason for just leaving the property. As long as you leave the property as it was when you moved in. In the unlikely event of it going to court, with evidence you should have a strong case for why you left the property. But you may have to prove that the bed bugs were in the property when you moved in.

Answer 6

I'm with Angus. Take some advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau. You can call them - the number's in the phonebook, or usually you can drop in and wait to be seen - but there is usually a queue. They will be able to offer legal advice. Or speak to the welfare service at the university or student's union - I don't know if this is true everywhere, but my uni offered free support and legal advice for students to deal with issues such as housing, so definitely speak to someone there if you can.