What happens if you do not end your tenancy legally

If you do not end your tenancy properly, you could be responsible for rent and damage even if you move out.

That’s why it is important to take the right steps to end your tenancy and give the correct notice.

Find out how to:

• leave a fixed term tenancy early

• end a rolling or periodic tenancy

• move out at the end of a fixed term contract

Your tenancy usually also ends if your landlord moves a new tenant in to replace you.

What can happen if you just leave

Renting another place can be hard if you just walk away from a tenancy.

References

Your landlord or agent might not give you a good reference if you leave the contract early and they do not agree you can go.

This could make it harder to find somewhere else to rent.

What happens to your deposit

Your landlord might keep your tenancy deposit if you do not end your tenancy properly.

They can keep your deposit money to cover things like:

• unpaid rent

• cleaning or damage

• the costs of finding new tenants if you left early

Your deposit should be protected with a scheme if you had an assured shorthold tenancy.

Use the scheme's free dispute resolution service if you think your landlord should give your money back.

If your deposit is not protected, you could look at claiming compensation.

Court action by your landlord

Your landlord could take court action to get money from you.

This could be for unpaid rent or damage to the property.

They have up to 6 years to make a claim.

It's usually best to settle things before they get to court.

They need your name and address. They could find you even if you do not give a forwarding address.

When a court orders you to pay a debt, it is called a county court judgement (CCJ).

A CCJ could affect your credit rating.

Find out more about CCJs from the Step Change Debt Charity

If your landlord finds a new tenant

Your tenancy ends straight away if your landlord lets the property to someone else.

Your contract ends when the new tenancy starts. You do not have to pay the rent any more.

If you live in a shared house and have a separate tenancy agreement for a room, your tenancy ends if the landlord lets the room to someone else.

Your landlord might look for a new tenant if you:

• return the keys to them

• take your belongings out of the property

• tell them you have left and cannot afford to keep paying the rent