Split with fiancé - need to tell landlord?

MistyCheese

My fiancé and I started renting a bedsit a few months ago. Now we have broken up and I'm wondering how if affects the lease as both our names are on it.

I got a letter this morning from the management company, just a standard letter that was sent to all apartments, about rent arrears and also about "breach of lease" It was saying to let the landlord know if someone moved out but i think it was more for people who share a house and each of them contribute a portion of the rent. The letter said if you move out it's up to you to find someone to take over the lease.

Now, I'm sure this doesn't apply to me and my ex as we were renting a bedsit. It's just one room with a bed in it. Surely i couldn't be expected to move someone else in?!! There's no room. I'm still paying the rent in full.

I'm sure the answer is "No, of course it doesn't affect you if you're still paying the same rent as you were when it was the two of you" but I need to let the landlord know anyway. The letter came addressed to "All tennants C/O (Ex's name)" All letters involving the property come addressed like this. It was a tiny bit upsetting. I mean, some of his mail still comes to the apartment but this was a bit much and I need to get it changed into my name. I think it's pretty bad form to put his name on all correspondance letters anyway when I paid the deposit and the rent ever since we moved in. The rent comes out of my bank account!

By the way, please don't condemn me for opening the mail when it was addressed to someone else, the envelope was marked with the company logog and we've recieved letters like that before, I knew it was to do with the apartment.

So should I tell the landlord that i'm on my own? Or should I just tell him that I want correspondance addressed to me seeing as how it's me who pays the rent?

Curvy Vixen

Well the contract that you signed would state whether you would need to tell this to your landlord or not, but I would suggest from the content of that letter alone that it's probably a requirement.

Leaving that aside though, just for your own 'housekeeping' (no pun intended!), why would you not let your landlord know that he is gone? Surely it's cleaner to do this even just for correspondance etc?

MistyCheese

The only reason I'm concerned about letting the landlord know is in case he wants me to get someone else in. But surely he can't demand that. It's a bedsit. There's one room and a bathroom. I'm not complaining about that, I like my little bedsit, but you wouldn't be able to fit another person into it. With my fiancé obviously that was different because we shared the bed.

I guess I'm worried because the letter says "Where all or one tennant wishes to vacate a property they have to give a minimum of 28 days notice" But he's already moved out. Well, of course he has, we've split up. it wouldn't be healthy for two people who were planning to get married but instead broke up to share a one room house for 4 weeks. in fact, it sounds like a plotline for one of those stupid movies like Chuck & Larry or something.

Do you think there'll be a problem or will the landlord probably understand that these things happen? I hope they don't think that it's some kind of scam, we only moved there in June. It's hard enough picking up the pieces of a 6 year relationship without all this extra cr@p. I just don't want there to be any more aggro than there has to be.

SkepticOne

At the end of the day the landlord's interest is in getting the money and he is still getting that. Let the landlord know it is just you there now and I don't think there will be a problem.

kmick

No need to let them know. They wont mind as long as you are paying rent.

Curvy Vixen

I've rented out property in the past and still do in the UK. I don't mind in the slightest who is actually paying the rent providing it's paid tbh and if it were being paid in full and on time, would never try to 'force' a second or third tenant in and I'm sure your landlord wouldn't either. By it's very nature a bedsit is designed for a lone person or a couple.

The 28 day notice for me would only apply if you were 'vacating' the property (i.e. leaving it vacant) thereby giving me enough time to advertsie and re-rent.

Obviously at the end of the day it's up to you to decide what to do but it seems to be bothering you a little that you're not being entirely honest so just let them know that it's just you now. It'll put your mind at rest...

And on a side note I'm suprised that your ex hasn't sorted this out himself! I'd hate to leave my name anywhere were I was no longer living!!

whizzbang

What has this got to do with the management company? Your contract is with your landlord.

Also, as far as I am aware, letter addressed to "Resident" don't mean anything anyway.

MistyCheese

I've always rung the management company for any issues with the flat (such as bins not being collected) I don't have any contact number for the landlord, just the management company. Sure, is that not what he pays them for? I used to work for a property management company and that is what we did. Sort out things like broken washing machine or toilet or whatever.

The letter isn't addressed exactly to "Resident" It's "All Tennants C/O (My ex)" As I've said this is horribly old-fashioned, addressing the letter to the "man of the house" when it's me who paid the deposit and pays the rent.

Curvy Vixen thank you for your (as always) wonderful advice. It's not even as much that I want to be completely and totally honest, it's the letters coming addressed to him. So soon after the break-up it stung a little. I'd like to make sure it won't happen again - by putting my name on correspondance.

I'll ring them this afternoon. I'll probably be dealing with the same lady who I was speaking to about the bins, she's nice and I'm sure she'll understand.

Curvy Vixen

You're welcome mistycheese ~ good luck!

As an aside, when we moved over in 1980 my Mum and Dad had a joint account where both their salaries were paid and about 6 months after we were sorted she had to draw out a large amount to pay the removal company ~ the bank wouldn't let her cos it was a large amount and my Dad hadn't given permission :eek::eek: She blew quite a large gasket that day ~ they didn't do it again

whizzbang

MistyCheese wrote: »

I've always rung the management company for any issues with the flat (such as bins not being collected) I don't have any contact number for the landlord, just the management company. Sure, is that not what he pays them for? I used to work for a property management company and that is what we did. Sort out things like broken washing machine or toilet or whatever.

The letter isn't addressed exactly to "Resident" It's "All Tennants C/O (My ex)" As I've said this is horribly old-fashioned, addressing the letter to the "man of the house" when it's me who paid the deposit and pays the rent.

Curvy Vixen thank you for your (as always) wonderful advice. It's not even as much that I want to be completely and totally honest, it's the letters coming addressed to him. So soon after the break-up it stung a little. I'd like to make sure it won't happen again - by putting my name on correspondance.

I'll ring them this afternoon. I'll probably be dealing with the same lady who I was speaking to about the bins, she's nice and I'm sure she'll understand.

Ahh, is this a "management company" who maintains the common area of the building, or a "Letting agent"/"Property Management Company" who rents out the place for the landlord?

astrofool

A management company usually runs the common area's of a building, or estate. A letting agency or landlord is who you would generally deal with for issues within your accomodation.

Anyway, it sounds like the lease was worded for accommodation other than a bedsit and can probably be safely ignored with regards informing them you have split up.

Just ring them and say that you want your name to be the primary name on the lease, and not your ex. If they ask, you can say, because you paid the deposit, and for documentation issues.

Victor

All your problems can be solved by telling them to put your name only on everything.

they don't want you to move someone in against your will.

Its possible they only pick your fiancé's name either because he was the first named tenant on the lease or at random.

MistyCheese wrote: »

My fiancé and I started renting a bedsit a few months ago. Now we have broken up and I'm wondering how if affects the lease as both our names are on it.

If the rent isn't paid, I imagine you will both still be liable.

I got a letter this morning from the management company, just a standard letter that was sent to all apartments, about rent arrears and also about "breach of lease" It was saying to let the landlord know if someone moved out but i think it was more for people who share a house and each of them contribute a portion of the rent. The letter said if you move out it's up to you to find someone to take over the lease.

As you say it is a standard letter. That paragraph is designed for larger properties where you might have say 4-5 tenants and every few months someone moves out and asomeone new moves in. Eventually there is the risk that the list of people on the lease and the actual residents are mutually exclusive.

It was a tiny bit upsetting.

They are being oblivious - tell them it is upsetting and perhaps they could reword any future letters.

By the way, please don't condemn me for opening the mail when it was addressed to someone else

No, it was addressed "All tennants C/O (Ex's name)". This means it was addressed to the tenants. As you are a tenant, you did nothing wrong. "C/O (Ex's name)" is not a recipient, but part of the address.