Breaking a Lease

Magicmatilda

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can outline my options here:

I share a house with 3 other at 2,000.00 per month. The lease is up on May 29th. All the others have decided to move out for various reasons. If i move out too and we don't fnd new tenants then we all lose the deposit. I can stay til end of may but if the others don't find new people apparently I will be liable for the full 2,000.00. I won't be paying that! I can't. I think it will be difficult to find 3 or 4 people to fill the rooms at the current price. If thats the case it seems to me that I will be stuck between losing 500 or 1,500 (Which i won't). Can anyone see other options? Or perhaps good reason to ask the landlords to allow us to break the lease early? I was thinking of suggesting that it would be easler to rent now than end of may when all the student properties become available again?

Cookie_Monster

Insist that the people moving out either

a) find someone else to replace them
b) pay the remaining rent that they are due to pay to you.

Presumably you all signed a year long lease and by moving out they are breaking it...

Magicmatilda

Yes we all signed the lease. Realistically how can I Insist the others pay. I can't actually force them.

On another note we spoke to the landlord last night and they said they don't want blacks or knackers in the house. I was quite suprised at the overtness of their racism!! But they won't budge on anything at all, won't negotiate on rent or anything else.

John_Mc

Magicmatilda wrote: »

Yes we all signed the lease. Realistically how can I Insist the others pay. I can't actually force them.

On another note we spoke to the landlord last night and they said they don't want blacks or knackers in the house. I was quite suprised at the overtness of their racism!! But they won't budge on anything at all, won't negotiate on rent or anything else.

I think you're entitled to one rent review a year. Find out the going rates for similar places in the the local area. If they don't agree to lower to nearer the going rate then you may have a way to get out.

Contact Threshold about it, and goodluck!

kmick

Best thing for you to do is just tell the landlord you have fallen out with the other two and they are moving out. Then say you are willing to pay your rent and he/she will have to find other tenants. Basically wash your hands of the whole affair. Its not your fault they are moving out. Tell the landlord to take it up with them. If their signatures are also on the lease its their problem. Basically tell the landlord its his problem and he can chase the other two.

deisebabe

Best thing for you to do is just tell the landlord you have fallen out with the other two and they are moving out

Do not do this.
Do not give your housemates a get out clause. If you all signed you are all responsible for your own share of money owed.

If you break the lease he will take the money unless you find people. Saying he can rent it more easily now won't change his mind on taking your money! As far as he's concerned thats an extra 2k for nothing.

Talk to that threshold place. I really dont think you have a leg to stand on though and will lose your own deposit.

Magicmatilda

Well we had a chat with the landlord to explain the situation. We told her that the remaining 3 people would all stay but we could only pay our share regardless.She would not accept this. We asked for a rent review and we were told no rent review would be had til end of the lease. We asked if we can find some for the room at 450 would that do but no that wouldn't do.

During the conversation she admitted to breaking the terms of the lease by entering the house without permission. She also made some very racist comments about black people and insisted she did not want any blacks in the house.

Not sure if this will make any difference but one of the flatmates is contacting threshold today.

Cookie_Monster

Magicmatilda wrote: »

Yes we all signed the lease. Realistically how can I Insist the others pay. I can't actually force them.

As other have said Threshold or possibly small claims court for breach of contract.

EDIT: few days old now, what came of talking to Threshold?

Magicmatilda

Ok so we have contacted Threshold and they reckon we could have a case with the PRTB on the basis of them breaking the lease. We are also going to use the racist and discriminatory conditions places on finding a new tenant or subletting/ Assigning.

We are giving the landlords a letter stating the we are termanating the lease using the above as our reasons.

So we will see how it goes.