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last updated 08 March 2010 9:47 PM A to Z index

Leydon Lettings Student Houses Canterbury
4 BED5 BED  and 6 BED Student Houses in Canterbury Kent in CT1 & CT2 postcodes UKC CCU & UCA students
 

LEAVING A STUDENT HOUSE EARLY

STUDENTS LEAVING CANTERBURY HOUSES MID TERM

 

UNABLE TO TAKE UP RESIDENCE AFTER SIGNING THE CONTRACT

 

Responsibility for Rent (1st July to 28th June of the Following Year) 

If you have signed a contract, your are responsible for rent for the entire duration of the contract (normally 1st July to 28th June the following year). 

Jointly and Severally Liable

You have a joint contract which means you are all jointly liable for any rent.  In the unlikely event a tenant does not pay we first approach the tenant in question then the guarantor (who are only liable for the person they are acting as guarantor for.  In the unlikely event neither child nor parent pays, all tenants are jointly responsible as per the contract.

Find a Substitute Tenant

If you do not want to pay for your room for the remainder of your tenancy you must find a substitute tenant. This person will move into your room and pay the rent on your behalf.  It is your responsibility to find someone to move into your room.  Even if you have not moved into the house and have signed a contract, you still need to find someone to take your place.  Click here for more information on how to find a substitute tenant. 

Room Swaps Within the House

Often, if the leaving tenants room is better than another tenants room, that tenant may wish to swap.  The smallest, least attractive room is therefore likely to become the vacant room. Remember that if you are leaving, you must find a replacement tenant and it is easier to find people to move into a better room.  Before you agree to another housemate moving into your room, remember that you will have more difficulty finding someone for a smaller room.

Email Leydon Lettings

As soon as you know there is a problem, email Leydon Lettings, even if you are still unsure.  We will do our upmost to help you find a substitute.
 

LIKELIHOOD OF FINDING A SUBSTITUTE TENANT?


11.5% of students drop out of Canterbury universities during the academic year. In addition to this some continuing students leave their houses due to incompatibility. Leaving before the end of your contract can be a very difficult experience. By following the advice below you are more likely to find a substitute tenant.

 

The Earlier the Better


Deciding to not to move in or to leave your house after moving in. The earlier you reach your decision not to move in or to leave the house, the easier it is to find a substitute student for your house.

Decreasing marketability of a student house following early departure of tenants during a university student's academic year

Jul and b4
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Ail
May
Jun
Good Student Demand
Good Student Demand
Good Student Demand
Less Student Demand
Less Student Demand
Minimal Student  or Professional Demand
Poor Student Demand
Poor Student Demand
Minimal Student Demand
Minimal Student Demand
No Student Demand
No
Student Demand

GREEN: Relatively easy to find a replacement tenant

BLUE: Still reasonably likely to find a replacement tenant

ORANGE: A little more difficult to find a replacement, but with enough advertising you may be able to find someone

RED: Very difficult to find replacements as exams are approaching with very little duration of the contract remaining before the next student group arrives from 1 July ea. year

Responsibility and liability for students leaving early is seldom about fault;
it is always about consequential loss:
Students who leave their house prematurely may well feel that the consequences enforced by Leydon Lettings are unfair.  Whilst we sympathise with you the consequences for us can be quite extensive.  Some consequences are listed below.

Some little realised no fault consequences following premature leaving:
The new substitute cannot get along with the original tenants.

The new housemate may not get on with the current tenants and after signing the contract, later leave.  If this happens the original departing tenant remains responsible for rent.  This is because the substitute pays the rent on your behalf, should they depart, you are once again required to pay the rent for your room. 
One or more original tenants cannot get along with the substitute.

The original tenants may find that they cannot get along with the substitute.  As a result the original tenant(s) may decide to leave meaning that this whole process will have to be gone through again.
Council Tax problem.

If there are no students wanting to take the vacant bedroom, you may be obliged to accept a non-student.  Nona-students are liable for council tax, but will not want to pay the entire amount themselves.  You or the other tenants may then be obliged to contribute toward the council tax, which of course no one will want to do.
Good outcomes:

An original housemate leaves and a more compatible substitute student housemate arrives.  Surprising how often this happens!
Cleaning problem:

At the end of a tenancy where everyone leaves together there is no issue about cleaning; it is either clean or not.  However, when a student leaves early it may be impracticable to clean the fridge freezer (as it is switched on and full of food).  The oven, and some sanitary ware may not be accessible to clean as these may also be in use at the point of early departure.  At the end of the tenancy the remaining tenants will be cleaning the original tenants portion of the common areas.  Some may even retort, " I am not cleaning that as so and so who left early was responsible".
woman by wardrobe in messy room During viewings if your room looks like this then your possessions could be damaged when walked over.  If leaving, prospective tenants are unlikely to want to live here!  Your room could remain empty until after you leave and it has been cleaned up ready for viewing but this will mean a void between tenancies and costs.
Re-painting :

If the departing tenant's room is not left clean or the walls are marked, we may have to re-paint or clean the room before a substitute tenant moves in, incurring extra costs to us. 
Another more complex (fictional) example based on a real scenario in other houses not named:

HANSEL a student tenant at say no. 1 College Road is horrified by an allegedly dirty housemate's lack of cleanliness. HANSEL threatens to leave. 

GRETEL a student tenant across the road at no. 2 College Road announces she is pregnant and must must also leave.

GRETEL and LEYDON LETTINGS advertise for a substitute housemate. 

HANSEL on seeing this advert asks to transfer from no.1 to no.2 College Road to escape his 'dirty' housemates.

No.2 College road housemates are very happy to receive Hansel especially since Hansel is actually more compatible than the original housemate Gretel. 

So all is well that ends well ...isn't it?  No, because the landlord still has an empty room at no 1 College Road, for which no-one accepts responsibility.

No 1 College Rd housemates deny they were dirty and that the landlord who owns both properties should have left HANSEL at no1 College Road.  No 2 College Rd say thank you very much for GRETEL now we do not need to find a substitute tenant in any event.