As a landlord, it’s important to remember that tenants will come and go. Usually, this will be in line with contracts, although there may be other times where this is not possible. This blog is an end of tenancy checklist for landlords.
Contract types
There are various contract types that you can agree on with your tenants, and a letting agent can help you to confirm these. As a dedicated property management company, we can support you with all aspects of your tenancy agreement.
A fixed term tenancy is the most common type of tenancy agreement. This will usually last for 6 months or 12 months. Before the contract ends, the landlord should get in touch with the tenant and let them know their options. These will usually be that the contract ends and the tenant moves out or the contract is renewed for a further time period.
Some contracts are known as ‘rolling contracts’. This means that the contract will usually run monthly and means that less notice is required for moving out, compared to a fixed term contract. In a fixed contract, there is a set end date to the tenancy period. In a rolling contract, the tenancy can usually be ended at any time with a notice period. The notice period should be equal to the frequency of the rent, for example, if a tenant pays monthly, one month’s notice should be given. It is quite common that a tenant leaves voluntarily, but written notice must be provided to the landlord to fulfil legal obligations.
Can a landlord end a fixed term tenancy agreement?
In some cases, a landlord can end the fixed term agreement. However, they must have evidence that the tenant has breached their contract. There are a few other examples of when a landlord can end the fixed term agreement. All details relating to tenancy agreements should be well documented.
- The landlord and tenant mutually agree to end the contract
- The tenant abandons the rental property
- The landlord issues a possession order
End of tenancy checklist for landlords
When your tenant leaves, for whatever reason, it’s important that the process is completed correctly to avoid any further issues.
- Provide an inventory to the tenant – this allows them to check for their own belongings and assess any damage to the landlord’s property.
- Provide advice regarding the damage and cleaning of the property – the property should be left how it was found.
- Perform inspections to assess any damage. If damage is found, tenants may be able to sort it or the repair money may be taken from the tenant’s security deposit. This is known as deposit deductions.
- Organise a date and time to leave the property with the tenant – a property management company can help with this and getting the keys from the tenant.
When it comes to checking out of the property, all damage must be discussed, along with the deposit and any deductions due to damage. The tenant must also agree to the inventory list. At this point, a document should be signed to signify the end of the tenancy agreement.
After the tenancy ends, the tenant’s deposit should be returned. This should be completed within 10 days of the rental agreement ending to comply with the deposit protection scheme. Any relevant deductions must be documented.
How to prepare for the next tenant
- Check that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms/detectors are working correctly
- Check the EPC, electrical and gas certificates are valid and up to date
- Make sure the property is clean
- Make sure that any repairs have been taken care of – remember that fair wear and tear is expected
- Identify any potential upgrades to the property
- Perform tenant checks for prospective tenants
- Complete a tenancy inspection, looking for any personal belongings left by the previous tenants – you may be able to send these to a forwarding address of the outgoing tenant
- Make the new tenant aware of any bills, and ensure they check council tax payments
We hope this blog has been helpful regarding a landlord’s end of tenancy checklist. We are committed to supporting landlords throughout the rental process. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions – we’re more than happy to help.
