🚀 go-pugleaf

Tim Ward <tim@brettward.co.uk> enlightened us with:
>"Sue Rogers" <scr27@cam.ac.uk> wrote in message
>news:scr27-C3EBC2.13553004112003@pegasus.csx.cam.ac.uk...
>>
>> All the rental agencies are saying minimum rental 6 months and they only
>> need 3 months.
>
>Of course. Everyone uses an Assured Shorthold Tenancy contract, and the law
>says that as far as the landlord is concerned it must run for at least six
>months.
>
>Now, the tenant is in a different position. They can give a months notice
>the day they move in and there's b****r all the landlord can do about it.
>
>So all your friends have to do is lie - move in, claiming to want to stay
>six months, then give a month's notice after two months.
>
>I thought everyone knew that ...

Evidently not including the Deputy Prime Minister ;-):

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_housing/documents/page/odpm_house_601788-08.hcsp
question 8.4

And confirmed (and more clearly written) here:
http://www.brent.gov.uk/phiu.nsf/0/3f1290d128d3c1e98025678b004becb1?OpenDocument

"A) If The Tenant Wants To End The Agreement

If the agreement is granted for a fixed term and the tenant wants to end
the tenancy within the fixed term s/he may be held liable for all of the
rent for the full term of the tenancy, unless, at the outset of the
tenancy, the landlord and tenant agree to put a break clause into the
tenancy agreement which allows the tenant to leave early within the
fixed term."

The "fixed term" being at least 6 months of course.

So Sue's ex-neighbours can ask the rental agencies for a break clause
at 3 months, but TBH I doubt they'll grant one. But it's worth a shot
since there's nothing to lose!

Jifl
-- 
--["No sense being pessimistic, it wouldn't work anyway"]-- Opinions==mine