Signed tenancy agreement but split up

[NutCase82]

How does it stand when you’ve signed a tenancy agreement but you split up. Are you still liable for your part of the agreement even if you’ve moved out?
My partner is abusive and I want to leave with my daughter and pets which means I will have an income of £160 a week. Not enough to cover the debts racked up in my name due to his spending and me being on maternity leave.
I’m named to pay £250 of the rent on the house so if I left him would the estate agent be able to chase me for that?
I wish I’d left him sooner but was scared of him and also hoped he’d change once our child was here.

Firstly I'd like to say I'm sorry for what your going through and I would suggest calling women's aid to get help with leaving.

Unfortunately as you are named as a joint tenant you are both liable for 100% of the rent which means they could go after you for all of the rent not just 50% if the rent isn't paid. They will usually go after the person they think actually has money.

I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this.

As a joint tenant you will be liable. Although they'll only send letters chasing money to the house so they wont come looking for you if you move out (yet). Eventually they'll come looking for you and the debt will follow you around, if you ever want another tenancy.

As much as your situation is traumatic the landlord wont get involved.

Take legal advice from the CAB quickly.

If I moved into a council house does the rent just get paid does anyone know? I’ve only ever claimed for maternity allowance the last couple of months, never claimed anything before. I went on a government calculator and shows I could be entitled to tax credits at £70. Would I just be expected to pay rent and everything with £70+£160 I already get or do they just not charge you the council house rent?

Do take advice from women's aid and CAB.

You will be liable for the rent unfortunately. Obviously check your lease for how long it has left and how much notice you have to give to terminate it. you can just serve notice to end the lease, you don't need your partners permission, but he will obviously find out.

FWIW I'm a landlord and in your situation, if I could I would end the lease myself for you and find new tenants, so it may also be worth approaching the landlord to see if they will help.

My understanding is you pay rent for council houses but you'd be able to claim housing benefit to help with that.

Bigger issue is likely to be the shortage of council housing in most parts of the country, but if you are fleeing an abysive relationship you should be higher priority.

Everything just seems so hard. My tiny little girl is so perfect and he is awful in front of her. I’m so afraid of him. I afraid he’ll come after us, or crash into us, find out where we are, harass my family and friends. It’s why I’ve stayed. He’s broken my spirit. I try not to defend myself as that just makes things worse but since having my daughter my defence mechanism seems to be strong I think because I’m scared he’ll take her if I get too weak. I’m too scared to even phone the police in case they take my baby, or tell me to come away and leave the pets - he will kill them. I’m a normal person from a nice place and nice family and this is my life???? I’m so sick of being scared all the time. He’s like Jekyll and Hyde so nobody would ever suspect. His family are in denial about how he is so they don’t even help me. I’m scared they take my daughter off me

There are charities that temporarily rehome pets in this situation - or do you have a friend or relative who could take them in? Ultimately your safety and your DD are more important than your animals but I appreciate leaving them would be v hard.

I don't see why you would worry about your DD being removed? If you think he will go for full custody or try to badmouthe you, can you gather any evidence now about his treatment of you and DD?

Also I'd suggest posting on the relationships board as there are a lot of posters there with experience of leaving abusive relationships so you may get better advice there.

Thank you, I have began to write a diary. Unfortunately a lot of what he says makes no sense, he can’t seem to see reason or logic he just seems to say and do the most awful things then he talks about how much he loves me and wanting more babies within a few minutes of the attack. I have also to film him secretly. Gathering evidence is such good advice. He’s so manipulative that he makes me doubt myself and tells me they will take her away from me. I’m a good mum though but during the times he gets in my head I feel they might believe him and try to take her, he’s so convincing.

I think the rent is the least of your worries

Start moving important stuff out (paperwork birth certificates etc)

Contact woman's aid for help and follow their advise

Just go -