To be thinking of moving before my tenancy clause?

[MsMarshmallow]

Hi, I have been in my new flat for 2 months only and have a break up clause of 6 months. Unfortunately my income is going drastically down due to unforeseen change of circumstances (my ex has been made redundant and can no longer pay me child maintenance). Even though I work full time and have a good salary, my current flat is still too expensive for me w/o his help. I would like to move to a more affordable area. AIBU to ask my landlord to move out, and what can I expect? Any advice very welcome, thanks!

I just realised that the title of this thread doesn't make much sense. My English is rubbish and I am at work doing something else, so sorry!

I would think you will still have to pay the rent for the full 6 months, whether you live there or not. Could you ask for a reduction? The LL may accept this if its a choice between less rent or no rent at all.

you are bound by the contract that you signed. BUT...that can be changed with agreement between you and the landlord. He/she may have a mortgage to pay and cannot afford a rent reduction (despite what you read on here, landlords are not given properties free).

so you need to get in touch with the landlord, explain the problem and ask to be released early from the contract. To help with this, you should accept viewings of the property by prospective tenants, and offer to pay the changeover costs (checkout, any extra agent fees).

good luck.

Aw thanks. It's what I thought. Any idea of how to phrase it? in your opinion, would it be best to offer what you said or to ask directly in which terms he would agree to cancel the contract?

I would say that the best thing is to start with a phone call - perhaps text first so you both have time to talk. Once you have an agreed way forward, then put it in a letter.

then say what you've said here - your circumstances have changed and you can no longer afford the rent. You say that you would like to move on - you don't want to move heaven and earth to stay - so tell him that. If there is no way you can pay, (I presume that because you haven't lost your job, there's no possibility of a benefits claim) that's how it is, and so it is very much in his interests to let you go and get in someone else who can pay.

not that I am suggesting this, but if you were to stop paying it would take four months to evict you anyway, and cost the landlord more, so that doesn't make sense for him either. In short, an amicable agreement is in everyone's interests.

BTW your landlord should have checked (or did he know?) that you were partly dependent on another person's income and had no safety net. That said, anyone can lose a job and it could have happened to you as well. This is why rent guarantee insurance is a good idea for landlords! So you BOTH have a problem and there is an incentive to work together to find a solution.

You need to call your landlord. Never mind that he can't evict you for months or it will cost him lots. Give them a call and explain everything. They may give you a reduction in rent or let you out of the clause. Are you able to claim housing benefit maybe. Landlords get a bad rep on here. Which isn't always right. Do remember though the landlord may well have a mortgage to pay, so they are going to be as stressed as you of not more.