Landlord wants keys back early

[Backpackbackpack26]

We are ftb and got the keys last week, we moved the most of the stuff out of the rental property yesterday and up to the new house. Yesterday get a text of landlord (someone else much have said cos we didn’t inform them) asking if we have moved out, yes will be back tomorrow (meaning today) to get the rest of the stuff. We are still paying rent on the rented property til the middle of July as we wanted to be able to move stuff up to new house and clean without being in a rush, she is texting this morning to ask for keys back today or sooner than the leaving date we stated. Just wondering if she can do this, we weren’t planning on cleaning rented house til next weekend, just wondering if anyone knows if we are in the right to do this?

She can’t have it both ways though.

Seems you have a good relationship, so hopefully can negotiate something. After all, if you were going on a 2 weeks’ holiday, the house would be completely empty. And she still wouldn’t have the right to ask you for the keys.

If you were going on holidays the place might be empty for two weeks.
If she wants the keys back early she'll need to refund you the rent for that week.

That’s utter nonsense. She wouldn’t be ‘worried’ if you took a 2 week holiday mid tenancy. She’s just trying it on but I’d offer her the keys back early for return of the rent and on the agreement she sorts the cleaning. If she has another tenant lined up it might suit everyone.

That’s no reason at all she’s being ridiculous and in any case who has even told her you’ve been moving out? I wouldn’t be happy feeling like I’m being spied on!

Just say no, you’re not fully moved out and will be in and out until the date you me tenancy ends (and stop snooping!).

Have you asked for return of rent for early vacation or has LL offered?

No, she wants to have her cake and eat it. This is no different than if you had gone on holiday. She's itching to re-market it is what she really means.

As others have stated, she can negotiate an earlier date for the tenancy to end, but she needs to refund you some of the rent you have paid, on a proper pro-rata basis. She's being a CF.

Then tell her you're happy to give the keys back if she agrees to refund you the rent for the days you won't have access to the property.

Would she want the keys or expect them if you were just going on a 2 week holiday?

I’d reply saying that you still have property in the house and will hand the keys back at the end of your tenancy and aren’t able to do so earlier. .

in the mean time make sure all your property is out incase she breaks the law by entering or doing anything that she shouldn’t.

No you don't have to. It's not really any different than you going on holiday for 2 weeks, you're not leaving it empty for months or anything.

Fwiw my landlord asked for keys back early too. She was very reasonable and asked it as a favour as her sister needed somewhere to stay. We worked out a compromise - I cleaned the house myself without needing to get a professional clean, and I got a refund on our rent.

So so what she means is she has someone who wants it earlier, so will get double pay for those weeks!

as if she is worried about it being left empty it means she will fill the flat!

Just tell her that your rent is being paid until the end of the tenancy in mid-July, and you're planning to return the keys then.

Unless your lease has a clause in it about notifying the landlord of periods of unoccupancy (this would usually be 30 days though) then there should be no issue with this.

If she does still want the keys back then tell her that if she wishes to remove your access to the property before the end of the tenancy, she will need to provide a pro-rata refund of rent which has been paid for that period. Once this has been paid the keys can be handed over.

‘Hi, we understand your concerns and are willing to negotiate the return of the last two weeks rent and a waiver for the cleaning in exchange for the early return of the keys.’

to be fair whats the difference between this and if you had gone on holiday for two weeks, would she be wanting the keys if you were on holiday? of course not :S she will at least have to offer you the rent back if she wants the property back.

This is good advice

If she wants it early then maybe that could work for both of you

🤣🤣🤣so she expected you to never have a holiday 🤦‍♀️. They don't sound the brightest do they.

Yes I came on to same this - totally agree.

Is someone moving in?? They can't legally do that until the end of your tenancy.

Tell her you will be USING the property until the end of the tenancy.

Your LL is being ridiculous.

I honestly wouldn’t get into a rent rebate for leaving early, she doesn’t sound too trustworthy.

”we will be at the property regularly in the coming days so it will not be empty; even if it were, it is no different to us being on a fortnight ‘s holiday, we will drop the keys off on 31st as planned”

I seem to remember there are schemes in some areas (I know about Hampshire)either by Fire service or Police service that fit key safes without charge for vulnerable people. May be worth enquiring but I would expect council to know about them already. I also can not understand how a key safe can cause noise issues. I had to use many makes and at hundreds of homes over many years(40+) and never came across a noisy key safe. Neighbour is so unreasonable particularly as it is used so infrequently.

Sorry my comments were about another thread no idea how I got onto this one!!!!!