Due to hand back rental we have departed on Friday, too sick to empty house, how to pay rent and how much?

[KievLoverTwo]

We gave notice around 8th Oct to leave on 15th Nov; on 12th Oct got keys to new house (hundreds of miles away), moved out straight away. Slowly been emptying the old house (5-10 hour round trips + packing, loading, unloading), due back one final time next week but the OH has now been very sick for four days and I just can't risk it. He was sick in September with similar symptoms and it lasted almost a month. Slightly different symptoms this time and other complaints also in the mix but he's basically been ill on and off since the day we picked up keys to the new place and done half a dozen journeys in amongst really struggling with copious amounts of pain. Oh - and I have M.E., so I've been fully loading, unloading and setting up home and shifting it all around on my own because he's been incapacitated. With M.E. Ha. Much fun. Anyway, the new symptoms aren't just pain. They're the sort that could cause him to black out at the wheel. And I don't drive. And I'm not physically capable of doing that journey on public transport. And there are no nearby friends to pack stuff up and send a man in a van. It's only one more van load - it's pretty frustrating.

I'm almost certainly going to end up taking this former landlord to court at some point in the future so I need whatever we do regarding rent to absolutely on the straight and narrow. Rent needs to be paid in advance, it's usually paid on the 15th. So, if we can't clear out by Friday, is the legally correct thing to do to pay an entire month's rent, and advise the keys will be handed back 15th Dec?

I assume if I do that and we clear out in a fortnight, that's just our tough luck - we're not entitled to any of it back?

The house is not habitable for various reasons but that doesn't really matter, that's a whole other story. What matters most is that I keep my nose absolutely clean, even if I can't live in her house and I've been paying double rent and utilities for almost 5 weeks and have to keep on doing it. No doubt a court would say 'but rent was due for a month, not a fortnight, so you broke the terms of the lease' - right?

Of course, I'd prefer to pay her a week or a fortnight at a time, but I'd rather pay too much and suck it up and know she doesn't have a single thing on me legally than do the wrong thing (pay a week/fortnight at a time) and risk a court case failing.

Google is NOT my friend on this. Please advise if you have direct experience of this or know what the legal precedents are, thank you.

if you are finding it too much to have in the house, direct the removers to a self storage near you, booked for the minimum time, then you and DH can pick the stuff up at leisure

I'd suggest the opposite. Use a removal firm local to your new home AND THEY PICK UP THE KEYS FROM YOU BEFORE THEY TRAVEL.

There's going to be a two-way trip anyway; might as well use the empty leg to carry the keys!

Good luck for getting it all done, OP.

You need to find a way to empty the property, the last date of the tenancy was agreed. I agree with others, paying a removals company is the best bet and I'm sure there will be a way to work around the key issue.

Some self storage places have deals with movers, you arrange storage and you can book Muggins’s-Acme removals to shift the stuff there, and then Muggin’s-Acme can move stuff out to your place at a later time.

Also, Friday is the busiest day for house moves so maybe you can ring round first thing tomorrow morning and see if any movers could squeeze you in asap to moved stuff say Tuesday before they get busy doing packing up on Wednesday and Thursday.

Don't understand why you been doing this when paying once you could have got it all packed and moved? It s not a good money savng given your health needs

Slowly been emptying the old house (5-10 hour round trips + packing, loading, unloading)

But just pay up now for movers to go in pack up move it all then pay cleaners to go in

You can't just decide you're going to stay an extra month

I agree with previous posters, and suggest you try a local firm to you, smaller firms may be more flexible about scope structure, larger firms may have a standard price for e.g. a 3 bed house. Be honest about what you have left to pack, if you have photos that would be ideal.
How are you returning keys? Suggest the movers take photos of the empty rooms, photos of meter readings and post the keys through the letterbox. Contact the landlord to say you are doing this.
And breathe! Get it sorted tomorrow and it will be done by end of the week, and you can put this behind you.

When my tenants moved out in the middle of the month, we agreed on a pro-rata day or weekly rate based on the monthly rent in advance and in writing.

They might have someone else moving in on that day. I know you believe the property to be uninhabitable but since when has that stopped some landlords?

Get the key couriered to a man with a van and have that person pack and collect everything. I did this with my house I am selling this weekend, as I couldn’t make it due to work commitments and exchange is tomorrow. Your lease ends you have to be out you can’t just extend the lease after giving notice. You have no right to be in the property whatever state it’s in.

You can't just decide you aren't leaving after all. You will need to reach an agreement with your landlord. Ask if you can have another 2 weeks and see what they say.

bloody hell i feel for the landlord and those intending to move in

i suspect this LL will be so relieved to have you out of his rental property

I agree - employ packers. Pay with a credit card or borrow money if necessary. Your health is the most important thing, and ending the stress of this. Good luck.

I'm almost certainly going to end up taking this former landlord to court at some point in the future .

well knock me down with a feather. There’s existing poor relations between the two of you

and shit it to the new location asap.

That would take some doing 🤭!

This made me laugh!

It would cost less than a month's rent to pay a man&van to go and collect everything for you and will set you up much better for the impending other court case which you mention. Go on to the local Facebook group (local to the place you are moving away from) and say you have cash waiting. Someone will do it.

Nb you'll also need to pay for an end of tenancy clean.

What everyone else said. Why would you pay rent rather than a removals company?

I would contact a man and van service near you (ideally independent) explain situation and see if he can drive you there, pack for you under your direction and bring you and your stuff home. I did this (though I did pack mostly myself)

This is bonkers — why on earth didn’t you just use a professional firm at the start?

If you have money for double rent you had money for movers. It doesn’t make sense.

Agree with previous comments- honestly movers are used to unusual/ complex/ drama ridden situations and won’t blink an eye at this. They can likely get keys from Landlord or their agent if needed. I’m a landlord and if my tenant asked me to facilitate this I’d be totally fine with it so long as it was left clean and tidy. Or if an issue for tenant to clean I’d just agree with the tenant to arrange the clean myself and deduct from deposit.

Why is the house is not habitable given that you have just moved out?

You need to hire a professional firm to pick up the rest and you negotiate with your landlord so he's there or give them the keys to get in. At best your landlord would want another month's rent from you. The firm I've used can clean a 3 bed house in two hours so with so little it would be minutes.

Also hire a professional cleaner to clean just after the removers have gone. Ask them to take photos just in case you need evidence.

Like everyone else, the first thought was to get in a removal firm and an end of tenancy cleaner. Surely no more expensive than paying rent, even if that were possible. If it’s only a van load, just a smallish van would do.