I’m trying to get my head around what we might need to do re our tenants - they are a couple who have split up, and one party has asked to end the tenancy.
It is our understanding that therefore they have given notice and we have written to them confirming this. There is a one month rolling notice period so we have given the date of leaving as just over a month (taking into account the date the tenancy was signed).
However, the other party is saying they want to stay. They would need a flat mate to afford the rent, and as it is only a one bed flat we are not happy with this. We have said they can reapply when we offer the flat for rent again, but any tenancy would be a new one and subject to checks/guarantors etc (it is likely that they would not be successful in a new application given they couldn’t afford the flat without a flat mate and I don’t think have a guarantor).
My question is whether or not it would be prudent to issue a section 21 notice now (if possible) or would that confuse things - as it gives a 2 month period to leave and the date the tenancy is due to end is sooner than this?
I hope it doesn’t get to having to go to court, but if they do refuse to move by the end of the tenancy we don’t really want to have to wait another 2 whole months if we only issue the section 21 then.
Any advice would be very welcome - we’ve had 15 years of no tenancy issues, so I appreciate we have been lucky!