Oh my god-moving house on a week and a half's notice-what do I need to get done?

[Pawslikepaddington]

Am in a house that is too expensive for us to manage, and have been offered the perfect house today, but need to be in by the 1st October. Both are rented-what do I need to do to the old/new one? Is it worth buying a carpet cleaner as both houses need it doing v badly. God I'm petrified! Also, can the landlord of the house (big company, not an individual) we are leaving be picky about who moves in? Obviously they need to be credit worthy, but are they allowed to hold out for the "right" tenant? We have to pay rent on it until it is re-rented, but are paid up to the 1st November.

Look at your contract and see when you are allowed to give notice. Most assured tenancies are for a six month term and so you could be obliged to pay for the full term meaning the landlord doesn't have to look for anyone until that comes to an end. Most of them won't because obviously it is better to have a house occupied than empty but they can obviously bide their time should they wish if this is the sort of contract you have. If your tenancy expires on 1 November then it's fine.

It's a fixed 12 month contract that ran out on the 22nd September 2008, and then you can extend it until the 22nd September 2009, but it says you must pay rent until that date or until they can get another tenant in. Am really worried about that now xx

On any contract over 6 months you can legally give 2 months notice and not have to pay beyond that.

Yes yes yes yes YES!!! I have been totally freaking out about this Can'tsleep-I was you last night! Thank you so much-shelter have said 40 days too, and as it is for financial reasons it seems stupid them trying to make me pay for another year (they are aware it is for financial reasons, and have been for some months, although I haven't missed any rent payments etc).

Why do you have to pay rent until it's re-let? Did you extend beyond 22nd September? In any case, you would need to give a maximum of 2 months' notice, then you're free of it. Otherwise, what's the landlord's incentive to get a new tenant if you're covering the rent?

Thanks clam. They asked me to renew back in August, or I would have to find somewhere else to live, and we were not in the running for the cheapo house then because we didn't serve the right criteria so I renewed, but then we got the cheapo house before the tenancy ran out completely out of the blue, as we were deemed to need it financially-it's complicated isn't it!