ending your tenancy advice if you are leaving one of our homes

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1 ending your tenancy advice if you are leaving one of our homes Please note that our Plus Dane customer contact telephone numbers refered to throughout this leaflet have now changed to: [free from most UK landline phones] [local rate from a mobile phone]

2 ending your tenancy Before making a final decision to leave your home please give us the opportunity to talk through all the options we can offer. If you are having difficulties with your tenancy, we may be able to help. Call us on and speak with your Neighbourhood Officer. When you end your tenancy you must: Tell us where you are moving to; Make sure anyone living with you leaves on the day your tenancy ends; Leave your home clear of rubbish and furniture; Make good any outstanding repairs for which you, your family or visitors are responsible for; Make good any changes that you made during the tenancy without our consent; Make sure that you do not owe us rent or any other charges; Hand the keys for the property to your nearest office by 12 noon on the Monday after your tenancy ends. When you tell us you are moving out, we will ask your permission to allow us to carry out accompanied viewings with prospective customers during the four week notice period. If you are moving to another home with us, you do not need to give us four weeks notice. We will usually give you the keys to your new home the week before your new tenancy starts. The keys to your home are expected to be back by 12 noon on the Monday your new tenancy starts. This gives you the weekend to move. If you need an extra week in your old home to make moving easier you will have to pay rent for both properties. If you move out within your notice period, you are still responsible for paying the rent and all other obligations of your tenancy agreement until your tenancy formally ends. Giving notice You must give us at least four weeks notice ending on a Sunday to end your tenancy. 2

3 You can give us notice by calling us on or by completing the End of Tenancy Form at the back of this leaflet and returning it to your Neighbourhood Officer or post it using the freepost service. Once you have given us notice, we will visit you to: Confirm when your tenancy will end and how the keys will be returned; Discuss how you will repay any money that you owe us; Identify if any repairs are needed; Check that the decorations, fixtures and fittings are in reasonable condition; Discuss your need to leave the property clean, tidy and free from personal belongings and rubbish. If we identify that you are responsible for any repairs or damage you will be given the opportunity to put things right or for us to complete the works for you and charge you for the cost. If you fail to put right any repairs or damage when your tenancy ends you will be charged for the cost of repair. If you fail to provide us with the keys or do not remove all personal belongings and/or rubbish we will also charge you for this. It is important that if you have changed any of the fixtures or fittings in your home without our consent that you put the original fixtures and fittings back before your tenancy ends. If you do not do this we will charge the cost to you. Hints and tips When you move house, there is a lot to organise, to help your move run smoothly remember the following: Keys You should return all keys to the property to your local office by 12 noon on the Monday after your tenancy ends. To find your nearest office visit our website or call us on If your keys are returned any later we may make arrangements to change the locks, you will be charged for this. Please do not return keys in the post as they could get lost. If you are arranging for someone else to hand the keys in on your 3

4 ending your tenancy behalf, you must make sure they have all the correct information to give to us, this includes telling where you are moving to. Please complete the form at the back of this leaflet and return it with your keys. Safety & security When you leave your home please make sure that you lock all windows and doors. Possessions You must move all your furniture and other belongings out of the property before you leave. This includes removing belongings from your loft and removing floor coverings. We will charge you for the removal and/ or storage of any items that you leave behind. Cleaning You must leave your home and garden in a clean and tidy condition, free of all rubbish. Housing benefit & council tax If you receive housing benefit, it is important that you inform the Local Authority that your tenancy is due to end. If you claim Housing Benefit for your new address before your tenancy ends, you will have to pay rent to us until your tenancy formally ends. Please contact us to discuss payment of rent and claims for your new home so we can give you help and advice to make sure you do not end your tenancy in arrears. Gas & electric Before you leave, contact your gas and /or electricity supplier to have your meters read and tell them you are moving out. Please remember that if you intend to take any of your own gas appliances with you, these must be removed by a Gas Safe registered engineer and the gas supply must be properly capped off. You can contact us and we will be happy to complete this work and charge the cost to you. 4

5 ending your tenancy Frequently asked questions Here are some answers to questions that you may have about ending your tenancy: Q Does everyone who lives here have to move as well? A Yes. As the tenant you are responsible for making sure that no one is left in the property when you leave. Q Can I stay in my home longer than my 4-weeks notice? A If you want to stay in your home after your notice has ended you should discuss this with your Neighbourhood Officer. Sometimes this may not be possible if you home has already been offered to a home seeker. away or if you have damaged the property in anyway. If this happens we will write to you and tell you why you have to pay and what amount you should pay. Q A relative has died and I am the next of kin. How long have I got to clear the property? A We accept that this will be a difficult time for you. We will give you as much information and advice that you need at this time. We normally allow you one week rent free to clear the home however this can sometimes be difficult. If you and your family need longer than this please contact your Neighbourhood Officer who will discuss options with you. You will be charged rent for additional weeks. Q Will I have to pay any money when I leave my property? A Other than the rent and service charges, the only money you will have you pay us, is if you have left things for us to clear 6

6 If you are taking any electrical appliances that are normally connected to the mains, such as an electric cooker, please get a NICEIC-registered or similar qualified electrician to remove them so that all wires are left safe. You can contact us and we will be happy to complete this work and charge the cost to you. To find out who supplies gas and electric to your home, contact Consumer Direct on Telephone, post, TV licence and insurance You should arrange for your post to be redirected and transfer your TV licence to your new address. You can do this at the Post Office. You should also arrange for your phone to be disconnected by contacting your phone company. What happens if the tenant dies? If you are the next of kin of a tenant who has passed away, you must contact us on so your Neighbourhood Officer can advise you what will happen next. A partner or close relative may be able to succeed to the tenancy if they have been living with the tenant for 12 months before the time of the death. For further guidance on succession rights, see our Tenancy Rights Information leaflet. Housing benefit will stop from the Sunday following the death of a tenant. We allow a week free rent following the tenancy end so family and friends can make appropriate arrangements. It is important that you contact us for help in these situations. Other people that you may need to tell you are moving include: Benefits Agency; Your Doctor; Billing Companies (such as catalogues, mobile telephone company); DVLA; Water supplier. 5

7 Customer Feedback We value your views and would like to hear what you think about the service you receive from us. If you wish to make a complaint, compliment or make a suggestion you can do so by contacting us on alternatively see our Customer Feedback leaflet. 7

8 I confirm that I am giving notice to terminate the tenancy of: Address: end of tenancy form The tenancy is in the name of: Name of tenant(s): My tenancy will end on Sunday DETACH HERE I will leave my home clean and clear from all personal belongings and rubbish. I will make sure everyone who lives with me leaves the property when my tenancy ends. I will return the keys by 12pm on the Monday after my tenancy ends. I am aware that the rent and any charges are payable until the tenancy ends and that if the keys are not handed in on the day the tenancy ends, the locks will be changed and I will be charged the reasonable costs of the lock change. I give permission for any furniture and / or contents that remain in the property after handing over the keys to plus dane will be removed. I understand that I will be charged reasonable costs for the removal and disposal of items left behind. Forwarding/contact Address: Contact number We need your contact details so that we can arrange to visit you to inspect your home before your tenancy ends.

9 MOISTEN & SEAL Who owns the property you are moving to? Bought own home Another Housing Association Private landlord Local Authority Living with family / friends Nursing Home Tenancy ending on death of the tenant Other Please state MOISTEN & SEAL To help the incoming tenant, please tell us the name of the company who provides each of the following services to your home: Gas Pre-paid meter Billed Meter Electric Pre-paid meter Billed Meter Telephone Tenant 1 Name: Signed: Tenant 2 Name: Signed: Date: MOISTEN & SEAL

10 BUSINESS REPLY SERVICE Licence No. NWW Plus Dane Group Shepherds Mill Worrall Street Congleton Cheshire CW12 1YR 2

11 Translations available on request Other languages, Braille, audio format & large print available on request Plus Dane Group Shepherds Mill Worrall Street Congleton CW12 1DT 4.2 C Produced by Plus Dane Group communications team July 2012