UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all,
When we started to let our property 30 months ago, I came here to read and to learn how to do it correctly and the information was invaluable.  We then rented to the best tenants we could find and have had no issues whatsoever, and we have a very good relationship (we sorted the boiler problems quickly when that happened, he tells us when things are wrong immediately before it all gets so bad that it would cost a lot of money to mend, he even tells us when the neighbour did try encroach on the property! etc....). The tenant is so good that he has just told us last week verbally that he is moving out in August as his new job and life are out the country, so we have had plenty of warning, way more than was necessary in the contract but...
I have tried to find info on the correct orderly procedure (for him and for us) for the end of tenancy but could not find anything. Could you pin point me in the right direction?

What I am after is what written trace we need to have to do everything by the book? 
Water board, electrics/gas/ council tax?
Do we need to reply in writing to any letter of his specifying date of departure? Does he need to write a letter or that could be an email?
Do we need to ask him for his new ongoing address?
Do we need to have that horrible crazy woman that did the inventory or can we chose someone else, we really don't want to employ her again! (or even do the inventory ourselves, what a waste of money that was....)
The online agency we used at the time for the tenant find and the drafting of the tenancy agreement wrote in the contract that one month notice was what was needed. In the new contract can I request 2 months? I was thinking to only use an online agency for the tenant find this time round and just use the same contract....
It will take more than one month to find new tenants and ideally we do not want gaps, can I ask that prospective tenants are shown round (by us) before that or that can't be done? Basically how do you do it??

I have so many questions that if you know of any publication here or anywhere I would happily be directed to that! I am sure there are things I even have not considered yet....

Thanks for your help. This blog has been a fantastic resource.

Relax, both parties are adults.  Regardless of what a contract says you can come to any arrangement you want.  If he asked to go tomorrow and you agreed that would be fine.  Email is fine if you accept that for notices.  You can do the check out yourself and take final meter readings.  He should let the utilities know, but belt and braces you do the same.  Likewise with the council tax.

You can ask for a forwarding address for mail etc if you wish.

Thanks. Bit nervous... you got that!