UK Landlord Forum / Life

Tenant wants to leave property to go back to his country for a few months

Hi Folks

I have a foreign student and his partner who started living in my property in September.  He is a student at the local university and is repeating his first year, for which he attended a different university in a different part of the country.

I made all the necessary checks before admitting him as a tenant and everything was going fine until last week.  He said that his previous university had not transferred the fees to his present university and the present university in unwilling to take him on, and his visa is going to be cancelled.  He said they have agreed to take him on as a student from September 2014.  As a result of this, he is now saying that he will be going back to his country (Saudi Arabia)  but will be returning to the UK in summer next year.  He also said he will leave some of his belonging in the property and that he has a cousin in the UK who will make sure I get the usual rent in full every month, until he returns in the summer next year.

I have never come across this situation and was wondering if any of you have?  What things would I need to clarify with him before he and his partner leave the country?

Finally, I do have a short term 12 month tenancy agreement with him.  Do you think it is just best to terminate the agreement and let the property out to someone else?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

In my experience when you come across a tenancy situation that seems unusual then it rarely ends well. Either ask for the rent in advance or serve him with notice to leave assuming you have a break clause in the contract. Please remember to check his visa as the government in their wisdom have now made all landlords and agents UK border agents!

Thanks David