UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi All,

First time poster and thank you in advance for the support. I rent my house through an estate agents who found a tenant for my house about 8 months ago. The tenancy was supposed to be for 12 months but the letting agents accidentally gave a 6 month tenancy contract which the tennants and estate agents signed.

The tennants have now served notice on the property. Stating the agreement they signed was for 6 months and not the 12 months that was verbally agreed.

Legally where do they/I stand on this? They've told the tennants that the agreement was 12 months and it was just an admin error and they're expecting them to honour the contract but the tennants aren't playing ball and served the 4 weeks notice and are moving out next week.


Thanks for your help.

That sounds great to me. I never ever offered a 12 month tenancy, it's a terrible option for a landlord and won't be legal in a few months anyway.
You've had a decent rent paying tenant and can now see if you can try and find another one.

Legally, the written tenancy agreement supersedes any previous verbal agreement, because you (or your agent) created the contract that the tenant agreed.

I agree with what jpkeates says.



Will your agent be charging a you a new tenant finding fee?

If so, I'd get them to waive this in compensation for their inexcusable 'admin error'. Doing the tenancy admin right is what you pay them for.

If you don't want to go for the tenant finding fee, then get them to refund, say, 3 months management fee.

If they don't agree to compensation, then inform them that you will be finding new agents.


Do it all in writing. Be clear, assertive, and write without emotion.

<--- See signature.

Quote from: ffc1992 on February 15, 2025, 01:30:26 PMStating the agreement they signed was for 6 months...

It was.

All parties can attest to that, it's right there.