What happens if you want to leave your tenancy?

Life is never straightforward. Situations can and do change, and every year we see a number of students who find that things have changed for them – commonly due to leaving university, deferring, or relocating. If you’ve signed a tenancy agreement and are now looking to withdraw, it’s important to understand the legal position and the options available to you.

This guide explains how things work both before your tenancy starts and after it has begun, particularly in shared student houses.

If you’ve signed the tenancy agreement but it hasn’t started yet

Once a tenancy agreement is signed by all parties, it becomes legally binding, even if:

• You haven’t moved in yet
• You haven’t paid your deposit
• The tenancy start date is still months away

There is no automatic right to cancel the agreement before it begins.

What are your options?

a) Find a replacement tenant (most common solution)
Most agreements allow you to be released if:

• You find a suitable replacement tenant
• The landlord approves them (referencing, etc.)

Until a replacement is secured:

• You remain liable for rent
• You may be responsible for reasonable re-letting costs

b) Agreement from all parties
Because student tenancies are usually joint tenancies, any change affects the whole group. That means:

• The landlord must agree
• The other tenants must also agree to the replacement

Without this, the contract continues as originally agreed.

If the tenancy has already started

From 1 May 2026, under the Renters’ Rights Act, most tenancies will become periodic from the outset (rather than fixed-term in the traditional sense). This means that your tenancy rolls over month to month.

Can I give notice to terminate the lease?

Yes — once the tenancy has started, a tenant can serve notice (typically 2 months’ notice).

However, there are two important points to understand:

1) Notice must align with the rent period
Your notice must run in line with the tenancy’s rent period, which is usually determined by when rent is due (for most student tenancies, this is the 1st of each month).

This means your notice cannot end on just any date — it must expire at the end of a rental period.

Example:
If your tenancy starts on 15 August, but rent is due on the 1st of each month, your rental periods will run:

• 1st September – 30th September
• 1st October – 31st October
  (and so on)

If you serve notice on, say, 10 October, your 2 months’ notice would run:

• From 1st November
• To 31st December

So the tenancy would end on 31st December, not 10 December.

2) It affects everyone in a joint tenancy

In a joint tenancy, notice from one tenant ends the tenancy for everyone.

This means:

• The entire tenancy ends for all occupants
• All tenants would need to vacate (unless a new agreement is arranged)

Our recommended approach

If your circumstances change, the best route is:

1. Contact us as early as possible
2. Speak to your housemates so everyone is aligned
3. Start looking for a replacement tenant immediately
4. Let us assist with:
   • Advertising the room
   • Referencing applicants
   • Managing the transition

The earlier this process starts, the easier it is to resolve.

Key takeaway

• Signing a tenancy = legal commitment
• You can’t simply “cancel” before it starts
• Replacement tenants are the main solution
• Notice (after start) affects the whole household

If you decide you want to give notice to terminate your lease once it has started, please complete this short form with the details of your termination.