Hi all
I have a one year AST Contract with my landlord which has a break clause “Break clause at 6 months which requires a months notice in advance “ . Can someone please tell me what it means ?
I have completed 8 months in the house and due to covid I don’t want to stay there anymore , so I gave my one months notice to move out but my landlord says that I’m still in the one year contract because I didn’t action the 6 months break clause
In my ignorence, as it occured to me some months ago that this is an ambiquious phrase, I can only offer my view based on what I believe it really means having watched many interactions on this forum: you can give notice that you intend to leave on a specified date, the earliest leaving date being six months from the start of the tenancy, so breaking your initial committment to paying for the full term, without actually having to pay for the period after the date that you specified. For example, if you decide to leave on the last day of the 9th month, you are no longer committed to pay for the 10th, 11th and 12th month.
As the break clause states you only need to give one months notice - double check it does say this as part of that clause - then if you want to leave on the last day of the 9th month, then you need to give that notice before the last day of the 8th month.
Also check in that clause and elsewhere how you are to deliver the notice to leave: it may require a letter, may or may not be a registered letter, or it could be just by email.
I hope this clarifies what it means. I am sure others will agree or correct me in the next response that you get.