Landlord must carry out their obligations until a tenancy formally ends
Quinn* had issued a Notice to Quit, which had expired. The tenants then stated that they needed a further two months to find another property. That duration had also passed, and the tenants were still living in the property.
The challenge
The tenants have now told Quinn that a kitchen tap requires a minor repair. Does he still have to carry out repairs even after an NTQ has expired?
Our advice
- The landlord must continue to comply with his duties until the tenancy ends. This includes carrying out repairs.
- The tenancy will not end until the tenants have moved out of the property.
- The landlord must follow due process to end the tenancy. After the expiry of the NTQ, the landlord must contact a solicitor to initiate the court process to regain possession of the property.
- The landlord may also consider a referral to our Housing Mediation service to try to reach an agreement about any of the matters discussed with the tenant. This may be an alternative to going to court.
*Name has been changed to protect privacy