Landlord wants to negotiate ending the tenancy early

[C1606]

I live in a student house with 4 other tenants on an assured shorthold tenancy. Our tenancy is a 12 month contract that ends on the 31st of July 2018, the landlord wants to extend the property into the roof to make a 6 bedroom house and has asked if we would be open to moving out earlier.

For me personally this is going to mean a loss of earnings as I usually stay in my university town over summer and work to earn money to cover me for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, my other housemates don't have this issue so they are more than happy to move out early.

The director of our letting agent is coming round next week to discuss the offer further, what questions should I ask him? and are we entitled to any compensation due to the landlord breaking the agreement early?

[jpkeates]

The landlord can't end the tenancy early without your agreement, so you can agree whatever terms are acceptable to you.

Joint and Several tenants are legally one tenant (a single legal person), and while the agreement is in place, none of you can act unilaterally in relation to it.

If you are joint and several tenants your agreement will have to be unanimous.
A majority can't impose a solution on a minority.

[sam_cat]

You hold most of the cards in this negotiation.. LL wants you out, you dont have to go until forced. Assuming the 12 month contract is an AST it will then become a periodic tenancy, so you dont have to move out after 12 months and LL would have to issue a S21 then apply to the courts to get you removed....

Talk to housemates, see how they feel and make sure they all know that (collectively) you are in a strong position. See what is offered but agree to nothing, discuss it and go from there.

[jpkeates]

If the landlord or agent are engaged in student rentals they may have a space in another property available.

[C1606]

I think this landlord is quite desperate due to the fact that as far as I know, new tenants have been lined up for next year. I presume the start date is somewhere in September so that would mean the landlord only has ~4-5 weeks max to complete the works, which involve fitting a new bathroom, bedroom and set of stairs.

Since he's under considerable time pressure and essentially needs us to move out early what do you think I could reasonably negotiate? Could the landlord be convinced to give us an amount of money to move out of the property early.

The agent and landlord have been incredibly rude throughout the tenancy (To give you 2 examples, they didn't contact us before repainting the windows, I only found out because a builder appeared on a ladder outside my bedroom window! I also found a letting agent taking pictures in my living room after sneaking into the house without knocking!) So any money I can squeeze out of these people would make me very happy.

[jpkeates]

As you don't have to agree to move out early, it's up to you to agree or not agree what you want.

On the other hand, the landlord could arrange for the work could begin while you're there.

[AndrewDod]

As above, you hold the cards, but you actually hold cards over your other three flatmates as well.

a) your mates would each benefit a little from early termination and you would lose out.
b) it cannot be ended (assuming it is a joint tenancy) unless you all agree.
c) You mates might gain more than you lose out so they may positively benefit from the plan, and may be willing to pay you a little each in order that you agree. So might the landlord. It is all a matter of negotiation.
d) Your mates might hate you if you scupper the offer.