adding new tenant

[mylifestory]

I rent a house to professional friends and one is leaving, they have found a new person to move in so .....

I am slightly wary as I have asked him for a small-ish deposit to secure it and he does not have this. The property is also available from 8th July but his current tenancy runs out on 29th July so would like some leeway with the rent. I understand this is all subject to me but I was wondering what everyone else's views were on this. He has previously rented from an agency who must have referenced him before and who I have just asked for a reference as well as his current employer.

Any views appreciated!

[jpkeates]

You can't swap people in a tenancy.
It's theoretically possible and some agents do it, but it's almost impossible to get right and no one should do it.

The tenancy with the original people ends.
The deposit is returned, any damage needs to be resolved, just like a normal end of contract.

And a new tenancy begins with the new tenants, a new deposit etc.
Which means that all the normal pre-tenancy references need to be done again for all of the tenants.

No deposit and needing leeway for the rent are huge red flags for someone who is meant to be a "professional".
But if you take the approach that its a new tenancy, the rent and deposit are an issue for the "friends" to resolve.