I moved into a flat with my partner last January. We initially signed a 6 month contract, and when that was up we signed a 12 month contract. This lease ends on 14th July 2012 and there is no break clause.
My partner and I have split up, and as I am employed and he is currently not, I have stayed in the flat. We are joint and severally liable for the rent, but I am happy to pay the full amount myself until the end of the tenancy and have transferred all bills and direct debits to my name.
We had an understanding that he would pick up his furniture and belongings last Friday while I was at work, and leave his keys behind when he was done. He did not leave the keys and is refusing to return them as he has a legal right to them, which I understand is true. He has tried to blackmail me for £500 to get them back, on the basis that £500 of his money is stil in the tenancy deposit scheme, but I'm not going to pay him £500 for a key he could have 100 copies of by now.
My problem is that based on his behaviour since we broke up, I am not comfortable with him having access to the property. He has taken furniture which we agreed I would keep, so I believe he would have no qualms about letting himself in to take other items belonging to me which he thinks he has a right to. I am also aware that he has been spending a lot of time drinking and getting into fights since we broke up and have no reason to assume he wouldn't turn up drunk and violent on my doorstep. My biggest concern, however, is that as I am employed and he isn't, he could let himself in while I'm at work and lock me out of the house - and as he's unemployed, he could keep me out for days.
I understand that legally, I'm not in a very strong position. I have had a discussion with the letting agent, but he was very unhelpful and frankly quite rude and gave me no options at all. I am currently trying to contact my landlord.
What I want to know is, does my landlord have the right to end the tenancy early, or take my ex's name off the lease? Can he change the locks without giving a key to one tenant? If not, is putting a lock on my internal bedroom door a possibility, to at least keep him from having access to my personal belongings?
Any help would be very much appreciated as I currently feel unsafe in my own home but can't afford to be anywhere else while this tenancy is ongoing.
My partner and I have split up, and as I am employed and he is currently not, I have stayed in the flat. We are joint and severally liable for the rent, but I am happy to pay the full amount myself until the end of the tenancy and have transferred all bills and direct debits to my name.
We had an understanding that he would pick up his furniture and belongings last Friday while I was at work, and leave his keys behind when he was done. He did not leave the keys and is refusing to return them as he has a legal right to them, which I understand is true. He has tried to blackmail me for £500 to get them back, on the basis that £500 of his money is stil in the tenancy deposit scheme, but I'm not going to pay him £500 for a key he could have 100 copies of by now.
My problem is that based on his behaviour since we broke up, I am not comfortable with him having access to the property. He has taken furniture which we agreed I would keep, so I believe he would have no qualms about letting himself in to take other items belonging to me which he thinks he has a right to. I am also aware that he has been spending a lot of time drinking and getting into fights since we broke up and have no reason to assume he wouldn't turn up drunk and violent on my doorstep. My biggest concern, however, is that as I am employed and he isn't, he could let himself in while I'm at work and lock me out of the house - and as he's unemployed, he could keep me out for days.
I understand that legally, I'm not in a very strong position. I have had a discussion with the letting agent, but he was very unhelpful and frankly quite rude and gave me no options at all. I am currently trying to contact my landlord.
What I want to know is, does my landlord have the right to end the tenancy early, or take my ex's name off the lease? Can he change the locks without giving a key to one tenant? If not, is putting a lock on my internal bedroom door a possibility, to at least keep him from having access to my personal belongings?
Any help would be very much appreciated as I currently feel unsafe in my own home but can't afford to be anywhere else while this tenancy is ongoing.
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