If you wish to move from your property you will need to fill in a notice to terminate form. Your tenancy agreement is a legal contract and in order to end your tenancy you must:
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Give four weeks notice by filling in the notice to terminate form
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Ensure the proprty is clean and tidy, and fit to re-let to another customer
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Pay any outstanding rent
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Ensure the keys are handed into your local Neighbourhood Housing Office in person
Please note that we will not hold you to four weeks notice if the tenant is deceased or has gone into a nursing home or hospital. Please see over for special circumstances.
How do I do this?
You can request a notice to terminate form either in person, over the phone, post or by email. Once you have received this form you should complete it immediately and return it to your Neighbourhood Housing Office. Only once we have received your completed notice to terminate form will the four weeks notice period commence. So, for example, if you hand your notice in on a Wednesday the four weeks would commence from the following Monday. When returning a completed notice to terminate form by person you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire with the Customer Service Officer assisting you. If you request a notice to terminate form by post, email or phone we will ask you to fill in the questionnaire and return it with your completed notice to terminate form. We will ask you the reason(s) why your are leaving and, if we can, we will help you to stay in your current property.
What happens next?
Once you have handed in your completed notice to terminate form you must allow West North West homes Leeds access to your property to carry out a pre-tenancy termination visit. This is to ensure the property has been well maintained and identify damage or neglect which will be recharged to you. We will also advise you about your rent account and answer any questions you may have.
What do I need to do?
Pay your outstanding rent
Your rent account must be cleared before your tenancy ends. To pay any outstanding arrears you can:
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pay over the phone with a debit or credit card using our automated service on 0113 395 7100
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make a payment on our website – see the rent payment section
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pay at any Post Office or outlet where you see the Paypoint sign.
If this is not possible you must contact the Customer Accounts Team immediately on 0800 915 1113 to discuss this matter and make an arrangement to pay your outstanding arrears.
Leaving the property
When you leave your property you must ensure that everything, including the garden and any outbuildings are clean, tidy and in a good condition. You must remove all of your possessions, animals, rubbish and private papers. You must repair any damage to your home before you hand your keys in. West North West homes Leeds will not be responsible for anything you leave in the property and you will be recharged if:
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we have to remove anything
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we have to repair or replace anything which has been damaged or is missing
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we have to clean the property
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we have to clear/tidy the garden.
If you leave any belongings in your property or caused any damage which has not been corrected before you leave your property you will be recharged.
Recharges will be proportionate to the amount it costs pay our contractor to either, repair the damage or to clear out the property.
These costs are only approximate and may vary depending on the type of repair or work to be carried out.
Waste collection and recycling
If you need to have large items of furniture or large amounts of rubbish (a maximum of 10 black bags) collected from your property you should phone Leeds City Council’s Environmental Contact Centre on 0113 222 4406. Alternatively, you can take your waste to your local household sorting site or use your local ‘bring’ site where the range of recycling facilities are greater. Bring sites are available to use 24 hours a day seven days a week and accept extra materials that you can’t put in your green recycling bin. To find your nearest recycling ‘bring’ site visit locateit.leeds.gov.uk or contact Leeds City Council’s Environmental Contact Centre on 0113 222 4406. Unwanted furniture that could be re-used can often be taken by local charities. These companies can include:
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Emmaus Leeds - St Mary’s Street, LS9 7DP Tel: 0113 248 4288
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Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store - 46 Burley Street, LS3 1LB Tel: 0113 273 9727
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St Jude's Furniture Store - Marshall Street, Holbeck, LS11 9EH Tel: 0113 245 0800
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Salvation Army Furniture Project - Unit 4, Penraevon Industrial Estate, LS7 2AW Tel: 0113 239 2229
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Scrap Creative Reuse Project and Place Mills - Kirkstall Road, LS3 1JL Tel: 0113 244 1576
When and where should I hand my keys in?
You must return all keys, including key fobs and multi-lock keys, in person to your Neighbourhood Housing Office. You shouldn’t post your keys through your Neighbourhood Housing Office letter box, you should hand them in in person to enable us to issue you with a receipt as proof and so the tenancy can be formally ended. You must hand all keys in before 12 noon on the date that your notice expires. If keys are received after this time you will be charged rent for the rest of that week. Handing in your keys without giving the required notice period or returning keys before the four week notice period has ended will not end the tenancy any earlier. Therefore you will be charged rent for the four week notice period until the notice to terminate ceases. You will be responsible for any keys that are lost and you do not have a receipt that accounts for them.
Special circumstances
What do I do if a relative or friend has gone into a nursing or residential home or hospital or has died?
You must notify your friend’s or relative’s local Neighbourhood Housing Office by letter, telephone, or by person of the date it was decided the tenant would not be retuning to their property because they are in a nursing or residential home or hospital, or have died, so the tenancy can be terminated. Following this you will be given or sent a third party notice to terminate form to complete and return as soon as possible. The form will ask for your name, address, relationship to the tenant, address of the property you are requesting to terminate and next of kin details. It is important that this form is completed fully so the tenancy can be dealt with correctly. When a friend or relative dies you will need to provide us with the date they died, especially if they were in receipt of housing benefit. This is because the customer will no longer be eligible for housing benefit. You will also need to provide a copy of the death certificate. If you fail to provide a death certificate you will be held to a normal four week notice period. The tenancy will terminate once the keys to the property have been handed into the Neighbourhood Housing Office depending on whether a death certificate has been provided. If the keys are received after 12 noon on a Monday morning, the rent will be charged for the rest of that week.
What happens if I go to prison?
If you are in prison (either on remand or serving a prison sentence) you must ensure that you inform West North West homes Leeds immediately. Please contact your local Neighbourhood Housing Office or you can ask your probation officer or representative to contact us on your behalf. It may be in your best interest for you to end your tenancy, especially if you are likely to be away from home for more than 13 weeks. If you are in receipt of housing benefit, this will stop depending on how long you will be away and you will be responsible for paying the full rent.
What happens if I abandon my property?
If you move out of the property without giving prior notice, you will be charged the full rent from when you left until we find out you have gone, plus the four weeks in lieu of notice. If a “Notice to Quit” is served on the property because it appears that you have moved out without notifying us, the full rent will be charged for the four weeks up to the tenancy ending. West North West homes Leeds will not be responsible for any goods left in the property and all items will be disposed of. Other important information:
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Any outstanding rent or former tenants arrears will be recovered from you.
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If you are considering leaving your property because you are having problems, please discuss this with your local Neighbourhood Housing Office. We may be able to help and prevent you having to move home.
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During your four week notice period your property may be advertised in the Choice Based Lettings magazine, Leeds Homes. If you experience any issues regarding people wanting to view your property before you have left please contact us straight away on 0800 915 1113.
Steps to terminate your tenancy
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Request notice to terminate form
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Complete and hand in notice form to your local Neighbourhood Housing Office
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Your property will commence its 4 week notice period from the date the office receive your form
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Your Neighbourhood Management Officer will carry out a pre tenancy termination visit
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Notify utility companies of your pending move. You should also refer to the checklist of who you might need to contact
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Start to pack your belongings up. Make arrangements with your removal company or van hire
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Dispose of unwanted belongings by phoning Leeds City Council’s Environmental Contact Centre on 0113 222 4406 or donate your unwanted furniture to charity
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One week before you move you should redirect mail to your new address or a reliable address where you can pick up your post
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Ensure any out-buildings and garden are clear of any belongings and rubbish
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Ensure the property is clear of any belongings, and is clean and tidy
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Take final meter readings and submit to your utility company
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Turn off your stop tap and ensure that any windows or doors are locked securely
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Ensure your rent account is clear and all outstanding rent is paid
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Return your keys to your Local Neighbourhood Housing Office in person to ensure you receive a receipt as proof of your keys being handed in