It is crucial to know that the content of the lease agreement is for your benefit if you are a landlord or tenant. Make sure you have a clear understanding of a break clause and its application.
For instance, if a break clause is attached to your lease agreement, it means the landlord or the tenant has the right to bring the lease agreement to an end in the early stage. This approach of break clauses is used by tenants who want to bargain for a more beneficial lease term agreement to have a fair advantage over some property owners who wish to preserve their source of income judiciously.
The Letting Market
Landlords have been feeling worried ever since the focus has been on assisting more individuals to purchase their homes; this has brought about a decrease in demand for letting of houses. As the pangs of economic challenges bit harder, more tenants are utilizing the features of the break clause. According to some provisional break clauses, the tenant must have met specific conditions as at the break date, and litigation process will start.
Serving The Notice
There are various types of break clauses, and some of them dictate how the notice must be issued. It may even foist certain conditions on the technique to be utilized while it is being served. It is crucial to note that failure to follow the rules stated in the terms will make the notice invalid. The notice cannot be withdrawn once it has been issued.
If you are a tenant, make sure you do your research by checking the information of the parties in the lease agreement with the Land Registry and Companies House. It is also vital to take a careful look at the details of the lease agreement before signing it. You must make sure if the service provisions of the agreement are compulsory. If you are not sure of the requirements, you can exploit several techniques to issue the notice to the property owner and the agents to protect yourself. Ensure you acquire proof of service of the notice for record purposes.
Landlords are also advised to maintain close relationship with their tenants to forestall an event where a notice will be issued to them, as this will make them have a fair advantage, as well as give them the opportunity to discuss new terms of agreement before it gets too late and prior to the time the renter is no longer staying in the house.
When To Serve The Notice
Several factors will determine the application of the break notice. A break notice can be invoked when a specific time has passed, or there are some particular dates it can be done. This clause should be made clear in the lease agreement and the terms of the notice period should be explicit and clear to the tenants. Occupants of the property should keep a record of the dates in the clause and reconsider their options at least twelve months before the notice period begins.
Try to seek an audience with the audience with the landlord if you are not sure of the dates of the break clause; this will enable you to agree on a date. Do not wait until the last minute before making a move as you can serve several notices if there is a need to do so. Moreover, if your landlord is a company based abroad, you will need to give them more time.
Maintaining an excellent relationship with the occupant of your property as a landlord will offer you an idea if your tenant will take advantage of the break clause if you attempt to increase the rent. This relationship will enable you to decide if it is the best time to raise the price. As a landlord, when you are about to increase the rent, you may have to check for any time limits in the rent review clause that you may need to oblige to if the break date is associated with the review date.
Conditions
Terms of a break clause are found in the tenant’s break clause and can entail essential details like full payment of the rent under the lease agreement. Several litigation cases have been recorded on types of cases such as these, as it should be made clear from the beginning if the tenant is obliged to make payment if the break date falls within quarter days.
It is also essential for all occupants to find out if the lease agreement involves principle rent or have other fees such as interest or value-added tax. Make sure you know your payment history and in the case of late payments, ensure you pay the interest accrued on the late reimbursements. Tenants are advised to receive verification from their landlords that their fees are complete as these facts could be challenged after the break date in the absence of a verified proof. During the negotiation of your lease, make sure your landlord refund payment for the time after the break dates. Landlords should not create a completion statement unless it is stipulated in the lease agreement.
Vacant Possession
The term “vacant possession” does not mean unoccupied in the real sense, it says the personal effects of the tenants have been removed, the keys have been returned, and no occupant is there on the break date. Tenants should make sure they are not using the property during that period or preventing the landlord from using the property. Occupants should be informed of any repair works that must be executed for them to leave the premises and the landlord must also confirm about the kind of work they want to do on the property. Landlords should make sure that the tenant is issued a notice to restore modifications.
Tenants Covenants
The covenants stipulate that the occupant should comply with their rules, especially when the condition of the house is discussed. It is important for tenants to complete a compliance audit with a surveyor that will inform the landlord of any violations of the lease covenants as this will offer you as the property owner to do the needful by repairing it. The landlord is obliged to provide you with a schedule for any repair jobs, and this should be concluded before the break date.
Settlement
A financial settlement may be required ahead of the break date to pay for the repair work and save the tenant from break pre-conditions. It offers certainty that the lease will end on the break date and both parties have to negotiate the repair settlements. It is vital to start the process of settlement early as it will make the last stages of a break more comfortable for the landlord and the tenant.
As most individuals view a break clause as negative, making it explicit and in clear terms will inform all parties involved about their responsibilities and this knowledge will make the process a pretty straightforward one.