Do I have to pay my rent arrears before I can move out?

Question

I'm looking to moving into a new house pretty soon, unfortunatley I have some rent arrears where I'm living at the moment and although I'm paying them off bit by bit as I can't afford them, they aren't really going down!

Can I move out when I have rent arrears and continue to pay off the outstanding balance or will I be tied to the house until all the arrears are repaid?

Answer 1

You can move out just make sure you give notice and of course you will still have to pay off the balace

Answer 2

you can, you landlord however can go to court to recover the money, altough it is unlikely unless value is very high , as it can cost up to £ 4000 just to take you to court. so maybe write to him telling you are going out of the house but explain you have intention of paying the amount even if in small amounts.

i'm sure your landlord is happy to see you go if you are not happy paying so it shouldn't be a problem.

other way is just get out, let it get to a collection agency and negociate with them some sort of payment

good luck

Answer 3

go and move..

they may sue........go to a collection company, or just put a mark on your credit record. After that you can make some kind of payment arrangement through the courts.

in some countries such as "switzerland" where they have a "housing list".. it will stay with you and put your at the bottom of the "housing list"..rather than at the top..

Answer 4

Do you have a lease?

You have to give notice anyway--TALK to LL

If you don't pay your arrears before moving out, the LL may sue you for the arrears, plus any penalty and interest

On the other hand, the LL may be glad to be rid of a tenant who isn't current

How could your own father do this to you?  And why didn't you get some one else in to help pay rent?

It may make it harder to get a new place if new LL checks with old LL

Answer 5

you should be able to continue to make payments after you leave - but owing a landlord money will make it very hard to get another place.

Answer 6

As long as you're tenancy agreement has finished, then there is no reason why you can't move out of the property, regardless of whether you or not your in arrears with your rent. Just check your tenancy agreement to make sure you don't have to give any minimum notice period.

Obviously, you will still need to pay off the arrears, otherwise the landlord can take you to civil court to try and recover his loses, the success of which would depend on what documentation he has kept, etc.

Answer 7

If you don't pay the arrears, 2 things may happen.  The landlord may report your non-payment to the credit bureaus.  But he may not bother to do this.

The landlord may get a court judgement against you for the arrears.  That notifies the world that you owe him money.  When the car dealerships advertise ZERO percent interest on a new car, you will pay 22% interest because you have a judgement.

But neither affects your ability to move into your new house. Go ahead and move.