Moving out of rented accommodation early  

Do you want to terminate your tenancy without having to observe the notice period? We have put together some tips that will help:

• You need to find someone who is willing to take over your rental agreement on the same terms. 
  
• This person must be acceptable. For example, they must not use the property beyond its intended purpose, and they must consider the personalities and lifestyle habits of the other tenants. The landlord is not permitted to impose any strict requirements in this respect. 
  
• The person must be solvent, i.e. their salary must be about three times the rent. They must also be able to prove a clean credit history with an extract from the debt collection register. 
  
• Bear in mind that the landlord can take up to 20 days to review the submitted dossier for the new tenant and to inform you of their decision.  
• Agree with the new tenant, in writing, when they will take over the property. 
  

Use our template letter to notify the landlord that you are moving out of the property early. 

Obstacles 

In the best-case scenario, your proposed replacement tenant will be contacted quickly by the management company and will sign the agreement. This will then release you from the contract. However, it may be the case that a potential replacement tenant is no longer interested in taking over your tenancy. They may have found another property that they prefer. In this case, you will not be released from your contract and will have to put forward a new candidate as your replacement tenant. It is therefore advisable to suggest several candidates as new tenants. 

Your potential replacement tenant can also withdraw their interest because the landlord waited too long to contact them (more than 20 days) or because the landlord wants to change the terms of the tenancy or carry out major renovation work. In this case, you can use our sample template letter to inform your landlord in writing that you are still released from your contract, as you have met all of the necessary conditions. 

Ending a tenancy agreement early: Important tip 

Some landlords will charge an early termination fee at the end of the contract. Good to know: Such fees are illegal. You can use this template letter to dispute the charges.