It happens every day, a tenant who was a single occupant at the start of the tenancy gets a partner and asks them to move in.  Technically, this additional person is not a subletter, instead they are a “Permitted Occupier”.  Lovely for them, of course, but what does that mean for your tenancy agreement? 

Problems can occur when a couple splits up and the original tenant moves out – the Landlord is left with a “Permitted Occupier” who retains their lawful status, even after the original tenant moves out, but they are not legally responsible based on the tenancy agreement.  This can lead to issues of rent arrears and evictions.

Very murky waters indeed!

The lockdowns we have seen in the UK has certainly increased couples’ impetus to move in, perhaps even doing so earlier than they may have considered otherwise.  Conversely,replica uhren lockdown has also incited potential breakups leading to a spike in Permitted Occupier issues for Landlords to face.

So, what can a Landlord do to sort this issue now, and prevent issues like this in the future.

Amend the tenancy agreement: 

Whether you have a current Permitted Occupier issue on the horizon or you have a couple who have just moved in together – you should amend the tenancy agreement to allow the Permitted Occupier.  This makes sure that, should the original tenant leave, the Permitted Occupier becomes the new tenant and is responsible for all terms of the tenancy agreement.

Ensure you have adequate Landlord Insurance

Landlord Insurance is there to help make sure you are protected, as the Landlord.  It can help support you with rent issues and offers you financial protection when things go wrong.  Our expert team can help make sure you have the right support – send us an email to get chatting.