Ending a council tenancy

How to end a council tenancy, what you need to do before the tenancy ends, and how to end a tenancy on someone else’s behalf.

Named tenants are responsible for paying rent at their property until their tenancy is officially terminated.

When you want to end your tenancy you will need to let us know in writing at least four weeks in advance. The date your tenancy ends must be a Monday.

If you don’t do this, your notice may not be accepted and you will still need to pay rent, even if you have left the property.

To end your tenancy, you will need to:

  1. Download, print and complete the notice to terminate form (PDF 144KB).
  2. If you are on benefits, tell our council tax and housing benefit teams that you are moving.
  3. Return the completed form to your local Community Hub, Housing Office or One Stop Centre.
  4. Make sure your rent account is clear by the end of your tenancy.
  5. Let your gas, electricity and water suppliers know that you are moving out.
  6. Make sure that all of your belongings have been removed from the property and garden, including pets.
  7. Hand in a full set of keys to your neighbourhood housing office before midday on the Monday your tenancy ends.

If you don’t follow these steps, you may need to pay additional charges.

Find out about additional charges

You will have to pay extra costs if you don’t:

  • hand in your keys on time - you will be charged additional rent until the keys are received
  • hand in a full set of keys for every lock – this will mean we need to change the locks
  • remove all your belongings – we will charge any removal fees to you
  • make sure any pets have been removed – we will ask you to pay for any costs to remove animals, and you could be prosecuted for animal abandonment
  • make sure there is no one left living there – we will not terminate your tenancy until the property is empty, and you will need to continue paying rent
  • leave the property in a good condition – we will charge you if we need to repair any damage or any unauthorised alterations
If you cannot use the form

If you cannot use the form, emailHousingEnquiries@leeds.gov.uk. 

What happens next

When we receive your notice to terminate form, your property will be advertised on the Leeds Homes website.

Please note that you are still responsible for paying rent and following the terms of your tenancy agreement until the date your tenancy ends.

Contact from your energy supplier

When a council tenancy ends, we start transferring the electricity and gas accounts to Energy Angels. This won’t affect you, as the switch won’t happen until you’ve left your property. However, your current energy supplier may contact you to check whether you agree to the transfer. Please let them know that your landlord has requested the switch as you are ending the tenancy, and that you have no objections.

If they would like any more information, please ask them to call us on 0113 378 1387.

If you pay rent by Direct Debit

Your Direct Debit will automatically be cancelled when the tenancy ends. If your final rent payment is due after your tenancy ends, you will need to arrange to pay the balance in another way.

Moving to another council property

If you are moving to another council property, your tenancy will end on the date your new tenancy starts.

Universal credit payments

When you end your tenancy, the amount you owe for rent will be based on your circumstances at the end of your monthly assessment period. This means that your last Universal Credit payment at the address you are leaving may not cover all of your rent.

To reduce the chances of your last payment not covering all of your rent, please try to ensure that your tenancy termination date is either the day after or as close as possible to the end of your monthly assessment period.

Find out more about Universal Credit.

Ending a tenancy for someone else

There must be exceptional circumstances for us to be able to accept a notice to terminate a tenancy on the tenant’s behalf. These include:

  • if the only named tenant at the property has died
  • if the named tenant has moved to new accommodation for the foreseeable future, for example hospital, a care home or prison

We may ask you for legal documents such as a death certificate, or proof of Power of Attorney if applicable.

Please print, complete and return the Third party termination notice to the Community Hub, Housing Office or One Stop Centre.

Third party termination notice(PDF, 166KB)

If you cannot use the form

If you cannot use the form, emailHousingEnquiries@leeds.gov.uk.