Tenant owes me rent - cites 'mental health' as why she won't pay

[justilou]

My tenant (student unfortunately) has done a runner five months before the contract's up.

I haven't got my keys back, nor any explanation from her, but the other tenants have informed me that she has written to me (haven't received anything as yet) and has cited 'mental health problems' as her reason for leaving, and says she has medical evidence to prove that she has to move out (and clearly she'll have stopped the standing order).

Now obviously - solicitor etc. is my next step, but does she have any grounds? It's a normal AST - nothing crazy, but I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience of this before?

Any help much appreciated.

J.

[jeffrey]

T can zip off at any time. No T is ever compelled to stay.
BUT
T is liable for full rent until tenancy ends one way or another. There is no right for T to abdicate responsibility at will (UNLESS the Tenancy Agreement contains a break-clause, which yours apparently does not).

[justilou]

That's what I thought - thank you.

So this 'doctors note' won't make me do anything... right? I think she's planning on saying that the other tenants were 'causing her to become depressed' - one of the tenants is my daughter, and the other one is her friend - perfectly normal people - but that can't surely give her grounds to break?

Grr.

Thanks for your advice!

[jeffrey]

Yes.
Also, remind her and the others that they are jointly and severally liable for whole rent (unless each has own Tenancy Agreement). If there's a single multi-person Agreeement, there's a single total rent for the entire property; everyone is liable to pay all of it, not just a proportion each!