I made a terrible mistake with housing, advice and help needed.

I realise that this is entirely my fault and no excuses should be offered. Last academic year I was in a bad place and I rushed into a housing arrangement since it seemed like my only option. Since then I have realised that I have signed a contract for a place I don't want to live in and with people I don't want to live with.
It is not a nice house and it's in a bad area. Moreover, I'm worried about my housemates as one of them seems to be into drugs (I didn't realise this when signing the contract but I know it's entirely my fault for not checking these things).

It's needless to say that I don't want to live there but I have a 12 month fixed contract and chances of getting out of those seem to be close to zero for most people.
Does anyone have any advice? I'm looking for potential ways to cope (I'm not coping and my panic attacks are increasing) and if anyone has any legal advice on perhaps moving, which I realise is probably out of the question, I would appreciate that as well.
Thank you.

Reply 1

Scienceisgood

Is there anyone who can take you in if you really are THAT desperate?
Friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend etc...
Even if it is with a mate and you pay say, £60 a week to share a room, if it is better than your current circumstance, surely it warrants at least some kind of thought right?

Also, if your housemate is on drugs, report him to the landlord and get him thrown out if your really that concerned.
I suppose there COULD be an opportunity to look for somewhere else but, start looking NOW, sure you may not get your deposit back but, £250(ish) for the year overall while is a loss, for the whole year isn't THAT big of an issue.

Although, keep it just in case.for a while until you are certain you can find somewhere to live.

Reply 2

orangelime23

Original post by Scienceisgood

Thank you for the advice. I have started looking at alternative places to live, there are a few much better options than my current situation (the deposit loss does not bother me as it is a small price to pay in the long run). I'm however not sure if I can get my current landlord to let me break the contract.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

ddtown

Original post by orangelime23

Well what happens if you just don't move in, can they sue you? Isn't that what deposits are for, they are getting first month's rent until they find a new tenant. They can't force you to move in.

Reply 4

jelly1000

Original post by orangelime23

Normally you can get out of the contract if you find someone else to take over, so get advertising!

Reply 5

james22

Original post by ddtown

Well what happens if you just don't move in, can they sue you? Isn't that what deposits are for, they are getting first month's rent until they find a new tenant. They can't force you to move in.

Bad advice. They can take you to court for the rent if you don't pay it. They don't care if you don't move in, but you still need to pay the rent you agreed to pay.

Reply 6

jackisback

Original post by orangelime23

I'm worried about my housemates as one of them seems to be into drugs (I didn't realise this when signing the contract but I know it's entirely my fault for not checking these things).

What kind of drugs?

Section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 states:

A person commits an offence if, being the occupier or concerned in the management of any premises, he knowingly permits or suffers any of the following activities to take place on those premises, that is to say—
(a)producing or attempting to produce a controlled drug in contravention of section 4(1) of this Act;
(b)supplying or attempting to supply a controlled drug to another in contravention of section 4(1) of this Act, or offering to supply a controlled drug to another in contravention of section 4(1);
(c)preparing opium for smoking;
(d)smoking cannabis, cannabis resin or prepared opium.

Reply 7

orangelime23

Original post by jackisback

What kind of drugs?

Section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 states:

Weed (in large amounts) that is all I am sure of. I have also heard rumours that he has thought about growing it, I don't base my opinions on rumours but they do add to my general anxiety about the whole thing. I know weed isn't generally a big deal but it unsettles me that it's in the house and I don't want to be involved due to the kind of work I want to take up in the near future.

So far it seems my best bet is to look for a replacement housemate (I have also been given this advice by my university).

Reply 8

River Shadow

Original post by jelly1000

Normally you can get out of the contract if you find someone else to take over, so get advertising!

This. It's possible that even if you don't move in, you may be obliged to continue to pay your rent unless you find a new tenant.

Reply 9

member327593

You can still get out of housing contracts, give your landlord a months notice or whatever

or find someone else to replace you

Reply 10

jelly1000

Original post by A100whoo

You can still get out of housing contracts, give your landlord a months notice or whatever

or find someone else to replace you

ive never heard of a months notice being allowed in a student house contract

Reply 11

jackisback

Original post by orangelime23

Weed (in large amounts) that is all I am sure of.

In which case your landlord is committing an offence. On summary conviction, he can be sentenced to 12 months or £400, or both; on conviction on indictment, he can be sentenced to 14 years or a fine, or both.

Reply 12

member327593

Original post by jelly1000

ive never heard of a months notice being allowed in a student house contract

What's the difference between a student contract and a non student contract?

All i know with these contracts they are not as bound as people think they are, you can still get out with notice.

Reply 13

orangelime23

Original post by A100whoo

What's the difference between a student contract and a non student contract?

All i know with these contracts they are not as bound as people think they are, you can still get out with notice.

It very much depends on your landlord. Student contracts mean you are liable to pay the rent till the end of the contract's term unless you find someone to replace you or your landlord agrees to let you go (they almost never do, even people who fail uni and have to move back home have to find replacement tenants).
(I've done some research since I started this thread and I've been on the phone with my Uni a lot)

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 14

james22

Original post by A100whoo

What's the difference between a student contract and a non student contract?

All i know with these contracts they are not as bound as people think they are, you can still get out with notice.