Moving Out

If you are ending either a property or garage tenancy with Eastlight, please read the information below then complete the form or contact us with any questions. We are here to help.

Ending your tenancy

If you would like to end your tenancy, you must give us four weeks' notice, by completing this form.
If you have an intermediate tenancy you will need to give us two months' notice; for temporary tenancies, you will need to give us one week's notice; and for an internal move, no notice in writing is required as you will be asked to sign a surrender of tenancy form at your sign up.
We will then contact you to agree you can end your tenancy and tell you the next steps. We may come and inspect your home, if needed.
Once everything has been confirmed, we'll ask you to return your keys and will take over your home's utilities.

Leaving your home empty

Please leave your home empty, clean and tidy - in the same condition it was when you moved in.

We expect you to leave your home empty, removing all belongings and furniture. This includes removing curtain poles and curtains, and emptying any loft space, storage cupboards and garages.

All flooring, i.e., carpet, underlay, grippers, laminate and vinyl flooring must be removed. If you have laid your own flooring in the kitchen or bathroom, for safety reasons you will need to remove it and return it to the standard non-slip flooring which we provided when the property was let to you.

Whilst we expect there to be fair wear and tear on the fixtures and fittings, any broken or damaged items must be repaired or replaced before you leave.

The walls should be in good decorative condition, free from nails, screws and picture hooks. Any ripped, damaged or marked wallpaper must be taken down.

The property should also be free of nicotine staining. If this is not done before you leave, you will be recharged the cost of the repairs or replacements.

Leaving any outdoor space in good condition

If your home has a garden, the grass, hedges and trees should be well maintained, and the garden should be clear of any rubbish.

If you have added a shed, green house, or wooden decking to your home, these must be removed (including the base) before you move out.

For safety reasons, our homes cannot have ponds, as they are a drowning risk for children. If you have added a pond, this will need to be removed and backfilled.

Minor changes to your home

If you have made any minor changes to your home, such as changing the light fittings, switches or plug sockets, these will also need to be returned to their original condition before you move out.

Major changes to your home

If you have made any major improvements to your home, such as fitting a new kitchen, bathroom or boiler, or replacing stairs or banister rails, you should have asked for written consent from Eastlight to complete this work. This is known as “landlord consent”.

Any improvements you have made to your home with landlord's consent can be left as they are when you move. If you have made any improvements without obtaining written consent, you will need to apply for this retrospectively or return your home back to its original condition before moving out.

If you have been involved in a mutual exchange, you will need to ensure the previous tenant applied for landlord's consent for any improvements they made to the property, also. If this is not done, you may be charged the cost of Eastlight carrying out this work. See more about landlord's consent here.

Returning your keys

Please leave all keys in your home, including window keys, back door keys, communal keys and any spare front door keys. We'll ask you to return one set of front door keys to us.

How can I return my front door keys to you?

You will need to return the house keys to us by dropping them into Eastlight House on Charter Way, Braintree, or into our post box outside the office.
You can also send us the keys through the post. However, we advise sending this through recorded delivery so we can track the progress of the delivery and prevent keys from getting lost, ensuring you do not incur a charge for a forced entry or lock change in the event that the keys are lost/not returned on time. We cannot terminate your tenancy until we receive the keys back from you.
Please make sure you include in the envelope your name, address, contact number and the address of the garage. Not having this information can cause delays and mean another weeks’ rent will need to be charged.
If the keys are not returned by the end of your notice period, an additional weeks’ rent will be charged.
Once the keys are returned, we will contact you to confirm that the tenancy has ended.

Support available

Here are some links to local charities and other organisations who can help with house clearances, recycling unwanted items and household waste removal:

Recycling and household waste removal

Charity clearance services

Our downsizing scheme

If you are interested in moving to a smaller home, you can apply for our Downsizing Assistance Scheme, which may give you a cash reward and also provide you with the support you need to go through the process. The scheme applies to all tenants who would like to downsize, whether the property you are moving to is an Eastlight home or not.

You can apply for the scheme by registering with your local authority to downsize through their housing register.

How you go about this will depend on where you live. Details can be found here.

The payment you receive for downsizing will differ depending on the size of the property you are giving up.

Payment will be made shortly after your move, and any charges or outstanding rent will be deducted from the amount you receive.

You are not entitled to a downsizing payment if you are downsizing following a succession of a tenancy.

For you to consider

Extending your notice period

If for any reason you need to extend the notice period, please let us know at least one week before the notice period ends, to prevent your utilities from being switched over.

Assigning your tenancy

Sometimes it’s possible for a tenancy to be passed onto another qualifying person. This is known as ‘assignment’. This is explained in your tenancy agreement; it is normally only possible in very limited circumstances and only after we have given our permission.

Your options for a new home

For advice about your options for a home to move to, please take a look at this page or contact us.

Financial support

If you are struggling to pay your bills, please take a look at this page or contact us. We are here for you.

Ending your garage tenancy

Giving notice, what to do during the notice period, and returning your keys.

Giving notice

If you would like to end your garage tenancy, you need to give us at least one weeks’ notice.
Our notice period starts on a Monday. If you notify us on a Wednesday, for example, your notice period will begin the following Monday.
You will need to give us notice in writing. You can do this by completing the end of tenancy form below.

During the notice period

Rent will still be payable during the one-week notice period.
You will need to leave the garage empty and in at least the same state of repair you received it in.

Returning the keys

You will need to return the garage keys to us by dropping the keys into Eastlight House on Charter Way, Braintree, or into our post box outside the office.
You can also send us the keys through the post. However, we advise sending this through recorded delivery so we can track the progress of the delivery and prevent keys from getting lost, ensuring you do not incur a charge for a forced entry or lock change in the event that the keys are lost/not returned on time. We cannot terminate your tenancy until we receive the keys back from you.
Please make sure you include in the envelope your name, address, contact number and the address of the garage. Not having this information can cause delays and mean another weeks’ rent will need to be charged.
If the keys are not returned by the end of your notice period, an additional weeks’ rent will be charged.
Once the keys are returned, we will contact you to confirm that the tenancy has ended.