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Vacating a tenancy

Chris Horroll
Chris Horroll
  • Updated

When a tenancy comes to an end, you record the vacate against the tenancy so it progresses through to being marked as vacated. How a vacate begins depends on the tenancy type and who is ending it. 

This article covers how to start a vacate, manage it while it's in progress, and finalise it once the tenant has left.

Ending a tenancy

  1. Click Tenancies on the main navigation bar
  2. Select the relevant tenancy from Recent & Favourite Tenancies
    1. Alternatively, find the tenancy using the Search Tenancies bar in the top right
  3. Click Tenancy on the side menu
  4. Click the Tenancy top tab
  5. Click Vacate Property
    Rent Review button.png

What happens next depends on the tenancy type.

For other tenancy types

For non-periodic tenancies, the Vacate Property window opens directly. This window shows the tenancy's fixed-term details, such as the End Date and Renewal Date, which don't apply to periodic tenancies.

vacate property ast.png

For an Assured Periodic Tenancy

A Start Vacate window opens where you choose who is initiating the vacate:

  • Agent/Landlord (Possession) - the landlord or agent is serving a Section 8 notice to recover possession, and may need to go through the courts
  • Tenant (Notice to Quit) - the tenant is giving notice to end the tenancy
  • Mutual Surrender - the landlord and tenant have agreed to end the tenancy
  1. Select a route, then click Next
    Start vacate window 2.png

 Note

For the Agent/Landlord (Possession) route, which has its own Section 8 grounds, court dates and possession progression, see Landlord Possessions (Section 8)

The Tenant (Notice to Quit) and Mutual Surrender routes then follow the same steps in the Complete the vacate section below.

Complete the vacate

  1. In the Vacate Property window, enter the Target Vacate Date
    (The Target Vacate Date is required - you can't start the vacate without it)
    Complete the vacate NTQ or Mutual Surrender.png

     Did you know...

    When the Vacate Property window appears, there's an option for Void Management Setup.

    This is part of Alto's partnership with Just Move In, whereby they offer a free energy switching service that automates and consolidates the admin associated with managing energy accounts during void periods between tenancies

  2. Click Start Vacate

Once clicked:

  • For other tenancy types, Alto opens Create Letters with the relevant event-driven letter. Choose who to send from and which branch stationery to use, then either Place Letters in Letter Rack or Open Letters Now, and Close
    other tenancy types create letters.png
  • For a Tenant (Notice to Quit) or Mutual Surrender vacate, you're taken straight to the Tenancy, where the term shows a Vacate in Progress status
    Vacate in progress NTQ or Mutual Surrender.png

Managing the ending of a tenancy

Back on the tenancy, the relevant term now shows a Vacate in Progress status with a progress bar you can click through to the progression. 

Alternatively:

  1. Click Progressions on the main navigation bar
  2. In the dropdown, click Lettings progressions
  3. In the Lettings section, click Vacating Property
  4. Click the relevant property in the list for which the tenancy is ending
    1. Alternatively, find the property using the Search Lettings bar in the top right

The progression opens, titled Vacate In Progress with the route in brackets, for example Vacate In Progress (Tenant Notice To Quit) or Vacate In Progress (Mutual Surrender). From here you can:

  • Upload supporting documents in the Supporting Documents section using Upload File
  • Add Note(s), Send E-Mail, or Send SMS 
  • Click Edit Vacate to reopen the Tenancy Details and amend dates, then Save
Managing the ending of a tenancy NTQ or Mutual Surrender.png

 Best practice

On the progression screen, before finalising the vacate, best practice is to go through the Progress tab in the Transaction Management section. Not all of the items will be relevant and they aren't mandatory. If you don't wish to enter any of the dates in the Progress section, you can continue following the rest of the steps

Tenant has vacated the property

  1. Click Progressions on the main navigation bar
  2. In the dropdown menu, click Lettings progressions
  3. Within Lettings on the side menu, click Vacating Property
  4. Click the relevant property in the list to take you through to the relevant tenancy
    1. Alternatively, find the property using the Search Lettings bar in the top right
  5. Click Actions
  6. In the dropdown menu, click Finalise Vacation
  7. In the Finalise Vacation window, confirm the Tenancy Information, Property and Owner are correct, and add any Notes
    Finalise vacation NTQ or Mutual Surrender.png
  8. Click OK
  9. You'll then be asked to update the tenant's address. Click Update

 Note

To stop a vacate without finalising it, click Actions > Cancel Vacation to revert the tenancy to Active. For reverting an already finalised vacate, see Reverting a tenancy back to active when it has been vacated

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