Final rent payment - Pro-rata?

[C.A.R.]

As per another thread some may have already been following, I'm moving our family back into my parents to try and save some money for a few months.

I'm due to check-out of the current privately rented property on the 6th of March.

I've only ever checked-out of a property once before, and when I did it I calculated the rent owed pro-rata, but the situation was slightly different back then.

I took the monthly rent, x 12 months, divided by 365 days then calculated the days remaining from the due date for rent until the check-out date. Obviously my reason for doing it was that it saved around £100.

Now in a similar boat, the lettings agency is saying that after the previous (signed) agreement ended 7 months ago we have been on a rolling 1-month contract whereby we had to give 4 weeks notice if we intended to leave.

The lettings agency is saying that I will owe the full £715 because it is charged 'per calender month' - is this right? Can I not counter it? As Pro-rata would mean I owe less because February is a shorter month.

Payment due date is the 7th, hence moving out on the 6th. There are 27 days between 7/2/2014 and 6/03/2014, so pro-rata that would equate to £634.68

Was I just lucky to get the saving I did on my last check-out?

As an aside, does the same thing work for Council Tax? As we will no longer be tenants as of the 7th, can that be calculated pro-rata too?

[Sir Bagalot]

C.A.R. said:

Now in a similar boat, the lettings agency is saying that after the previous (signed) agreement ended 7 months ago we have been on a rolling 1-month contract whereby we had to give 4 weeks notice if we intended to leave.

You appear to be on a periodic tenancy which means you need to give a months notice and this only kicks in on the 7th of each month (I'm assuming your tenancy started on the 7th)

C.A.R. said:

The lettings agency is saying that I will owe the full £715 because it is charged 'per calender month' - is this right? Can I not counter it? As Pro-rata would mean I owe less because February is a shorter month.

They're correct. You signed a tenancy to rent a house at an agreed rent of £x PCM. Doesn't matter if the month has 28 or 31 days. Same rent. Your LL may however let you leave mid month and charge pro rota, it's up to them.

C.A.R. said:

Payment due date is the 7th, hence moving out on the 6th. There are 27 days between 7/2/2014 and 6/03/2014, so pro-rata that would equate to £634.68

Your maths fails you. 7/2 until 6/3 inclusive is 28 days. And in February that's a calendar month.

C.A.R. said:

Was I just lucky to get the saving I did on my last check-out?

C.A.R. said:

As an aside, does the same thing work for Council Tax? As we will no longer be tenants as of the 7th, can that be calculated pro-rata too?

Advise them the date your tenancy ends or the date you move out (whichever is the later) and I'm sure they'll send you a bill