Resident guidance: Rented tenants - Last updated 10 June 2026

Ending your tenancy

In this guidance you’ll find:

How to end your tenancy
Your responsibilities when you move out of your property
Property checks before and after you leave
What happens if work is needed to the property? Will I be charged?
What happens if I pass away?
Understanding succession
Can Anchor end my tenancy?
More information and advice about ending your tenancy

How to end your tenancy

To end your Anchor rented housing tenancy, you must let us know in writing at least one calendar month before you leave. You can speak to your location manager and complete our form, or write to our Customer Experience Hub at:

First Contact Resolution Team,
Anchor,
2 Godwin Street,
Bradford,
BD1 2ST.

Your responsibilities when moving out of your property

Before leaving your property you must make sure that:

It has been left clean and in good decorative condition
You have not left any belongings behind
You hand all keys back to the location manager
Any alterations made without our knowledge or consent are removed or with our agreement left intact.

When you notify us of your wish to end your tenancy you will be given advice and a helpsheet outlining the specific things (e.g. cleaning tasks) you need to do. Should any of the conditions mentioned above not be met then you may liable for additional costs to put things right.

We will also want to ensure someone else can benefit from the property as soon as possible after you leave and so we would be grateful if you would allow us to show new residents around during the period of your notice.

Property checks before and after you leave

We understand that there can be a lot to organise when you move. To help make the moving out process smooth, we carry out two checks:

Before you move out – your location manager will arrange a visit with you to look at the condition of your home and talk through anything that may need attention before you leave. They will be keen to do this as soon as possible after you give notice to make sure you have plenty of time to act on their guidance and so we can ascertain if any work may need to be completed by Anchor, how long the work might take and therefore, when a new resident could potentially move in.
After you move out – once you’ve returned your keys, we complete a full inspection of the empty property and identify any work needed to bring it up to our lettable standard.

These checks help us make sure the property is safe and in good condition and avoid delays when preparing the home for the next resident.

What happens if work is needed to the property? Will I be charged?

If the property does not meet the required standard, we will arrange:

Cleaning
Repairs
Replacement of items where needed
Safety checks (such as gas, electrical and fire safety)

If damage or changes go beyond normal wear and tear, you may be charged for some of the costs. We will explain this clearly if it applies.

What is the lettable standard?

The lettable standard is the condition your home must meet before a new resident can move in.

This means the property should be:

Safe and secure
Clean and ready to use
In a good decorative condition
With fixtures and fittings in working order.

We carry out any required work to make sure the home meets this standard before it is re‑let.

What happens if I pass away?

Your tenancy does not automatically end if you pass away. What happens next depends on your tenancy type and who lives with you.

If you have a Joint Tenancy
The remaining tenant will take over the whole tenancy by law. This is called statutory succession.

If you have a Sole Tenancy
Certain people may have the legal right to succeed (take over) your tenancy. This usually includes:

Your spouse or civil partner living in the home at the time of your death (even if they are not named on the tenancy).
A long-term partner or close family member who has lived in the property as their main home for at least 12 months before your passing.

What happens if no one qualifies for succession?

If it is a sole tenancy and the tenant has passed away, the tenancy must be ended by the person with legal authority - such as the executor of your will (with a grant of probate) or someone with letters of administration. If no one has this authority, relatives should contact us for guidance.

Understanding succession

Succession is the legal process where the right to take over a tenancy is passed to someone else.
You can find more detailed information about succession here.

Can Anchor end my tenancy?

Yes, as a social landlord we can take action to end your tenancy, but only under certain conditions, and always with fairness and care. We rely on legal grounds, and only take action to seek possession and potentially evict an occupier from an Anchor property in serious circumstances.

Learn more on our guidance page about tenancy breaches, possessions and evictions here.

More information and advice about ending your tenancy

If you’d like to better understand what happens at the end of your tenancy or have questions about moving out or succession criteria please speak to your location manager for further information.