Assumption: "We rent together and I am moving out. I can just ask the landlord to take my name off the tenancy."

Court Reality

This is about private renting in England. A joint tenancy is one tenancy held by both people. Moving out does not end it. The person who leaves stays on the tenancy, stays liable for the rent and can move back in. Taking one name off needs the landlord's agreement, and in practice the agreement of the other tenant too. There is no right to be released. Whether the tenancy is fixed term or periodic matters. In a periodic tenancy, a valid notice to quit from one joint tenant ends the tenancy for both, even if the other tenant does not agree, so the person who stays can lose the home. In a fixed term, a notice to quit does not normally end the tenancy unless the agreement has a break clause. Council and housing association tenancies have their own rules.