Notice to quit, garage rented from local council

[shovelheadrob]

I have been renting a local council garage for the last 5 years, a few months ago we received notification that the garage site was to be redeveloped, a week later another letter to say that it wasn't. Fast forward to this week & another letter giving 2 weeks notice. I only know this because I am on holiday & have someone checking my mail. The letter was not sent recorded (if that makes any difference), we are not due home until after the keys have to be handed back, a friend has spoken to them & they say they only have to give one week notice, basically tough titty, I use it to keep various work related stuff, ladders, scaffold tower, etc & although I can use alternative storage I can't physically do anything until I get home. Can they just do this?

[shovelheadrob]

I don't have a copy of the agreement to hand as I'm on holiday but the rent is paid monthly by dd in advance. The annoying thing is that they must have decided this along time ago as we've been told that demolition starts on 3rd November, haven't seen any planning application but I suppose they can make it up as they go along!

[shovelheadrob]

Thanks for the replies, my issue is that regardless of what it may or may not say in the contract the only reason I even know is because I have someone checking my mail. If it wasn't for that the first I would know would be when we get home from holiday. Surely that is wrong.
They have now agreed to extend the notice until the end of the week, giving me 3 days to remove my stuff,I'm just hoping that the doors haven't been forcibly opened due to a lack of communication.

[shovelheadrob]

Helpful & accommodating, yes, after spending a couple of hours on the phone getting passed from one department to another before getting to speak to someone who can actually authorise an extension.

[shovelheadrob]

I've just checked my bank account as I wasn't sure what date the dd is for & they took a month's rent on 4th October, I'm sure they'll be refunding the difference!