Back in November I stupidly renewed my lease starting in August. Now I want to get out of it. Unfortunately for me, the market in this college town keeps getting softer on apartments as more buildings are being built eventhough there is allready too much housing. My apartment is too expensive for me though ,and I have found a better(for me) that would be about $100 a month less. So, I want out of this lease. How do I do it? What should I look for in the lease that would make it unenforceable? Not seeking legal advice, just thoughts. Maybe you have broken a lease before? How did you do it?
Can you destroy the Earth?
I got deployed to a war once. Broke it, no prob.
You might want to go over your lease (or talk to your landlord) and figure out how much it would cost to break your lease. If it’s a reasonable fee (like a few hundred dollars - something you’d make it in a few months of living in the new apartment), then you’ve got a out right there.
I broke a lease once. There were several break-ins, repairs were not being made, etc. None of that matters. If you break your lease they can damage your credit rating and charge you a lot of money.
You may discuss sub-leasing with the management. Maybe you could negotiate lower rent. I would not break a lease unless I had no other option. I learned this the hard way.
If you discuss this with management, be sure you get the agreement in writing. I know a person that was verbally told one thing and then suffered some pretty severe penalties.
Um…why did you sign a lease almost a year before it was to go into effect? If your landlord required it look at the local ordinances governing leases. Many prohibit forcing tenants to sign more than 3 months before the current lease ends. If you requested it you are SOL on that front.
Most leases allow subletting. You may want to go that route.
TELL THE LANDLORD THAT YOU WANT OUT-SEE WHAT HE/SHE SAYS
DON’T OFFER MONEY - JUST SAY YOU NEED OUT FOR PERSONAL REASONS. SEE WHAT HE/SHE SAYS
Considering it’s a college town, I suggest you put up flyers and try to sublet the apartment. Considering it starts in August there should be plenty of takers. Talk to the management about subletting it, they should be helpful.
Got ya covered buddy. Well, possibly. A lot of the college apartment communities here are gated (because parents are silly and paranoid). If yours is… I can almost guarantee the gate will usually be malfunctioning. If you can prove this- and “gated” is mentioned in the lease somewhere, you’re laughing.
Thanks all for the thoughts. I am going to go see the management again. One thing I have going for me is that I haven’t given them the signed guaranty yet, nor will I give it to them. That might make them nervous. I hope they will come to their senses, and let me out, all I am trying to do is make them more money!