has anyone ever broken a lease? (or a landlord?)
Lauri
Posts: 748
Everyone here seems to have some interesting takes on a lot of different topics, so I thought I'd put this out there: I live by myself right now but I'm having trouble affording it and over the summer I tried to find to a roommate situation but it didn't work out, so I resigned my lease on Sept. 1. Over the weekend, my friend suddenly called me and said she found this great apartment and wants me to move in with her. Though I'd prefer to stay put (love my place and love living alone) this opportunity solves a lot of big money problems for me (and it's a nice apartment and good roommate situation). So we're signing a lease tonight. Therefore, tomorrow, I have to tell my landlord I'm breaking lease. I'm so nervous about this! I'm sure people do it all the time, but I would assume it's usually for an unforeseen job transfer or something like that. I'm giving in 60 days notice, offering to help find a new tenant any way I can. I just feel badly about this because he is such a great lanlord and keeps the place in great shape and the rental market in winter just isn't great. Has anyone had to do this before? Is anyone here a landlord? Do you have any suggestions about what I should/should not say when I give him notice? Any suggestions on what I can offer to help out?
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if your worried on what to say : hello i found a new place that i can afford .. or closer to work . or moving in with a great friend . remember it is your life u don't have to give the full story . u might get charged the rest of your lease. and that would be the worst thing . if u are still in a lease .its all a tax deduction for that land lord . no worries !!
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There isn't much you can say or do to help your situation - you're basically at his mercy since you signed the lease (unless you can find a loophole or just cause for breaking it)....so I'd be doing the reverse of what you said in your post - give your notice FIRST and get a feel for where he stands, THEN sign the new lease. Otherwise you could end up on the hook for both.
If it's with a complex, it will probably be tougher than if it's just someone who has a few properties, but like said above it all depends on the landlord and your relationship with him/her.
I only broke a lease one time, and it was with a landlord who I was with for like 8 years (and three different apartments), so it was easy.
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Interesting results all over the map. It's just one guy who I think owns a couple houses, does everything himself. He knows I'm having trouble affording the place already, because I was trying to move out this summer. Unfortunately, it doesn't say anything in my lease about penalties for breaking, just that I have to give 30 days notice when I'm leaving. Edit: I just found the place in the lease where it talks about default. It just basically says I'm responsible for compensating the landlord if he can't find a new tenant. I'm still nervous, but I think it will work out ok...I hope...also my friend supposedly has a back-up roommate lined up, so if for any reason he doesn't let me move out I shouldn't be stuck in the new place...nerve wracking!
It sounds like your landlord is cool, and sounds like you are cool about it, so it seems like you can find common ground. I WOULD NOT sign the 2nd lease until you know for sure that you can be free of your 1st lease without paying huge damages. It is always a must to get things in writing too. Technically you can speak to your landlord, agree to something, find a tenant, and later find a letter in the mail demanding the balance of the payments owed. Thats extreme, but still possible with a lease and nothing else in writing.
A lot of leases also put the burden of paying legal fees on you as well.
if your landlord holds you to something you may have to sublease your place ... if your landlord is cool - then they will just let you leave ... hopefully, that's the case ...
good luck
yeah there's not a lot of month-to-month leasing in these parts. I got to do that once before and it was good. would have been perfect in this situation.
sorry ... i should add that you get to go month to month after you've stayed a year ...
yeah I got that implicitly
it was with a complex. i had to pay two months rent and that was that.
i was moving two states over for a new job.
The landlord's here to visit
They're blasting disco down below
Sez, "i'm doubling up the rent
Cos the building's condemned
You're gonna help me buy city hall"
But we can, you know we can
But we can, you know we can
Let's lynch the landlord man
I tell them 'turn on the water'
I tell 'em 'turn on the heat'
Tells me 'all you ever do is complain'
Then they search the place when I'm not here
But we can, you know we can
Let's lynch the landlord
Let's lynch the landlord
Let's lynch the landlord man
There's rats chewin' up the kitchen
Roaches up to my knees
Turn the oven on, it smells like dachau, yeah
Til the rain pours thru the ceiling
But we can, you know we can
Let's lynch the landlord man
He may appreciate you coming up to him in a seemingly upfront way, and may better sympathize with you and be more flexible with you if you're "asking for help" as opposed to "telling him what you're doing". Know what I mean?
You are probably legally liable for the current apartment, so do EVERYTHING you can to be nice. If you're insistent from the start that you're moving out regardless of the contract, it'll be that much more difficult with the landlord. Use honey, not vinegar, to get the bees.
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oh I agree 100%. The problem is, around here, you really have to sign a lease immediately, even in the off-season. So we signed a lease tonight. It's saddening, because the landlord is out of state, and he's got some building manager and real estate broker doing his dirty work. My current landlord is really a good guy! I'm just not even spending my own money anymore- I'm spending my parents' money! It's embarrassing, and honestly, I couldn't, in all good consciousness, keep doing so when there's a good opportunity to save money presenting itself. So I've signed the lease. As I said, my lease basically makes me responsible if he can't find a replacement tenant. I'm going to be as nice as possible, but basically, I have to move out. It's the right thing to do.
The positive thing is, the broker we are working with said it's an unusually busy rental market for this time of year. the broker said a lot of people have been moving in from out of state with new jobs. I'm really hoping that helps. I obviously will pay any fees I' m liable for. I'm just worried that I'll appear irresponsible, etc. In fact though, I'm being pretty responsible by taking this opportunity. Hell knows I'd rather stay here and continue being an adult without a roommate!
*NYC 9/28/96 *NYC 9/29/96 *NJ 9/8/98 (front row "may i play drums with you")
*MSG 9/10/98 (backstage) *MSG 9/11/98 (backstage)
*Jones Beach 8/23/00 *Jones Beach 8/24/00 *Jones Beach 8/25/00
*Mansfield 8/29/00 *Mansfield 8/30/00 *Nassau 4/30/03 *Nissan VA 7/1/03
*Borgata 10/1/05 *Camden 5/27/06 *Camden 5/28/06 *DC 5/30/06
*VA Beach 6/17/08 *DC 6/22/08 *MSG 6/24/08 (backstage) *MSG 6/25/08
*EV DC 8/17/08 *EV Baltimore 6/15/09 *Philly 10/31/09
*Bristow VA 5/13/10 *MSG 5/20/10 *MSG 5/21/10
I just told him that my friend presented me with this really good deal to move in with her, and though I wasn't planning on moving my financial situation made it too good to pass up. I also told him I intend to comply with all my obligations, that I'll help find a replacement, and that I loved the apartment and am sad to leave.