What happens after you break an apartment lease?

Question

I broke my lease 2 yrs ago. The lease was for 14 months. I completed 10/14. I had emergencies throughout my lease that caused me to not keep up the lease. I was struggling for 2-3 months after my unexpected emergenices. On my 11th month, I just left without making arrangements. I did surrender my keys and gave management my new address. I was billed 3k from the office and I decared bankruptcy on it. It was very stupid and now I am ready to have an apartment again I do have plenty of money saved just in case something happens again. What should I do and whay may possibly happen when I apply?

Answer 1

You are actually better off than people who just break a lease and run. Because you included the debt owed to the previous landlord as a part of your discharged debt from your bankruptcy, it should not be held against you for future rentals. Most all landlords will run your credit when you apply for an apartment and a recent bankruptcy isn't going to look good, but it might be a little better than an unresolved judgment against a deadbeat tenant. As a safeguard a landlord might require a larger deposit considering the risk of your recent behavior, or you could suggest it to change a "I won't rent to you" into a "when do you want to move in". Don't harp on the "emergencies" that you endured, but rather how much more financially stable you are today than ever before.

Answer 2

Everyone who posted seems to have a good idea of what can happen to you if you break the lease. However, the stipulations of what can happen vary from state to state and can be worse or better then the imagined scenarios. Here is a list of what you should do if you are to break your lease. 1. make a list of reasons of why you want to break you lease. if they include danger to your safety, the landlord neglegence, high crime area - or things of this nature, you may be able to get out of the lease legally without too much trouble If they include things like, I can't pay, I don't want to pay, or I just don't like the place any more, you may have to take other methods to get out. Most states will help you pay if you can't and they don't really let you get away with leaving because of money 2. think really hard about the reasons you want to leave as mentioned before, take a look at what the problem is and see if it is fixable 3. take action and realize the consequences of your actions Depending on the state you live in, they will most likley give you a unlawful detainer of UD, this will effect your rental credit and look bad for future landlords. Most of the time, however, they realize that you are not going to pay so they just put that UD on your credit history. The landlord will try to get you to pay for the remaining rent, but usually there are state regulations on how much he can charge you. Like everyone says - check your lease, and afterwards check your government housing resource website. After you have gotten a little apartment 101 I am sure you will do fine

Answer 3

Be prepared ..You might be denied because of your past history
bankruptcy stays on your Credit Report for 10 years from court date