Can I get out of my lease?

Question

I am in college and live in a house with 3 other girls. As the year has gone on, constant partying and disrespect for other peoples property and sleeping time has gotten to be too much. We had a dinner to get things out in the open, which only made things worse... to the point they don't even acknowledge me in the house and yet continue to party like slobs. I want to move out. I can't be in this hostile environment in my last, very important year in college. This is my landlord's first and only house- he just fixed this one up this summer. He is shady like they all seem to be. It takes him weeks to fix things, and the walls between rooms are super thin and I can hear my roommates having sex in the livingroom. Our house is zoned for only three people to live in it, but there are four. One of us didn't sign a lease, unfortunately I did sign. Is it possible for me to get out without paying for the rest of the years rent? considering it is illegal the four of us to be living here

ticketoride04, if you can help me, please email me. it won't let me email you. thanks!

Answer 1

"Whoever brought in the 4th tenant is responsible for their rents as a share"

That's not true.

And the fact that you are one person over zoning limits has nothing to do with your rent. The worst that would happen is that your landlord would be forced to reduce the occupants to 3 by evicting the 4th person.

You are liable for the rent, both individually and collectively, if you signed a lease.

You have a few of options open to you. You can tell person #4 that they can take over your share of the lease (it's called an assignment) and have your landlord remove you and insert their name. Make sure your landlord signs off on the assignment because you can still be held responsible for the rent by the landlord if he doesn't sign.

Or you could find one of their partying friends to take over your share. Make sure you still get the assignment though.

You could also file a complaint with zoning or housing over the 4th occupant. That will give you one less partying roommate to worry about, but it will also increase your rent since it will be a 3 way split instead of 4.

Or you could still pay your share of the rent and just move. This would mean 2 rents for you. It's the most expensive option.

Answer 2

In one sense your stuck with the lease, however, how much longer is the lease for?
If its for a short time like 6 months, you can weigh your share left to pay, move out when they're not around, skip on all payments due for the next 6 months, and hope the remaining tenants pay the rents due for the next 6 mo.
Whoever brought in the 4th tenant is responsible for their rents as a share, but always remember, the LL always has a contract/lease and looks at it as ONE! 1 or 100 tenants are liable for the rents, but the LL goes after the tenants that are on the lease if no rents are paid. NOW; do you have anything to loose, and what about the others...do they?
If at the end of the lease, the LL has only Nichol's & dimes due him, he;ll not chase it down, but if its major bucks, its a 50-50 deal...just depends on his attitude.
shoot me an email and as a paralegal, I'll review the length of your lease vs the money left on it.
you may not be as bad off as you think and you can move out and move on with your life and remaining years in college.
good luck

Answer 3

I wouldn't wait....that sounds like an impossible living situation....go find a new place to live......and after that has been solidified, just move out - you don't need to tell the girls that you are moving out......I promise you, the landlord doesn't care where the entire rent comes from, just that he gets it.......

Further, get your valuables out......quietly & quickly....if any of the utilities/cable/trash/water are in your name......close them.....and just leave......forward your mail to a POBox....You'll get nasty letters from your exroommates and landlord....but I can guarantee that the landlord is telling the girls...."figure it out", I expect the whole rent when it is due.....

I wouldn't worry about "paying the rest of the lease"......you only owe a percentage anyway......you could always make arrangements directly w/ the landlord to cough up your portion....but don't volunteer.....

As your leaving the keys on the table, tell the girls to feel free to get a new roommate who can tolerate open sex and parties all night....

Answer 4

yes get fourth person to take over the lease and find somewhere else to move to but long is it the lease for

Answer 5

See if you can get whoever is not on the lease to sublet and take over yours.

Answer 6

yes.

get the fourth wheel to take your spot ,..then it remains legal,..otherwise taken the whole shebang to court.