How can I get out of my lease early without any termination fees?

Question

I am moving to a different area due to a job change. I resigned my lease 3 months ago before knowing I would change jobs. My townhouse manager said that we have to pay for 6 months rent and then we can get out of the lease.
My dilemma is, my new apartment is more than double the amt i pay at my current house, and I have to pay a security deposit PLUS a first month at my new place PLUS 3 more months of my current rent....It's SOOO much money.

Does anyone know if there are any laws saying I don't have to pay the whole 6 months? HELP!

Answer 1

Like the 1st commenter said, the only real solution would be to find someone that will take over the remaining period on your lease. Generally though, termination fees are stated in the lease agreement you signed and are legally binding. There would just be too many people taking advantage of landlords if tenants could move out at any time without any recourse for the property owner.

However, you did say that you have 3 more months on your current lease, correct? I don't see how your landlord can charge you 6 months of rent to break your lease when you only have 3 months left on it. If you cannot find anyone to take over your lease, just move out, hang onto the keys to your current apartment, pay each month of the 3 months left on your lease, and then return the keys.

Answer 2

You are responsible for the terms of the lease you signed. If it holds you to a year's rent, consider yourself fortunate that he's only holding you to six months instead of the remaining nine months on the contract.

Always bear in mind that changes in YOUR life and additional expenses which incur are NOT the responsiblity of the landlord.

If your job change took you overseas and you had just leased a car for two years, would you look at THAT lease contract in the same fashion ?

A contract to lease is a contract. Both sides are expected to perform to the the terms of the contract. When one side decides they want out of said contract, there are penalties involved.

Answer 3

The only people that can get out of a lease just like that are active military. The only other way you can break a lease is if terms were not met in the lease like landlord not keeping up with repairs etc, or a health dept voilation, such as if your apt was infested with roaches because of a dirty neighbor.

The only other way to get out of a lease in CA is to find someone to take it over for you under their name. It would have to be someone that would meet the same requirments that you do when you moved in (good credit, paid deposite etc)and the landlord would have to agree to them taking over your lease.

Answer 4

Actually, there are laws saying you have to PAY the whole 6 months. You can't get out of it any more than your landlord could kick you out because he'd found someone willing to pay more in rent.

Answer 5

There are no laws stating that you do not have to honor a contract that you signed.

Actually the law is just the opposite, you signed the contract, you and the landlord are both expected to honor it. Why have a lease if they meant nothing?

Answer 6

Without a hire holiday clause, the tenant is accountable for hire till the unit is re-rented or the hire ends, whichever comes first. Some states permit the owner to take a seat on their palms gathering hire for the the rest of the hire, however it's to your satisfactory curiosity to get a well tenant in ASAP. Your present tenant is accountable for promoting expenses. Security deposit could also be routinely forfeited. If the tenant fails to pay hire, you're taking him to small claims court docket for backrent owed, cleansing and damages, and court docket expenses.