breaking a lease 1 month early for job relocating

rock_fish · May 2013

I sent a formal letter to my landlord stating I am moving for my job and breaking the lease 1 month early, and he returns, in an email, he says he does no agree and will file judgement in the courts for the last months rent. Mind you he also stated rent is due june 1, and I received this email about 15 min ago.

Lease states nothing about early termination. Am I in the wrong? What should I do?

Conchy Cracker · May 2013

"I am moving for my job and breaking the lease 1 month early"

Apparently me, your landlord and everyone else in the free world read this differently than you do.....

rock_fish · May 2013

Alright

yak_angler · May 2013

rock_fish wrote: »

I sent a formal letter to my landlord stating I am moving for my job and breaking the lease 1 month early, and he returns, in an email, he says he does no agree and will file judgement in the courts for the last months rent. Mind you he also stated rent is due june 1, and I received this email about 15 min ago.

Lease states nothing about early termination. Am I in the wrong? What should I do?

Does he not already have your last month's rent as part of the deposit?

rock_fish · May 2013

Yes and a deposit.

Tripleclean · May 2013

so he takes the deposit and the last months rent.....Thats the judgement.....No big deal.

rock_fish · May 2013

Thats how I see it, but this foreigner has been unreasonable since day one. The other tenants have all left recently due to his fits of anger and irrational behavior. If it were stated in the lease, this would not be an issue and I would follow the lease. But its not, that is my issue

Desperado · May 2013

If the lease doesn't address early termination then it's not an option. Did the landlord breach first?

rock_fish · May 2013

Not an option for whom? I understand it as something not stated or unclear benefits the tenant.

ANd no he didnt breach anything, just has been a typical bad landlord, not wanting to fix anything, taking days to actually fix things, etc.

Bib · May 2013

rock_fish wrote: »

ANd no he didnt breach anything, just has been a typical bad landlord, not wanting to fix anything, taking days to actually fix things, etc.

Sounds like you wouldn't get your deposit back anyway, He'll always find something wrong to keep it.

rock_fish · May 2013

Bib wrote: »

Sounds like you wouldn't get your deposit back anyway, He'll always find something wrong to keep it.

I figured that long ago and accepted it

abovebored · May 2013

You should not forfeit a security deposit unless you damaged the property, however the last months rent is probably his to keep.

kodiakzach · May 2013

All the BS aside, this is why its smart (and highly advisable) to insist that a 1 paragraph addendum be added to any home lease that states you can break the lease (without penalty) with 30 day notice if you take a job that is more than 45 miles from your current address.

mad dog bite · May 2013

What kind of Filthy foreigner is he???

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SJC · May 2013

If he has 1st, last and security walk away. You're good.

Tarpon65 · May 2013

mad dog bite wrote: »

What kind of Filthy foreigner is he???

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The worst kind. He's from Georgia!

bigiron · May 2013

I would contact him and ask him what he wants to clear things up. He might just want that last months rent. If he becomes unreasonable and you can prove there is no early termination clause, then he will most likely be wasting his time in court. Make sure every coorespondence is in writing sent certified mail. Never ever take anybody's word for anything...always get it in writing. Even if you have a discussion with him in person, write a letter summarizing the discussion and mail it to him. Also, keep in mind that if he does go to court and does win, it could cost you a lot more than just the months rent.

Saltydawg · May 2013

Just negotiate it, truth be told if you leave chances are he won't do anything because it is more hassle than it is worth.

jad1097 · May 2013

If he already has the last months rent and that month is for June then you have not broken the lease. If he's a jerk I'd send him a letter saying I'd be out at the end of June and for him to keep the last months rent. Take pictures or a video of the place before you move just in case he takes you to court.

abovebored · May 2013

SJC wrote: »

If he has 1st, last and security walk away. You're good.

why would you walk away from a security deposit if you did not damage the property?

Buford Cletus · May 2013

abovebored wrote: »

why would you walk away from a security deposit if you did not damage the property?

Because you broke the lease agreement?:huh

abovebored · May 2013

That's what last months rent is for.

acarb · May 2013

Tarpon65 wrote: »

The worst kind. He's from Georgia!

Now just wait a dam minute!

rrbgtt · May 2013

Move on. Send him a letter telling him to keep the money for the inconvenience. (He's going to, anyway).

Don't even give it another thought.

SJC · May 2013

abovebored wrote: »

why would you walk away from a security deposit if you did not damage the property?

Beacuse you won't see a dime of that, and you will have to take him to court to get it. Time= money

and oh yeah, you broke the lease.

Captain Dave · May 2013

If you're walking away earlier than the lease period states, you're breaking the terms of the lease and will take the financial penalty. Very simple.

MRichardson · May 2013

How is it walking away if you've paid thru the end of the lease term?
Who cares if you vacate? How is it breaking the lease?

Is there a stipulation in the lease that you must physically reside there until
the end of the lease term? That would be moronic. This is a rhetorical
question btw.

breaking a lease 1 month early for job relocating

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