How To End Your Lease Early
Whether it’s dealing with a financial issue, relocating to a new city, or you simply no longer want to live in your current unit, breaking a lease can have financial and legal consequences. To avoid that burden, you should learn how to get out of a lease properly to prevent any negative repercussions.
It’s not always easy to end a lease early, but here are some tips to go about it without breaking the landlord-tenant agreement.
1. Check your lease agreement
First off, refer to your lease agreement. See if there’s a section detailing how to get out of it, such as an opt-out clause. That would allow you to move out early. In most cases, you will have to pay the opt-out fees.
There may be an early termination clause that you can point to, this could be from either your or your landlord’s side. You may have the right to break your lease if,
- You must relocate for health reasons.
- The landlord violates your contract.
- You’re threatened by your landlord or your neighbors.
2. Talk to your landlord
Talk to your landlord, and think like one. Before going into negotiation, understand how they think. If your reason to break a lease isn’t legally covered, but is understandable, they may be willing to listen. If your circumstances make it difficult for you to continue to afford your rent – they’ll be motivated to get a new tenant into your place. The more polite and honest you are, the more likely they are to make it as easy as possible for you to break your lease.
3. Offer to help
This won’t cost you much or anything at all, so why not offer to help with advertising and showing the place? Helping your landlord find a new tenant won’t cost you anything, you can share details on your social media, friends, and family. Remember that the faster you find someone to fill that position, the quicker you will be able to leave. You can also offer to paint the walls with a fresh coat, cover deep clean service before you leave. Doing so could make your landlord feel less stressed about your imminent departure and more willing to agree to a deal.
4. Get it in writing
Even if you both agree on the termination, make sure you get it in writing. It’s important to understand what expectations are on both sides and make sure all those details are on paper. Taking these precautions will eliminate any unpleasant moving experience or unforeseen surprises.
Summary
The idea of breaking your lease early is stressful as it is, but with enough preparation and planning, it doesn’t have to be traumatic. Most landlords just want their rental properties to be occupied and you can easily help them by finding new tenants, helping them clean, and showing the place. This won’t cost you much and your landlord will definitely appreciate your help.
