Valid Lease Renewal (High Point: apartment complex, leasing, landlord)

[StaceyLeigh2009]

I live at an apartment complex in High Point, NC. I signed a one year lease from December 14, 2007-December 14, 2008.

I received a letter to our apartment shortly before I lease was up if we wanted to renew. The letter reads as follows:

Please check one option and return this form to our office. This signed form will serve as an addendum to your lease not your actual lease renewal. I checked yes to renew my lease for 12 months.

I have had multiple problems with this apartment complex over the last several months and am thinking about breaking my lease and paying the fees. BUT is an addendum all that was needed to renew my lease? It says this was not actually your lease renewal which I never received. When I went up to the office to show some sort of documentation of my lease being renewed this is all they gave me. Anyone with any leasing experience can help me with this?

Thanks!

[kamilya]

I broke the lease on 2008, but I had no problem. I paid the fees, and they told me that they will not return the deposit, but they returned it.
I hope everything works good with you.

[akwebb81]

What kind of problems are you having with your apt complex? If they are not doing things like maintenance repairs, etc... they could be violating your lease and be a cause for breaching the lease. You have to have all of it documented, in writing, that they are not doing things, but could be one option. Typically the law favors the landlord in all states when it comes to lease agreements and what is considered a renewal (I'm not familiar with NC law), so your check yes or no addendum is probably valid enough as an intent to renew, though not having a signed lease could leave the door open.