Anyone have experience breaking a 2-year lease? (apartment, rental market)

[Shaolin Shadowboxing]

after about 1 year? i know it is bad form, frowned upon etc. especially without a LEGIT reason. but i am just curious if anyone has attempted it and how it worked out.

[ansky]

I have done it twice. Although in my case both were 1-year leases. The first lease I dropped with 8 months left. All they did was keep my security deposit. No questions asked. The second lease I broke with about 6 months remaining. I had a very good relationship with that landlord and she actually gave me about half my security deposit back because she was quickly able to find a new tenant to take the apartment.

[davenj08]

How is breaking a 2-year lease any different than breaking a 1-year or shorter/longer lease? Breaking a lease is breaking a lease no matter the term.

Depends on two factors - terms mentioned in the lease AND your relationship with the owner.

[newdude05]

Originally Posted by thefastlife

after about 1 year? i know it is bad form, frowned upon etc. especially without a LEGIT reason. but i am just curious if anyone has attempted it and how it worked out.

if the landlord is an individual / small organization, you can try work it out with them by finding someone to take over the lease and have the deposit returned to you. I did it in the past and it worked out fine, i posted an ad and found someone to take over my lease while confirmed with the landlord beforehand.

in cases of management companies owning the rental you are most likely out of luck, you can still talk to them but most times they would just want to take your security deposit then find someone else themselves, especially given the hot rental market right now.

In the end talk to the landlord first, but you have no legal justification if they take your deposit unless you can prove the unit has some issues that violates the lease like the landlord doesnt turn on the heat, leaky ceiling etc..

[Shaolin Shadowboxing]

Originally Posted by davenj08

How is breaking a 2-year lease any different than breaking a 1-year or shorter/longer lease? Breaking a lease is breaking a lease no matter the term.

Depends on two factors - terms mentioned in the lease AND your relationship with the owner.

terms mention nothing regarding the ability to break the lease. my relationship with the owner is relatively non-existent. not that that is necessarily bad, we just never really see/talk to them. they own a few different apartment buildings in town and unless there is an issue, there is basically 0 communication.

Originally Posted by newdude05

if the landlord is an individual / small organization, you can try work it out with them by finding someone to take over the lease and have the deposit returned to you. I did it in the past and it worked out fine, i posted an ad and found someone to take over my lease while confirmed with the landlord beforehand.

in cases of management companies owning the rental you are most likely out of luck, you can still talk to them but most times they would just want to take your security deposit then find someone else themselves, especially given the hot rental market right now.

In the end talk to the landlord first, but you have no legal justification if they take your deposit unless you can prove the unit has some issues that violates the lease like the landlord doesnt turn on the heat, leaky ceiling etc..

yep, i fully expect them to keep some/all of the deposit. which would suck since it was a full 2 months rent (at $1650/mo.). that said, if i give plenty of notice (3+ months) and offer to list and show myself, i wonder if they might be more flexible.

[HalfFull]

Originally Posted by thefastlife

terms mention nothing regarding the ability to break the lease. my relationship with the owner is relatively non-existent. not that that is necessarily bad, we just never really see/talk to them. they own a few different apartment buildings in town and unless there is an issue, there is basically 0 communication.



yep, i fully expect them to keep some/all of the deposit. which would suck since it was a full 2 months rent (at $1650/mo.). that said, if i give plenty of notice (3+ months) and offer to list and show myself, i wonder if they might be more flexible.

You gave 2 months deposit?? Is it really all rent deposit or is some of it damage deposit which you'd hopefully get back most of?

[Shaolin Shadowboxing]

Originally Posted by HalfFull

You gave 2 months deposit?? Is it really all rent deposit or is some of it damage deposit which you'd hopefully get back most of?

yes. i figured that was...acceptable for a 2 year lease.

not sure if some of it is for damage i have to look at the lease.