Questions about 30 day notice (apartments, breaking a lease, tenant, construction)
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I plan to move out once my lease is up, however this is my first time doing this. My lease is up september 30th, but I plan to be out by the first of the month because I have to travel for two weeks out of that month and want everything situated before that point. Can I turn in my 30 day notice on August 1st and be out by september 1st without having to pay for the full month of september, or do I still have to pay for it all the way till the end of september? My goal is to not break the lease and have to pay the two months rent, but I also don't want to pay for a month I'm not even going to be living there. I really want out now but that's not possible I don't think. Two days ago a car slid into one of the apartments across from me, and yesterday a pipe somewhere broke and was spouting water on the other side of my complex. There's construction happening all around that just started this spring. This place is a mess and has gone through 3 managers the last two managing to mess up my rental history with this place so bad is says I was given half my deposit back (I wasn't) awhile ago. Now theyre saying they want to start charging pet rent and I can't afford that, and I refuse to give up my animals even if it means breaking lease and owing money. But again, I do not want a negative impact on my rental history. I'm at my wits end with this place.
Your lease ends on 9/30...that means you pay your rent for that month and you turn in your keys on 9/30.
You can move out before the 30th, but make sure your rent and utilities for month are paid for (and on) that month. You can move out sooner, but you won't turn your keys in until the 30th....if you move out on the first and turn in your keys on the first and turn off your utilities on the first, you'll be breaking your lease.
As said, your rent is due and payable up to and including the month of September. As far as the pet rent is concerned you will not be charged for that unless you sign a new lease starting October 1. Your current lease terms cannot be changed for its duration which means that no new fees can be imposed.
Since you already are stating they are in your eyes "horrible" than don't expect anything else than that they will stick to what you signed.
If you give notice it has to be prior to the 1st of the month and not on the 1st so please keep that in mind.
In your case you are in a lease and the lease ends and that will be the end of it unless you have to provide notice otherwise it is an automatic ending. Please check that in your lease.
If you plan on turning in the keys than ask for being released from any liability from the date of the keys to be turned in since that is sometimes an issue. Get it in writing.
They can't charge you pet fees while you are in a lease if that wasn't the case when you signed unless you got a dog or any kind of pet during the lease term that you failed to disclose. If the rules change than it is something that has to be announced and counts for new lease terms.
An accident across the street is not a reason to break the lease and getting money back but construction can be unless it is within certain reasonable guidelines. If it is on a daily base and disturbing your and other tenants piece for hours in a row than you may have a case.
Breaking the lease and risking an apartment management company going after you is not worth it close to the end of your lease and getting it on your credit history, etc.
You said you really want to be out now, and mentioned that if you break your lease, there is a 2 month rent penalty. What exactly does your lease say on that? My lease actually offers a 2 month buyout, that isn't a lease break and doesn't go on your record, you just pay a 2 month penalty and even get your deposit back and a good reference (assuming you were otherwise a good tenant, of course). So the wording in the lease is important. If your lease said something similar, you could buy yourself out now and not owe September, but you would have to be vacated by the end of June.
My point is that you may have options, but we would not know them without seeing your lease. Otherwise, the answer to your question is that if your lease is through Sept 30th, you owe through Sept 30th.
HOWEVER, if you are going to be out early, let your LL know that, and let them go in and do all their cleaning and repairs as soon as you are vacated. If they can rerent prior to September 30th, they have to refund you the prorated amount for the time the new tenant moved in. In my opinion, that is win-win for everyone. The LL ends up with 0 downtime, including no utility bills during vacancy. You get some money back.
If I leave early before the lease ends I owe two roughly 1270 (two months rent) and forfeit my deposit. I've asked in the past about it because this is not the first time I've wanted to leave, but my room mate who hates moving, kept convincing me to stay.
As for the pet rent I have no idea how they plan on installing that, I know they are working towards a no pet place now however. My pets have been approved, they were approved when I first moved in years ago but every time I go into the office they mention it like they can start charging me it any time they want.
Last thing though, if I'm not supposed to put the notice in on the 1st, when am I supposed to put it in? Do I need to do it even longer than that so that they know I don't plan to renew my lease on September 30th? Sorry if this seems stupid, I'm stressed about all this and more and just want it done right.
Leases usually contain a clause which addresses the end of the lease term and any notice required so take a look at that first.
Your security deposit is only forfeitable in event of an early lease termination in one or two states, if that. Generally, landlords have a certain amount of time to return a tenant's security deposit along with an itemization of any deductions made for cleaning or damages. If you go to the first "sticky" on this forum you'll probably find a link to your state landlord tenant laws where you'll find this explained.
Again, the pet deposit question is moot. If you were planning on renewing your lease then your LL could present you with a new lease either banning pets or implementing a pet fee in a new lease but the terms of your current lease are set in stone.
However, you can vacate, clean the place up spotless and turn in the keys along with a written notice that you are out ad they are welcome to show the unit and find another tenant.
If they can re-rent it before the end of September, then your rent stops when the new tenant starts to pay rent.
However, you are legally bound by the lease, and you must pay rent until the end of September, no matter when you move out, unless they can find a new tenant. You don't stop your obligation just by giving them a notice that you are no longer interested.
It will help to get a new tenant in there if you leave the place spotless, so that the landlord doesn't have to spend time cleaning or painting, or replacing damaged carpet. Take photos when you are out and the apartment is cleaned, so you have proof of what it looked like when you left.
My understanding of WA state law is that you can break your lease, and the LL can only charge you rent until they re-rent it to someone else. I don't think they can charge you the lease break fee and keep your deposit.
"If you are low-income and do not live in King County, call CLEAR at 1-888-201-1014. If you live in King County, call the King County Bar Association's Neighborhood Legal Clinics at (206) 267-7070 between 9:00 a.m. and noon, Monday – Thursday, to schedule a free half-hour of legal advice."
If you are in the middle of your lease, they can't start charging you pet rent, either.
Here's an article about breaking leases. It explains a landlord's duty to mitigate damages, which is a law that applies in WA state. Basically it says a LL can't just continue to charge you rent until the end of the lease. The LL must try to re-rent the place using reasonable efforts/means.
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