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How do I get out of my lease?
Main Post:
I recently signed a lease with someone else to share a studio apartment. Something came up and I am looking to get out of this lease as soon as possible.
Context: My family already paid 7k deposit, the rent will be 2k a month for me, and the lease is a 1 year (starting May 3). We signed under a guarantor, though the apartment can only be signed under 1 name, not 2. This means that technically I am not legally binded to pay. But I don’t want to make the other person pay another 24k a year. I also can’t find anyone to take over the lease (especially since it’s a studio).
What do I do to get out of my lease?
Top Comment:
If you signed the lease you are legally bound......so is your guarantor. You should ask the other tenant if they have anyone that might want to replace you. They have to live with the person. You and the guarantor both would need to be released in writing.
When you sign a lease you are liable for 100% of funds due. You are not just liable for your share.
What is my lease?
Main Post: What is my lease?
Top Comment: Only the landlord can terminate with 30 days notice. OP has to provide 30 days notice that they will not be renewing at the end of the lease. It's contradictory. If OP has to abide by the terms of the lease for 12 months, the landlord should also. The landlord can't just increase the rent in the middle of the lease "because they gave notice". What's the point of the lease if it provides no stability or protection? Looks like the landlord wrote the lease themselves combining month to month and annual lease language.
AITA for breaking my lease and refusing to pay the full amount of rent
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I 23f live alone in an apartment. I don't know exactly how to explain it but it's a small building with 4 apartments in it. My landlord lives across the street in another unit he owns.
I got a really good rate. I believe this is due to my landlord having a crush on me and wanting me to live nearby. (I know, stupid. Red flag and I should have said no but I couldn't pass up on the deal) on top of this he has always let me paid less than the agreed upon amount. He always says something like 'don't worry about it' and I'm a model tenant that he enjoys. I have saved all documentation of these exchanges. He always offers. I never ask.
One day my boyfriend is over and asks me why I have a camera in the bathroom. This is news to me. I ask him to show me and he points out a small camera on the bathroom towel shelf. I'm horrified. It's facing the glass shower. Him and I sweep the house. We find another small camera in my bedroom
I confront my landlord and he first denies the cameras at all. I explain my bf works in cyber security and recognized them. He then claims it's for security. Bullshit, they're in my bathroom and bedroom. Then he says it's to make sure I don't damage the property and he's 'covering his ass'.
I called him a pervert and told him I was moving out ASAP and he was lucky I wasn't calling the police. (I still might get them involved. I've taken pics and saved texts).
Because of work and family responsibilities I took about ten days to get all of my stuff out (I didn't stay there). So I was there about two weeks out of the month. My landlord is insisting I pay the full month plus a last minute lease breaking fee and I can "forget about any discount" since he was "was just being nice before finding out what an entitled brat" I am. I have said I will pay him a percentage of the rent on my lease for the two weeks but that's all and he was lucky to get that. He says I'm an AH and is threatening to sue me for the remainder and some made up 'damages'. I am technically breaking a lease.
AITA
Update: i mentioned in the comments I was going to but just so you don't have to look for it: I have contacted the police and a lawyer. I don't want this happening or continue to happen to someone else.
Top Comment:
NTA. Call the cops. He's a sexual predator, and who knows how many other tenants he's filming?
Breaking my lease early - what am I on the hook for?
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I lost my job and I am unable to pay for rent at my current place going forward.
I notified my landlord with a Notice to Vacate and they told me that I have to pay a break lease fee/re-rental fee (which I am fine with) but they also said I’m on the hook for monthly rent until the end of my lease contract (8 months) if they do not find a suitable tenant.
According to this article (https://rmrf.com/re-rental-fee-or-lease-break-penalties/), if your landlord asks you to pay a break lease fee this means that they are agreeing to let you out of the lease so you do NOT have to be responsible for future loss of rental income. Can anyone confirm this is the case in Alberta?
Appreciate any advice and help here please.
Top Comment: You only need to pay a fee if it was written in your lease. If it doesn't exist, you don't need to pay. You will be responsible to pay rent until they can find a new tenant.
How do I bring up extending my lease?
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My rental lease will be concluding in September and I would like to continue extending it. I absolutely love the place and the view it offers even though it’s got a few deficiencies.
I am resigned to the fact that my rent will probably increase (currently $580 for 2 br) and the market rates look quite unpleasant (650-750 range).
Would it be a good idea to speak to my agent letting him know I wish to extend my lease and offering him 630/640? Or should I not mention a price at all and have him bring up the cost of increased rent?
It might be relevant to mention that there is some sort of leak in the exterior wall outside my bedroom and soaked half of my (carpeted) bedroom floor when the torrential rains came in. Problem is not fixed yet and I will be sending an email request to building manager and ccing agent in it.
EDIT: thank you everyone for your advice! Will probably let this agreement lapse and go on a rolling basis until the agent brings it up or I move.
Top Comment: Let it lapse. Its better for you to be in a rolling month to month. All the terms of notice they need to provide to you get longer. Worst case, your agent will remember and will send you a new lease to sign.
Am I allowed to have a copy of my lease?
Main Post:
I asked my apartment manager for copy of my lease because I need it for some things, which I feel is none of her business, and this is the response I got :
"Are you need of your lease for updating welfare? I am just asking because your lease will not work for this as the lease would have to be dated within 30 days and it is no longer within 30 days. Do you need me to complete a rental verification?"
I feel like I shouldn't have to tell her, but I just wanted an opinion because I don't want to be rude.
EDIT
To everyone saying she's just trying to help me out and what not, I get that. But, like, if I wanted her to help me with that I would've asked her to help me with it. And with us not having a fondness of one another, it feels like she's just being nosey.
So now I'm just waiting to get an email back with either a copy of it, or a date and time I can come by and pick it up. 🤷🏻♀️
Top Comment: Yes you should always hang on to your copy of the lease that you receive upon signing it.
Can my landlord increase rent after the lease has been signed? (DC)
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I just signed a lease a few days ago for a two bedroom at $3300 with my friend in Washington DC. Our move in day is 3/24 so it is still a month out.
I just got a call from property manager saying that the landlords incurred a large HVAC expense and would need to raise rent to $3550, and that if we didn’t agree to it the lease would be voided.
He stated that since our move in date hasn’t happened yet the lease hasn’t taken effect so the rent can be raised.
Is this legal for them to do? I can’t find any language in the lease that speaks to a situation like this. If this is true did all the parties’ signatures on the lease not matter at all? Can they raise it again before our move in date?
Edit: I have signed the lease, the landlord has yet to sign the lease apparently, so I am unable to obtain a copy with everyone’s signature.
I left a message with the tenant advocacy line but if there are any other resources I’m missing please let me know
Any advice is much appreciated.
Top Comment: Lease is a binding contract
Does breaking a lease early significantly affect future rental applications?
Main Post:
Due to some bad luck we'll probably have to break our lease early and find a new place. Is this something future agents look into much? We have reasonable cause so if asked can explain.
Thanks
Top Comment: In my experience, no. As long as you give the proper notice and do everything by the book, you can't be blacklisted for it or anything.
How do I get a copy of my lease?
Main Post: How do I get a copy of my lease?
Top Comment: Is it a Subaru lease? I assume you know where your payments are going to. Call them. Don’t deal with the dealership.
Breaking a fixed-term lease early in Sydney - anyone with similar experiences?
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Due to a change in circumstances, my partner and I are considering breaking our 12 month lease. We will have been in the house for 5 months. We intend to give our landlord at least 28 days notice. From research online, it looks like we will only have to pay 3 weeks rent which is a significant expense, but at least it's a fixed amount. This has only been the case in NSW since March 2020. I haven't been able to find much online about people's experiences doing this in the last 2 years.
Has anyone recently had experience with terminating a lease early in Sydney? I am curious if the real estate tried to get extra payments from you or if they stuck to the fixed termination fee. Also, did it impact your ability to rent later on?
Top Comment: You need to look at the terms of your lease for a start.
Breaking lease advise
Main Post:
Hi, can I please have some advise please.
I have to move overseas so need to break my current lease (which suppose to end 24 Jan 24). There was a friend of friend applied to take over but she withdraw in last minute. My flight will be this weekend, so I am very desperated now. Now agent will advertise for the unit, but I will need to pay rent until new tenant commence.
Is there anyway I can help them find new tenant sooner ? I see some people post on Facebook about lease transfer, but I'm not sure if I am allowed to advertise on FB or not.
Have anyone gone through break lease process, can you please advise?
Thank you
Top Comment: In SA, if the landlord rents the property out for more money than you were paying, then that additional income offsets what you were supposed to pay in breaking fees (lost rent + advertising fee + reletting fee). So, if the landlord rents your place out for more than you were paying, you can calculate how much they profit from your breaking the lease, and that will offset your costs. This is where you want to look for calculators describing what you can be charged: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/housing/renting-and-letting/renting-privately/ending-a-tenancy/Ending-a-fixed-term-lease-early And, relevant quote from that website re: landlords leasing out for more than you were paying: "If the property is relet at a higher rent, the landlord is profiting from the lease break. The tenant can expect the profit to be offset against the landlord's losses such as loss of rent, advertising and reletting fee." Of course the REA will try to charge you and play dumb about this (mine did), just politely direct them to the above website, and you can call the CBS folks if you have questions about things ( https://www.cbs.sa.gov.au )
Went to pay my rent and the leasing office has this posted , can anyone help me understand what this means for me?
Main Post: Went to pay my rent and the leasing office has this posted , can anyone help me understand what this means for me?
Top Comment:
Start looking for a new place and don't spend your rent money