tips on breaking a lease

brooklynleather · May 2008

So the apartment downstairs from us was broken into this week and this morning, a woman was fatally stabbed across the street. I have been wanting to move but I am completely freaked out now and need to get out of here. I want to move August 1st, so was hoping to give my landlord about 2 months notice as our lease doesn't end til December.

Does anyone have any tips on ethically and legally breaking a lease? I need to review my lease when I get home, but it looks like it was copied out of a book from 1973 and I can't recall any stipulations regarding lease termination.

Does anyone have advice on avoiding penalties?

plucky purcell · May 2008

most landlords are more than happy to let you out of a lease as long as you give them sufficient notice. they typically get more rent out of a brand new tenant than from a lease renewal.

i suggest you read your lease carefully for any termination clauses and then talk it over with your landlord. if your landlord won't let you out of the lease, s/he's obligated to let you assign the lease for the remainder of the lease term (and can only refuse your proposed replacement with 'reasonable' justification - i.e., bad credit history, etc.)

armchair_warrior · May 2008

just talk to them. most landlords are people too, they are understanding. unless they are complete sobs, then well people shouldn't rent from sobs.

brooklynleather · May 2008

thanks. its his first building, he is a nice guy but doesn't speak much english and lives in the building with his family. i am trying to be ethical but i am scared shitless and can't handle it anymore.

old time brooklyn · May 2008

Where do you live?

numbersix · May 2008

I'm assuming you're referring to the stabbing on Lewis Avenue. They're saying that the husband has confessed (I'm keeping tabs from my job on that block.)