How to Get Out of a Bad House Lease & Landlord

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    Information

    • 1). Take notes. No matter which tactic you choose, you may need documentation as to why you are leaving your lease. This means you need to document everything that you find distasteful.

    • 2). Take special care to note things that were promised in the lease but not delivered. For example, if Internet service was promised in the lease but you ended up paying for your own, be sure to take note of this.

    • 3). Take note of other things you find distasteful, but be forewarned that things like "noise" and "bad neighborhood" are not generally mentioned in leases and are therefore not reasonable grounds for breaking a lease.

    • 4). Get informed of your legal rights, either through a lawyer you hire, a tenants' rights organization, or through a legal services organization.

    Paying

    • 1). Pay out the remainder of the lease if you are able to. This could be a reasonable option if you only have a month or so left. This is an expensive option, but it is also painless.

    • 2). Sublet the place at a reduced rate. This still involves paying, as you are responsible for the difference.

    • 3). Attempt to negotiate a settlement with your landlord. If you have three months left, he may allow you to leave if you pay one or two months. Then again, he may not.

    Other Options

    • 1). Sublet the place to a friend, relative or stranger. Remember that the lease is still in your name, so if they bail or burn it down you are still liable.

    • 2). Join the military. This legally obligates the landlord to let you out of the lease--but now you're in the military, which could well cause a whole host of other problems.

    • 3). Bail. This is probably the worst option available to you, as leases often have penalty payments and the like attached to keep people from doing this. If you just leave and stop paying rent, you could end up paying far more than you would have owed otherwise when you get sued for the rent you owe plus penalty payments.

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