Getting Out
When you terminate a lease, you terminate a CONTRACT. It is not illegal to terminate any contract, but there are consequences. Landlords often tell tenants they are not “allowed” to break the lease, but only a court can help the landlord who wants to make a tenant responsible for breaking a lease. In general, both the tenant and landlord have legal obligations to mitigate the financial damage caused by the other party breaking the lease. Usually, the tenant and landlord each look for a replacement tenant, but this does not always work out for one reason or another. Sometimes, the tenant claims that the landlord forced the tenant out due to any number of legal violations like landlord harassment, a landlord’s refusal to make necessary repairs or to quiet a noisy neighbor. Before getting in but certainly before getting out, a tenant should talk with a lawyer to manage risks. Start by making an appointment here.