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what are the options for breaking a lease agreement?

The lease is for a year and I have only lived here for two months.

Public Comments

1. why are you breaking the lease?? need some kind of idea what you are looking to use as an excuse.
2. Most leases stipulate that the clause to break the lease would include forfeiting your security deposit and being responsible for the remaining months of rent until the unit is re-rented. Depending on if the unit is corporate or individual owned, you may be able to give them a 30-day notice provided you are loving out of state or to live with and care for a loved one. My family moved one year ago from Florida back to Michigan because my husband was laid off and my dad was ill. We held an 18 month lease and still had 10 months left on our lease. They kept our deposit (which was only $700) and at first tried charging us all of these fees. I wrote a letter to the property manager and owner (not a corporation) and I no longer owe this money based on the information that I provided (letter of unemployment benefits, email from former employer offering him his job back here in Michigan). Do not ignore the situation, because the eviction process is at the most 3 1/2-4 months long, plus you get a judgment on your record.
3. Usually you have to pay whatever is left of the lease. Some places I've seen, only require about 2 to 3 month's rent. You'll have to ask your landlord or read the fine print in the lease to be sure. Hope this helps...
4. Yes. You can get out of the lease if there is something wrong with the space. Like mold, insect or rodent infestation, plumbing problems that the property manager hasn't fixed. If you have a good reason you can move and if they try to come after you for the balance of the lease, you will have a good case for leaving. Keep a paper trail of any communication you've had with the landlord. If you can prove you brought something to their attention and they didn't correct the problem then you will be fine. Typically property managers rarely go after former tenants because it is costly and time consuming. Many times the person doesn't have money anyway so it's a waste of time.
5. If you a valid reason for moving away. Job loss, Job moving to another state. Etc. then you can ask for what the buy out of your lease would be. If they will not let you out of your lease. Then you have the right to advertise the rental your self and have the prospective tenant fill out the credit checks that you can get from the manager. They must help you help them re rent the apartment. Once you find a new tenant for them you are out of it. Don`t forget to give them a move out notice (30 days notice) and keep a copy once you find that new tenant. Oh almost forgot....Run a free ad on Craigslist.com
6. Read the lease, it is often addressed there. If nothing else, the best is to simply go to the landlord and say that you cannot under any circumstances stay and you want to know the terms he offers to let you go.