Under the law of most states there is no right to break a lease just because you want to..
Not because you get a new job somewhere across the country, you break up with your boy/girl friend , etc.
You made a contract for a specific time say one year.. you cannot just leave and not honor the lease without some responsibly and usually a penalty.
Consider if the landlord was to do the same and just toss your stuff out of their house.. Not fair either way.
Often there is a provision for breaking a lease for individuals in active military service who are transferred permanently or temporarily for more than three months.
Upon written notice, these tenants' liability under the lease is often limited to 30 days' rent.
Anyone else who moves during a lease is liable for the rent until the end of the lease or the unit is re-rented, whichever comes first.
Some leases contain provisions that the landlord will agree to terminate the lease if the tenant pays a 'termination fee'.. usually an amount equal to two months rent.
This is a fee.. it is meant as a prevention first, and a penealty second, so folks arn't doing this all the time.
These are not the monies from the deposits..!!
If the lease ends in two months or less, it may not be wise to use that lease term.
If the lease runs longer than two more months, and you think the unit might not be re-rented, then you just have to make a choice between certain loss of your money equal to two months rent, 'or possible liability for even more money.
Remember the contract terms are equally enforceable and landlords can report to the credit bureaus the tenants actions or inactions..
This is yet another reason to strongly consider a month to month rental..
