How To Break Your Lease Without Paying A Ridiculous Fee

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To the people who get themselves worked up just thinking about breaking a rule, we truly admire you. If you identify with this group, you probably would never dream of breaking an apartment lease before the end of the contract. But sometimes, for whatever reason, you just have to break the lease and get out. Of course, there’s the risk of losing your deposit or paying some astronomical fee, which could deter anyone from breaking his or her contact. But we have some tips on how to say goodbye successfully with minimal, if any, financial repercussions.

1. The Honest Option: Explain why you’re leaving.

Especially if you have a good relationship with your landlord or leasing office, telling the truth and appealing to their emotions is a good bet. Assuming that you’re willing to give your them some time (a month or two) to get their bearings and find someone to take over your lease, you may just end up with a solution that won’t hurt you financially.

2. The Helpful Option: Offer to find your replacement.

You’ll need to be honest here, too, and tell your landlord or leasing office what’s going on. If they give you a hard time, offer to find a credible replacement that they can vet before you leave. You’d actually be doing them a huge favor since they’d have to find someone new to rent the space anyway. Some landlords and leasing offices are sticklers about credit scores, income and recommendations from previous residences, so make sure that whoever you find has this information immediately available so that your own move-out process isn’t slowed down.

3. The Investigator’s Option: Look for loopholes in your lease.

Your lease is full of little pockets of potentially useful information, so keep an eye out for anything that could help you get out of your contract without a fight. Some examples might be the condition that you can leave as long as you give a certain amount of time as notice, or that you can leave under certain circumstances.

4. The Hardball Option: Remind your landlord or leasing office of a violation or a liability.

Refer back to your lease to see what’s considered a liability or violation on your landlord or leasing office’s part. You can get out of your lease if you can prove that it’s been breached. Got a broken fire escape that you’ve asked to be fixed with no results? Maybe you weren’t given 24 hours notice before a repairman entered your apartment, or you spent more than a day without heat in the middle of the winter. These are all potential violations that, if you previously reported or have proof of, could help you get out of your lease. Just don’t expect a glowing recommendation for the next apartment you lease.

5. The *Super* Risky Option: Find a replacement without telling your landlord.

We really don’t recommend this approach as it comes with all sorts of complications and risks. But if you’re truly in a bind and the options above don’t work, you could take the gamble and sublet your apartment without your landlord or leasing office’s approval. Be aware that you could lose your deposit if they find out or you could get screwed over by your subletter and end up with more money to pay. Just know what you’re getting into.