Breaking a Lease? Here's What to Know

By definition anytime time you plan to end your apartment or rental home lease before the agreed upon end date stated in your lease agreement, is considered breaking a lease. Noone goes into a new lease thinking they will need to end the agreement early, but you’d be surprised at how often things come up that require just that. So what do you do when you have to break your lease? Well we’re here to tell you a few things you should know first. Follow along below!

Your Financial Responsibility

The lease agreement you signed to get your home or apartment included a few things that protect both you and the landlord. Firstly, it states that a landlord cannot remove you from your home until the end of the lease agreement unless you fail to pay or violate the terms of the agreement. On the flip side, the lease agreement also protects the landlord in that it requires you to pay the agreed upon rent amount for the entire duration of the lease agreement (usually one year). There are however circumstances that will allow for a legal breaking of the lease such as active military duty, unsafe living conditions, harassment, and more.

Finding New Tenants

Ohio state law requires that a landlord make a reasonable effort to find a new tenant in the event that a current tenant needs to break a lease early. This doesn’t mean you won’t be charged at all. The landlord will make reasonable efforts to replace you as their tenant and has the right to request you pay the rent amount until a new tenant can be found.

It goes without saying that if you plan to break your current lease agreement that you should probably have a plan in place. Chances are you won’t come out of the interaction complete untouched and will most likely have a debt hanging over your head as well as a bridge burned.

If you are seeking to end your lease and need more information about how Buckeye Northwest Realty can help, contact us today! Also, don’t forget to check out our houses for rent in Toledo, Ohio.