Ending your lease

When ending a lease, always ensure you do it in line with the process outlined in the contract. Often it will list solutions to the predicament. If you have a month to month lease, unlike most, then ending a lease is as simple as giving a months’ notice to leaving, without renewal at the end of the month. Otherwise you will probably have to give a certain period of notice as the landlord will need to find new tenants.

Some landlords require up to two months’ notice given at the end of the month when ending a lease, this could mean that you may only legally stop paying rent up to three months after you have given notice. A tricky situation, there are other ways to get around it.

When ending a lease, you can also find someone to take over your lease. This means they will sign the lease into their name, keeping the installment amounts and lease period on the original lease. This is often preferable as it makes for a streamlined change over and you can leave at any time, however it does mean you will have to find the next tenant and do some of the admin to get them and the landlord together.

Once you give notice the landlord may claim any unpaid amounts back from you and reimburse themselves for any damages from your deposit. The rest of the deposit will be returned to you within the pre-stated time frame. There are many occurrences where the lease may not be paid back at all if certain damage or breaking of the lease agreement has occurred. The landlord may sue for any unsettled payments or damages.