Anyone have expierence with breaking a lease in BK?

eastbloc said:

He can't do that. He HAS to return your security. He may sue you for breach of contract, but your security is sacred.

You could have had him over a barrel for that.

Dude, not to call you out, but this is a complete 180 from what you said 2 years ago, when I made a thread about the situation. It was actually partially your advice at the time that made me give up on it.

eastbloc said:

What exactly is scummy about it? She did you both a favor, given the months it could have taken to fill the apartment which you would have been on the hook for, and explained it fully.

A broken lease is a major disruption, especially when as with you the notice given is very short. With a longer notice, the landlord has an opportunity to line up the next tenant, and it's an event they can plan for far in advance.

As landlords go, I'd say it's very professional behavior. There are a few who would take lease-breakers for everything they're worth.

You should consider your potential exposure and be grateful for this outcome.

And go easy on the landlady. She seems all right to me.

I don't know whats changed between now and then, but it was worth getting out of that apartment in any case.

Sorry, I wasn't clear, and moreover I conflated two situations. Let me explain what I meant to say.

The landlord can't keep your deposit if you find a qualified tenant to replace you. The landlord can't unreasonably decline the tenant you find to replace you.

If the tenant makes no effort to fulfill the terms of his lease, or negotiate a settlement with the landlord, the landlord _is_ entitled to the security as part of the damages caused by breach of contract.

Hence, if you want to get out of a lease, you have to at least appear to earnestly want to exercise your option to replace the tenant and thereby make good on the terms of the contract. The landlord will either go along with that, or decide it's not worth the hassle and do whatever he normally does to get a new tenant.