Is It Time to Terminate Your Lease?

Where you live impacts your whole life. When you lack comfort, peace of mind, freedom, and the ability to get a good night’s rest you lack the energy and confidence to work and play at your best. And when your living arrangements are a challenge, even one sleepless night can feel like an eternity. 

Turn that night into several weeks or months, and you may start to feel like there’s no way out, especially if you’ve signed a legally binding lease contract. When should you, and can you, terminate early and find a new place to live?

The Maintenance Isn't Reliable

Whether it’s an incorrigibly leaky faucet or a window that doesn’t quite close all the way, the headache of maintenance issues can elevate your daily stress. Some maintenance problems can impact the whole complex or community, such as undependable landscaping care and snow plowing, or roofing from the days of disco. If you’ve lived with a pattern of unreliable maintenance, it might be time to move on.

Your Neighbors Are Hard to Live With

There may not be such a thing as a perfect neighbor, but some are just plain impossible to live with. Whether they throw late-night parties, stomp around upstairs seemingly 24/7, or peek in your windows, annoying neighbors can be reason enough to leave.

You Can’t Have Your Best Friend (Pet) with You

Your local animal shelter is holding another adoption event in the store parking lot, but you know you can’t even peek at those sweet faces because your building doesn’t allow pets. Or perhaps it’s time to get your existing pet a friend, but you’re not able to add to your furry family because of your landlord’s rules. Life is short, and you know a pet would enrich your life. Is it time to find a new place?

You’ve Outgrown Your Space

You signed a lease for a year. . .then life happened. Whether it’s a marriage, upcoming birth, or family member or friend who needs a place to stay for a while, you may suddenly find yourself needing more room. If your current rental community doesn’t have any other options, and you need the space, where else can you go?

Nonresponsive or Unapproachable Landlord

Perhaps you’ve brought up some of these issues with your landlord but have hit a brick wall. Unreturned calls, lip service, and sometimes outright hostility from management can make it hard to keep writing that rent check. How much longer can you keep on paying someone who isn’t responsive to your needs?

Ready to Terminate? Here’s How:

As an Ohio renter, you hold certain rights to safe housing, privacy, and more. If your current landlord is falling short of something you feel is a violation of your lease or protected rights, make sure to review your leasing contract thoroughly and review your concerns with your landlord. It's always best to try to talk out the issue to see what amends can be made. 

Even if you don’t have legal justification to break your lease, your landlord has a responsibility to make reasonable efforts to re-rent your unit rather than charge you for the total remaining rent due under the lease. In other words, they can’t demand the remaining months’ rent right when you leave. However, if the landlord cannot find an acceptable tenant in a reasonable amount of time, you will be liable for any payment due after subtracting your security deposit. 

You can help speed the process along, and ensure you don’t have to pay out the rest of the lease, by making it easier for your landlord to find a replacement. Give your landlord as much notice as possible - check your lease to see if you have a buyout clause and what kind of notice they require. From there, write a kind and professional letter explaining your reasons for breaking the lease, and, when possible, find a replacement tenant with good credit and references.

Is it time to move on? There’s a good chance The Charles is the right place for you. Visit our site and schedule your tour today.