need advice on breaking apartment lease

dry_kill · 10-21-2009, 09:01 AM

well im getting my house built and im supposed to close on it on november 25th. I am currently in a lease with the apartments i am in until february. i cant afford to pay off the other 3 months for the apartment on top of a house note. my question is, if i just stop paying the apartment after november, when i move out, will my credit score get messed up as well as my renters history or what? i dont really care about renters history since im going to be in this house for many years to come, but i have good credit and really dont want to mess it up. thanks

ive asked this on another forum but want to get as much feedback as possible. what im thinking is that not paying the other months will be kind of like a high cell phone bill. it will show up on your credit but really wont effect anything accept if you wanted to get another cell phone. im thinking if i dont pay the other 3 months then it will just hurt me if i try to get another apartment. please shed some light on this for me

deelong4002 · 10-21-2009, 09:04 AM

depends on the amount of money, but they might want to take you to court for the remainder. You could try and ask them to get out of it. If you give them decent notice, they might not be shitty about it.

DlXlE · 10-21-2009, 10:35 AM

My sister just did the same thing. I believe she had to pay a fee to terminate the contract early, but it was cheaper than paying off the left over months.
I believe if you don't pay they will take you to court to get their money. You might need to talk to a lawyer over this one.

dry_kill · 10-21-2009, 12:06 PM

already talked to the manager of the complex, said i only had 2 options, to pay the fee to break the lease or pay the remaining months. pretty much to break the lease its $1900 bucks, if i pay the remainding months then it will be $2500

bondosgto · 10-21-2009, 12:53 PM

break the lease, make sure you give your 20 or 30 day notice. if you dont, that CAN mess up your credit

01ssreda4 · 10-21-2009, 12:57 PM

Fuck them. Move into your house and don't worry with those vulchers.

dry_kill · 10-21-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bondosgto

break the lease, make sure you give your 20 or 30 day notice. if you dont, that CAN mess up your credit

give them a 30 day notice that im moving out and not paying anything?

slayerized6 · 10-21-2009, 02:41 PM

1- sublet the apartment for those few months

2- get them to violate their own contract. If its a "no pets allowed" complex and a neighbor has a pet, that will void the contract and you can get out

3- suck the manager's ****

ULTIMATEORANGESS · 10-21-2009, 02:46 PM

i thought if you talk to mngt. and they can get it rented right away they'll let you out of your lease. did you give them a security deposit? i broke a lease yrs ago. i let them know. they got the apt. rented and gave me my security deposit back with interest.

DownSouthWS6 · 10-21-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01ssreda4

Fuck them. Move into your house and don't worry with those vulchers.

haha vulchers? but seriously, no, that seems like a bad idea. they might come after you like a VULTURE.

oh, and see if you cant sublease it. i had a friend who just did that.

XtremeBBQ · 10-21-2009, 03:06 PM

1900$? every apt ive lived in has usually had a fine equal to 1 months rent for a penalty of breaking it.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed · 10-21-2009, 03:11 PM

Can you work out a payment plan with your landlord? Ask if they are willing to be flexible.

slayerized6 · 10-21-2009, 03:16 PM

look at your lease agreement and see what terms are listed for breaking a lease early. He probably made the $1900 up himself.

DlXlE · 10-21-2009, 03:52 PM

I would say the $1900 is not just made up. I figure someone is rounding their figures since that is so close to 75% of the total if he stayed.
+1 on sublease though. Your best bet would be to charge less than your paying. You might still lose some money, but it should be less than 1900

LS6427 · 10-21-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dry_kill

well im getting my house built and im supposed to close on it on november 25th. I am currently in a lease with the apartments i am in until february. i cant afford to pay off the other 3 months for the apartment on top of a house note. my question is, if i just stop paying the apartment after november, when i move out, will my credit score get messed up as well as my renters history or what? i dont really care about renters history since im going to be in this house for many years to come, but i have good credit and really dont want to mess it up. thanks

ive asked this on another forum but want to get as much feedback as possible. what im thinking is that not paying the other months will be kind of like a high cell phone bill. it will show up on your credit but really wont effect anything accept if you wanted to get another cell phone. im thinking if i dont pay the other 3 months then it will just hurt me if i try to get another apartment. please shed some light on this for me

I don't know about the laws in Texas, but here in Florida if you are moving 50 or more miles away from your current residence (your apartment right now) for a new job or to change jobs....then the apartment/landlord or whatever must by law cancel your lease without any costs, fees or credit reporting. Clean break.

Check to see if thats the law in Texas, I would think there's laws like that everywhere.

If you need a letter I can give you one from my company here in Florida. Just PM me your info. I've done this for 5-6 people over the past 10 years so they can get out of their leases.

Fucked up thing is if you pay the $1,900 or whatever....if they rent your old place in 2 weeks from when you leave....they sure as hell won't call you to come pick up a part of that $1,900.

Its all scams.....get them before they get you.

.

dry_kill · 10-21-2009, 06:33 PM

well i say $1900 cuz i have to pay nomvembers rent, decemders rent, and a reletting fee, which is $650 each month, and the reletting fee is $645. i wouldnt mind paying it but they need the $645 this week, and my rent is due this week as well. cant come up with $1300 by this friday, especially since i had to spend $450 bucks last week on my girls car

Vicinity · 10-21-2009, 06:36 PM

Get kicked out.

dry_kill · 10-21-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicinity

Get kicked out.

that crossed my mind as well

demonspeed · 10-21-2009, 08:58 PM

If you don't mind me asking, what management company is this?

You have your two options. Those are your only options -- if that is outlined in the lease agreement. That is the key factor here. You need to get a copy of your lease agreement.

The options you were presented sound pretty normal and reasonable. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you received any move-in specials or incentives, you may be required to repay everything received to date.

Another option may be a lease transfer or takeover. Many places do not allow a sublease. What they may be willing to do is if you bring someone in to take over your lease for the remainder, they may be able to add them as a roommate, then remove you from the lease and release all responsibility to the remaining roommate. You would probably forfeit your security deposit, but that would be much cheaper -- and whoever is taking over the lease may essentially be getting a very short-term lease without a short-term premium.

You are breaking you lease. A lease is a legal document that you signed and agreed to. This is no different than defaulting on the contract you signed on your house. To those thinking you can just "fuck the management company" -- you're the easiest to win a court case against. I really wouldn't just "walk away". You never know when it could come back to bite you, and you may end up in court or collections.

FWIW, this is what I do for a living.

Pro Stock John · 10-21-2009, 10:02 PM

As a former owner of a two flat, I can tell you a lease is a legal agreement. Maybe you can work something out if they re-rent your place earlier.