What happens if I break my lease because I am relocating due to a job that I have been offered?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

What happens if I break my lease because I am relocating due to a job that I have been offered?

Am I responsible for any fees, etc? Also, I am submitting my 2 weeks notice at work, however is there anything protecting me from not getting fired for giving up my 2 weeks notice. I’m nervous that my employer with tell me to make my last day the day I gave my notice.

Asked on September 30, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Oklahoma

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

If you break your lease you are still responsible for ALL remaining rent due under it, until the end of your lease term or the landlord successfully re-rents the premises, whichever comes first. So, say that your lease expires in April 2013 and you break the lease at the end of October 2012--you would still owe rent for November 2012 through April 2013, or 6 months of rent. You might also owe any other fees in the lease, or for damage to your unit. Note that if the lease allows you to terminate the lease early on appropriate notice, you'd only owe what the lease requires you to pay--but many leases do not give you the option of early termination, and the law does not otherwise allow you to escape your lease obligations because you want to relocate for a job.

If you provide notice to your employer, your employer could treat your notice as effective immediately; the law does not require employers to respect 2 weeks notice.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption