Reasons to Break a Lease

• Reasons to break a lease vary from one situation to another. A tenant may have a job transfer, find unsuitable living conditions or damage to a property, or become ill or unemployed. Most leases provide opt out clauses for many reasons, however, not all valid reasons to break a lease work in favor of the tenant.
  
  

Penalties for Breaking a Lease

• Penalties for breaking a lease can range from not being eligible for a refund of any of the security deposit to paying large fees equivalent to the months of the lease contracted for and not paid. For example, if a tenant breaks a lease with five months remaining on the contract, he could be responsible for paying five months of rent, regardless of whether or not he is living there.
  
  

Considerations

• Reviewing a lease contract before signing is crucial. It is possible to negotiate a residential lease contract regarding sections about breaking a lease if a renter has representation from a real estate agent or attorney.