Breaking apartment leases?

[cjb1514]

So, here's my situation. I live with two roommates and my girlfriend in Crawford Square. Three of us are on the lease, but my girlfriend isn't.

My two roommates decided that they were going to move without telling me or her, leaving us with the $1000 rent. Which is bull****.

So, we found a new place. And we want to move out before the month is up. Which is in three days. I need to take myself off the lease, so I'm not stuck paying rent for next month. Because I won't be there a single day of Feb.

So, if two people are still on the lease, but I go off of it, is it still 'breaking' the lease? Do you think I'll have to pay a fine? How much are fines in Pittsburgh? Do you think they'll take me off it before Feburary if I talk to them tomorrow?

Thanks.

[PVarck31]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

So, here's my situation. I live with two roommates and my girlfriend in Crawford Square. Three of us are on the lease, but my girlfriend isn't.

My two roommates decided that they were going to move without telling me or her, leaving us with the $1000 rent. Which is bull****.

So, we found a new place. And we want to move out before the month is up. Which is in three days. I need to take myself off the lease, so I'm not stuck paying rent for next month. Because I won't be there a single day of Feb.

So, if two people are still on the lease, but I go off of it, is it still 'breaking' the lease? Do you think I'll have to pay a fine? How much are fines in Pittsburgh? Do you think they'll take me off it before Feburary if I talk to them tomorrow?

Thanks.

I have been in a similar situation before. I lived in Columbus, and I came home to my roomate and his buddy loading up a uhaul with 5 months left on the lease. I obviously couldn't afford to pay everything myself. I ended up leaving and coming back to Akron. I told my landlord about the situation, she wasn't sympathetic at all. She told me I still owed rent, blah blah blah. I never paid a dime and she didn't pursue any legal action on me. So I guess its a risk. But bottom line is, as far as I know, You are still legally obligated to pay rent, as are your roomates.

[Chaos81]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

In Kansas, at least 8 years ago when I dealt with the same crap, both parties had to consent to someone getting of the lease. Obviously if your roommates already moved out, they won't want to be the only ones stuck with it, so there isn't much of a chance of that.

I'd would call the apartment complex and ask what it takes to get one person off the lease, as things might be different, but I wouldn't count on them taking you off without the consent of your roommates.


If that's not possible, your best bet, coming from what I experienced, is to call your old roommates, tell them the situation, and tell them you all need to go to the apartment complex, and pay the fees for breaking the lease early. It will cost quite a bit, but it's better than just walking out and not paying, and having the apartment complex suing you for the money.

I couldn't get a hold of my old roommates, and couldn't afford to pay two rents, so I ended up getting sued by the apartment complex. Not fun at all. If you end up in that situation, and have to pay the money, get a loan, call family, do whatever you can to not walk out without paying anything, you do not want to get sued. (Sounds obvious I know, but quite a few people don't realize how bad it is.)

Hopefully this helps a little bit.

[Scottdau]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

The only problem is you better not need them for a reference for your next place.

[cjb1514]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

They haven't moved out yet, but are planning to within the next month or so. We found out their plans by finding their Craigslist papers all over the place. And when we asked them, they told us they were planning on moving out and were 'going to tell us when they found a place'. So, no. They will still be here. I just need to get off the lease.

[Chaos81]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

They haven't moved out yet, but are planning to within the next month or so. We found out their plans by finding their Craigslist papers all over the place. And when we asked them, they told us they were planning on moving out and were 'going to tell us when they found a place'. So, no. They will still be here. I just need to get off the lease.

Ahh, okay. I misunderstood you.


Rereading what you wrote, there shouldn't be any fines as long as your roommates agree to get you off the lease. I know there weren't any fees when a friend transferred her lease over to another friend. That was in Kansas, and the laws could be different where you are.

I think the real problem will be getting your roommates to agree to let you off the lease, if in fact that's required.

[PVarck31]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

I don't understand the "roommates letting you out of the lease". When you sign a lease you are legally bound to pay the entire amount of rent for the specified time period. Unless you mean they will agree to pay the entire amount of the remainder of the lease, and not hold you responsible for it. Maybe I didn't read it right.

[Chaos81]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

When you sign a lease you are legally bound to pay the entire amount of rent for the specified time period.

Which is why he needs to go to the apartment complex and have them take his name off the lease. In Kansas, when I dealt with this (8 years ago), if both sides agree, one person can take their name off the lease.

If he doesn't get his name off the lease, he's going to get screwed unless he can pay the rent. Hence why I told him if he couldn't get his name off, beg, borrow, steal, do whatever he as to do to pay the rent, and not let it go to the courts.

[DocHolliday]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

It sounds to me like your roomate's are pissed that you brought the girlfriend into the dude pad. That's breaking a rule right there.

That said I doubt they are going to agree to pay your remainding amount just because they like you. I sure as hell wouldn't.

You could try to find a sub leaser and stick them with a freak show for awhile.

[cjb1514]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

^they wanted us(me and my girl) to move in with them. There was no problem with my girl moving in. We have been living with each other for 6 months. We had an agreement that we would stay and live with each other until we graduate. They were making plans behind are backs about upgrading and moving out when there lease was up which is by april. Im real mad because they weren't going to tell us until they found a place leaving us unprepared and ****ed with either(moving out and finding a place in a limited amount of time or staying and paying $1000 for the rent) I want to f*ck them so bad. I told them that if they were looking that they should of told us about it so we could look to but they didn't want us to know because it would of made it harder for them to find houses in Pittsburgh if we were lookin to.

Me and my girl just found a place and we are ready to move in a day. We want to get off the lease because we don't want to pay for Februarys rent if we aren't going to live there. They tried to F&%k us, now we are doing the same to them. We just need to get off the lease before february. I would be more then happy to make them pay 1000 for rent because they were gonna do the same thing to us when there leases ended.

[the_future420]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

This is precisely why I never want a roomate. I only want to be responsible for me.

[yamabushi]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?


Let us know when your on.

[Rawdeal28]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

obviously they got tired of u and ur girlfriend.

[kehlis]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

do you split the rent three ways or four ways?

[PVarck31]

Re: Breaking apartment leases?

Obviously I don't know your roommates, but I seriously doubt they are gonna be okay with paying your part of the rent for the rest of the lease.