It's not uncommon for someone to rent a home or apartment--after all, it's easier, cheaper, and more affordable for individuals who are hoping to save their earnings towards buying a home in the future. Getting into a residential lease (a contractual agreement between the renter and the landlord) isn't hard most of the time, but what do you do when you need to get out of a contract before the official end date? The process of ending a lease before it officially expires can be initiated by either the tenant or the landlord--and each situation has it's own unique set of laws. Either way, ending a lease before its time is up can be tricky, and may require the help and advice of an expert lawyer who can help you do the right thing.
Termination of a Lease by a Landlord
Despite popular belief, a landlord cannot immediately end a lease or evict a tenant without following a strict procedure. Your landlord must give you the proper notice (normally at least thirty days) before the eviction process begins. Additionally, a court proceeding must be held before anything is final, so don't worry if you find yourself receiving an eviction notice--you'll get the chance to tell your story to the judge, who may rule in your favor.
Tenants Hoping to End a Lease
There are plenty of valid reasons that you as the tenant may want to end your lease before the official agreement is up, from a move involving work to simply finding out about a nicer place for a cheaper price. Whatever your reason may be, you can't simply walk away from the legal agreement you've made in your contract. If you have an especially nice landlord, they might be willing to work with you to try to end your lease early--but they're under no legal obligation to do so. Unless you are able to legally terminate your contact in court, you could be asked to continue paying rent until your contract is up.
Getting Legal Help
Whether you're a landlord or a tenant, keep in mind that navigating the process of ending a lease early isn't easy--and doing it wrong could leave you with a penalty or even a lawsuit. Hiring a knowledgeable attorney who can help you to understand the options in your situation is not only smart, but essentially needed if you want to complete the process with minimal problems. Cover your bases and ask a lawyer like Flett Manning Moore what your options might be to end your residential lease before the official end date comes.
Share19 March 2015
The laws governing child custody and guardianship can be confusing. As a family attorney, I have helped many clients gain legal guardianship over a foster child or a relative's child. Getting legal guardianship of a child you are caring for is important because you need to be able to make decisions about that child's education, health care and other matters. This blog will help you navigate the world of legal guardianship and show you how to take steps to get guardianship over a child whether the child's parents are cooperative or not. Legal guardianship does matter even if a child is not going to be adopted. I hope to help people find the way to get this done.
