Full question:
What if you want to break your rental lease because you became pregnant and are receiving state medical benefits due to low income and will soon have to leave the job you had, and move in with your brother which will better accommodate your life change?
- Category: Landlord Tenant
- Subcategory: Lease Termination
- Date:
- State: Connecticut
Answer:
If the lease terms don't allow for early termination, the tenant may be held liable for the remainder of the lease, unless the tenant can prove a breach of the lease terms by the landlord. However, the landlord has a duty to mitigate (lessen) damages by making reasonable attempts to relet the premises. This generally means that the landlord must advertise the premises and make attempts to show the premises to prospective tenants. It will be a matter of subjective determination for the court, based on all the facts and circumstances involved, whether reasonable attempts have been made to relet the premises. Some of the factors that may be considered, among others, include the reasons for turning down the prospective tenants and whether the landlord is in fact out of town and unable to show the premises.
It may be possible to negotiate with the landlord for early termination, although the landlord will typically want some form of compensation for letting the tenants out of the lease. She might offer to find a suitable replacement tenant as well.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
