Trying to Move to Cheaper Apartment But There's a Catch...

[SnowWtch]

I'm working on finding a cheaper place to live and my current lease ends March 31. I get the last two months free as part of my last renewal but they have a catch in the lease that says if I move out before the end of the lease I have to pay for the free months. Does that mean I can't move till March 31? Could I move earlier like February or the beginning of March and leave the unit vacant till it's up? I'm not sure how this stuff works. Any ideas?

 

[Robinrs]

The two free months were a promotion that is only applicable if you sign for (in this instance) a full year. They have the precise verbage in your lease, you might want to take a second and read thru it.

If you abandon the apartment you will still be legally bound to pay the rent. In other words you're better off staying the full lease term. There may be even MORE fees including loss of your security deposit (if you have one).

Plan on moving April 1st...

 

[mybabesuz]

Two free months of rent is a lot of Disney Dollars.
I would plan to move on April 1st too...

 

[pyrxtc]

You can move whenever you ant as long as you let them know you will be out by April 1st. They don't have to know you are not living there, just make sure to keep checking on the place to assure there is nothing bad going on there. I would just pay my January rent and then feel free to move all of my stuff out any time after that and write a letter to then landlord saying you will be out by April 1st so they can find a new tenent for that date. You have no obligation to actually keep your stuff there or sleep there every night. Just don't write the letter saying you will be out the before March 31 or it will be breach of contract

 

[SnowWtch]

I don't think it would be possible to move and clean the place all in one day. The person who lived above us was gone for 3 months before he came and cleaned the place to officially move. A lot of students are gone for months at a time and no one cares as long as the rent is paid. I was thinking of doing sort of the same thing but moving beginning of March to get the place clean by the end of March since the lease officially ends March 31. I figured I could do the walkthrough on that date. At least 30 days before that give the management a letter just stating that we aren't going to renew. I didn't think I had to give a date but could just leave it as the end of the lease with them.