Breaking Lease

Jeep33

New Member
Jurisdiction
Rhode Island
I am, 85 year old, widowed, senior. I have made application for Hud housing and waiting for apartment to come available. Can I break, current, lease when apartment comes available? Thanks for your service.
 
Yes, you can "break" your lease. Anybody can "break" a lease and move out. Just understand that it's breach of contract and could come with financial consequences.

Nothing jumps out at me from the RI landlord tenant statute that allows you to break your lease without consequence just because you qualify for a HUD apartment.

See:

2017 Rhode Island General Laws :: Title 34 - Property :: Chapter 34-18 - Residential Landlord and Tenant Act

The next place you look is your lease. Does your lease have any provisions for terminating tenancy during the lease term? If it does, it usually requires you to pay the landlord a lease breaking fee. If you don't want to or can't afford it you are free to just pack up and leave and take your chances on whether the landlord sues you or not. You'll almost certainly lose your security deposit.

If you do get sued you may be judgment proof if you have no savings and just get social security and other protected retirement income.
 
I suspect the best thing you can do is tell your landlord well in advance what your intention is and get permission to end your lease early.
 
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