Breaking a Lease Can landlord make me pay the remaining rent months of lease?

[rentmycondo]

I am on a one year 'lease' at a condo in the state of Georgia. The landlord lives in Florida. When I signed the lease 8 months ago, my landlord did not have renter's rights approved by the condo association and did not disclose to me that she was not authorized at that time so basically I signed an illegal contract. I have four months left on the lease.I want to move out now because the landlord has not been good about repairs. The landlord just got renter's rights last month (Feb 2014). Because she was not authorized to lease her condo during the time of signing, am I obligated to fulfill the terms of the lease? Is the lease null and void? Can I move without grounds for having to pay the remaining rent for the time I am not there? Am I obligated to have my refundable security deposit? I have emails and the lease proving the dates were during the time she did not have permission to rent. Landlord is not willing to let me out of lease without penalty. I want to move out by May 1st and receive my refundable deposit back but she is telling me I am responsible for rent until the lease ends. Also, the oven has not been working for three months and the landlord refuses to compensate me or have the oven fixed. Please advise. Thanks.

 

[army judge]

I am on a one year 'lease' at a condo in the state of Georgia. The landlord lives in Florida. When I signed the lease 8 months ago, my landlord did not have renter's rights approved by the condo association and did not disclose to me that she was not authorized at that time so basically I signed an illegal contract. I have four months left on the lease.I want to move out now because the landlord has not been good about repairs. The landlord just got renter's rights last month (Feb 2014). Because she was not authorized to lease her condo during the time of signing, am I obligated to fulfill the terms of the lease? Is the lease null and void? Can I move without grounds for having to pay the remaining rent for the time I am not there? Am I obligated to have my refundable security deposit? I have emails and the lease proving the dates were during the time she did not have permission to rent. Landlord is not willing to let me out of lease without penalty. I want to move out by May 1st and receive my refundable deposit back but she is telling me I am responsible for rent until the lease ends. Also, the oven has not been working for three months and the landlord refuses to compensate me or have the oven fixed. Please advise. Thanks.

You have a contract that can in all likelihood be enforced, should you try to wiggle out of it four months early.
Life offers few guarantees and sure deals, and those that claim such, are usually SCAMS.

I'd use my remaining four months to secure better housing.

You're 2/3 of the way through already.

 

[rentmycondo]

Hi. Thanks for replying. My issue is that I have already another place. The deal is perfect for my job situation and location. I don't want to miss out and I don't want to have to pay double. i thought that "you could not enforce an illegal contract." if the landlord has no legal rights to rent per her signed agreement with the condo association, how is the agreement even legal?? That's like me stealing a car and selling/financing it to someone and making them pay me for the car. She never had the right to rent. Please advise.

 

[fletcherrhoden]

They can't make you do anything -- but the courts can. Let him sue you. First, give him 30 days notice, let him bring prospective tenants in during your last month, keep it extra clean. All he wants is a filled apartment, and he (or she) doesn't care if it's you or Batman or whomever, as long as they're on the lease. So be obliging and your landlord will be too. If not, just leave and let him sue you. Show the judge copies of your 30-day notice, of your allowance for showings, take pictures of how good the place looks. Even in the worst case, you'll only be liable for the months during which the apartment is empty, and your landlord is gonna keep those to a minimum because he knows he may not prevail in court, but he certainly has to pay his own mortgage on that building. Nobody wants to go to court, remember that. If they do, just do your best and then face a judge -- decisions are almost always in favor of the renter anyway, just to let you know. Your landlord knows that, but he figures you don't. Now you do.

 

[rentmycondo]

Have you ever been in a similar situation?? The landlord also told me in January "if i wasn't happy she would let me leave with no termination fees by the 20th" of last month but this was out of retaliation for me asking for repairs on the unit and I told her no because I was not prepared to move as it was only three weeks notice .I have this conversation on record via email. Now when i told her I'd like to take her up on her offer she tells me "no, you had your chance, you are responsible for the remainder of your lease." Can you also advise about the appliance? The oven has not been working for two whole months and she refuses to fix it but yet demands full rent and will not provide compensation.