Getting out of a lease due to neighborhood violence

[AmandaG1234]

Jurisdiction

Texas

So my husband and I currently livery in south Austin Texas in an apartment complex. A few weeks ago we traveled out of state and the night before we came home we found out that there was a shooting in our complex. A 18 year old was shot in the head and remains in critical condition and the suspects are still on the loose. Now I would have thought that the complex would have made some sort of statement about that but they never did. I used to go walking every morning but now I'm terrified as a 20 year old woman that something will happen. My husband got a job offer in another state so we are wanting to move due to that and not feeling safe. We have 4 months left on our lease. Is there any way we can legally break our lease without paying for the next 4 months. Any help or advise would be great. Thanks.

 

[army judge]

So my husband and I currently livery in south Austin Texas in an apartment complex. A few weeks ago we traveled out of state and the night before we came home we found out that there was a shooting in our complex. A 18 year old was shot in the head and remains in critical condition and the suspects are still on the loose. Now I would have thought that the complex would have made some sort of statement about that but they never did. I used to go walking every morning but now I'm terrified as a 20 year old woman that something will happen. My husband got a job offer in another state so we are wanting to move due to that and not feeling safe. We have 4 months left on our lease. Is there any way we can legally break our lease without paying for the next 4 months. Any help or advise would be great. Thanks.

Read your lease.
The lease governs how it can be broken legally.
One shooting in most cities, these days, isn't enough to justify breaking a lease for FREE.
Talk to your LL or property manager.
Most are willing to work with you for a negotiated price.

 

[adjusterjack]

We have 4 months left on our lease. Is there any way we can legally break our lease without paying for the next 4 months

You have no "legal" grounds for breaking your lease under Texas landlord tenant law.

What your financial consequences would be depends on the terms and conditions of your lease.

You basically have two choices:

1 - Leave and continue to pay rent, giving the LL no incentive to re-rent until the 4 months are up.

2 - Leave and pay nothing more. That might give you some negotiating leverage for a reasonable lump sum buyout (in writing) because the LL would have to be a bit foolish to let a unit stay empty when no money is coming in.

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

."My husband got a job offer in another state so we are wanting to move due to that"

Let's be honest here. This is the real reason you wish to break your lease.

Gail