Landlord Terminating Lease

[concrned_tenant]

My landlord is terminating the lease early because he is moving back to the area. We reside in VA. We signed a two year lease in Aug 04 and found out (in Nov 04) via a third party the landlord intended to move back in. We pressed our property manager for info and they finally admitted the landlord was coming back in Aug 05. This would make a 11 month rental. The lease contains a clause for the landlord to terminate early if he recieves unexpected orders to return to the area. My concern is they entered into the 2 year lease with false pretenses and always knew there was a good chance they'd be coming back early. I have four kids and specifically wanted a 2 year lease for some family stability. I never would have moved in if I thought there was a chance it wouldn't be for two years. Do I have any recourse?

 

[mike]

My landlord is terminating the lease early because he is moving back to the area. We reside in VA. We signed a two year lease in Aug 04 and found out (in Nov 04) via a third party the landlord intended to move back in. We pressed our property manager for info and they finally admitted the landlord was coming back in Aug 05. This would make a 11 month rental. The lease contains a clause for the landlord to terminate early if he recieves unexpected orders to return to the area. My concern is they entered into the 2 year lease with false pretenses and always knew there was a good chance they'd be coming back early. I have four kids and specifically wanted a 2 year lease for some family stability. I never would have moved in if I thought there was a chance it wouldn't be for two years. Do I have any recourse?

If the wording of the lease gives the landlord right to do so, you have no right to say that his moving back was under "false pretenses." If there was no chance then you should have insisted that this provision should have been removed. It is probably better to say that you thought it so remote as to not ever happen and unfortunately it did. Maybe the landlord honestly thought he wouldn't be coming back but these things happen. It likely won't matter because the rights are right there on the paper you read, understood and signed.