landlord wants me to pay rent for remaining month of lease

[chitwoodk]

I signed a 1-yr lease last Aug 28, 2007. My landlord set up an appointment for July 29, 2008 of this year for me to sign a renewal lease, one month BEFORE my lease was up. I started looking for another apt because I didn't want to sign a renewal lease and not be able to get out of it without undue stress.

I found an apt, so I told my landlord that I would be moving. I told her on Tues, July 29, 2008 that I was moving on Fri., Aug 1, 2008. I didn't give her 30 days notice because I had just found out about the apt on that same tues that I notified my landlord. Now, my ex-landlord is trying to charge me for August's rent, even though I'm not there. My lease states that I don't get my security deposit back if I don't notify my landlord within 30 days that I'm moving, but not that I owe the remaining month(s') rent if I moved before my lease was up.

Since the stipulation of paying the remaining month's rent when moving out before the lease is up WASN'T in the lease and my landlord was having me sign a renewal lease ONE MONTH EARLY, how can my ex-landlord hold me to that last month's rent?

 

[presutin]

Check the landlord/tenant laws in your state and if the landlord is in violation of the law, then you should not pay for the month's rent she is trying to charge you.

 

[jacksgal]

In many states you will find you do owe this money. Why? Simple you did not give 30 day notice so Landlord did not have proper time to begin process to rerent Apartment. You, in theory, cost him one months rent. I think you will find the law will back Landlord on this. How would you like to be told to leave within a week and not 30 days? I cannot give you your states laws as I dont see where you listed your state

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

Your orginal one year lease ends at the end of August, 2008.

Even if you had given your landlord the required 30 day notice, you would still owe for the remaining month(s) on your lease or until he finds another tenant to replace you. The fact that you no longer live there plays no role in this.

Since you gave him all of three days notice that you were moving out, he had no time to find a replacement tenant for the month of August.

Gail