- A lease is a binding agreement between a landlord and a tenant. The contract identifies the origination date of tenancy, the tenant's name and the address of the rental property, including the tenant's unit number. Most contracts offer instructions regarding service bills for the premises. Typically, all service bills are payable until the termination date of the lease.
- If you sign a fixed term tenancy agreement, you cannot vacate the rental property unless both parties agree to it. A tenant seeking to break a lease can request in writing to end the lease agreement before the termination date. However, all parties must agree in writing and approve any financial penalties associated with ending the lease early.
- A landlord has a legal right to reject a request to end a lease agreement early and to say that "the lease stays in force until the agreed-upon termination date." The landlord can argue in court that your signature binds you to fulfill the terms and conditions of the lease exactly as it is written. A court may find that since you did not fulfill the terms and conditions of the agreement, you owe the landlord financial penalties.
- Most state courts require a landlord to make a reasonable effort to find a new tenant to occupy a vacant unit. Such requirements are for the protection of the tenant. A landlord cannot take action to accelerate the damage incurred from the early termination of a lease. Typically, a judge will order you to pay the landlord for the rent lost while the apartment is vacant.