How to Break Your Lease Without Penalty in Florida
If the home or apartment of your dreams has turned into a bona fide real estate nightmare and you are simply renting, then you may be wondering whether or not you can break your lease. This can be tricky because Florida landlord-tenant law has some very definitive rules on the binding nature of a lease, though there may be some ways to get out of the contract without incurring a penalty.
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Instructions
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Read over your lease document carefully to determine whether there are any clauses to let you out without penalty. Sometimes, a landlord will include clauses regarding a medical condition or job relocation as a possible reason to allow you to break your lease without incurring the remainder of the balance as a debt.
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Determine whether or not your home is a safe and hazard-free space. According to the Tampa Bay Online site, the state of Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stipulates that your home must be "a healthy, properly maintained place for you to live."
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Document hazards in the home, so you have a leg to stand on. It isn't enough to simply determine there's a hazard, pack up and move out, and sign a new lease elsewhere. The hazards must fall into categories qualified under Florida law, and there is a legally prescribed process that must be followed, starting with the documentation of the hazard and a formal request to the landlord to take care of it. If he does not timely remedy the situation, then you may have grounds to terminate the lease without penalty.
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Consult with a legal professional. Even if you know that your home is hazardous and that you have the right to break the lease without penalty, it's still a good idea to consult with a legal professional in the Sunshine State. He can tell you how to proceed with breaking the lease and what steps you need to take to protect yourself legally and financially.
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