As a legal resident alien working here in Florida I have now lost my job due to downsizing.

I need to return to Canada and therefore need to get out of my lease 3 months early.

Can the landlord/management charge me not only a $565. Penalty but they are also going back to the date we move in to charge the new market price for the time we have occupied the apartment, plus for the three remaining months? (they consider this as a concession we received when we moved in...but the price of rental at that time was only $919 and now want to back charge $1013?)

I haven't had a pay check, and will no longer receive on, so I don't have the monies to pay this exhorbent amount.

What can I do?

Yerdua

Hello yerdua:

It's not cheap, but it's not exhorbent. You accepted a discount in exchange for agreeing to stay for at least one year. You're not going to do that, so why should you still get the discount? The answer is, you shouldn't.

Next, in Florida, the landlord can charge you for the balance of your lease. In every other state, the landlord has to mitigate your losses, but not in FLORIDA.

He's probably going to sue you. I'm sure a judgment will follow you back to Canada, and will last 8 years or more. I'd try to make a deal with him.

excon