I am an elderly 82-year-old woman who needs to move out of my third-floor apartment for medical reasons. Is there a way to break a lease without penalty because of this? I have been a tenant of the apartment complex for 23 years.

Hello,

Do you sign a lease every year or have you just signed the initial one when you moved in? If you signed the first lease, which is usually for a year, and not signed any additional leases, the occupany is month to month. So a thirty day notice would suffice.

That being said, please check with your landlord, call the Legal Assistance Agency and ask, sometimes there are staff people with the local Senior Citizens Agencies that can answer your question for your specific city/town/situation.

Best of luck to you.

Also you have certain rights if this is because of a disability also. If there is available apartments on ground floor or where you can be mobile they have some obligation to move you to one if requested with documentation.