If I have a 9 mo lease and need to break it 5 month's early, what would be my legal penalty and obligation. I live in Clearwater Fl. I know a law was recently passed that said if you broke a lease you would be required to pay 2 month's rent plus I know I would lose my deposit. That would all be fine with me, I just wouldn't want to pay the total lease off.

Please help,

Ramona

Hello Ramona:

You're going to have to refer me to that law, because my understanding of Florida law is different. As a matter of fact, the landlord doesn't have to rent it out, and can collect from you for the entire length of the lease.

I hope your information is better than mine. That law needs to be changed. NO other state in the union allows landlords to rip off their tenants like that.

excon

Thank you for your answer. I did go back and reviewed the Florida Landlords Can Charge Renters Who Break Lease Two Month Penalty (http://michaelemilio.com/2007/florida-landlords-can-charge-renters-who-break-lease-two-month-penalty/) new law and I think it says you have to pay up to 2 month's penalty. So I believe that would be in addition to the full lease amount. Check it out and tell me what you think.

I read the link you posed and my understanding of that is they can only charge you 2 months, 3 at best and keep your deposit. The 3rd is if you got a month free for a sign on bonus you would have to pay that also. But that is again just my understanding. I am having a problem at my complex and am getting ready to beark the lease. But it is a life and death thing in my complex, not the same.

i read the link you posed and my understanding of that is they can only charge you 2 months, 3 at best and keep your deposit. the 3rd is if you got a month free for a sign on bonus you would have to pay that also. but that is again just my understanding. i am having a problem at my complex and am getting ready to beark the lease. but it is a life and death thing in my complex, not the same.Hello spek:

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excon