My family and I have been living in the same townhouse for 20 years. We still have to original carpeting from 20 years ago in the whole townhouse except for in the kitchen, which they so kindly replaced about 12 years ago. We are trying to move out, but they are being sticklers about breaking the lease a month before the lease is due to be resigned. I need to know more information about apartment rules and regulations before I threaten them with a lawsuit.

Your title and your question do not really match. No rules about carpet and your lease likely spells out what you can and can't do. You can't just break a lease, that puts you in an illegal position. If you leave early you owe rent until the lease ends or the unit is re-rented to a new tenant

Some landlords do not change carpets until after the tenant moves out. Where I lived the policy was every nine years, but the management never followed that.

Check your lease. If you have a landlord-tenant association where you live you can ask what is the acceptable rule. If you have a Fair-Housing Association where you live you can ask them also for a copy of landlord-tenant rights/obligations.

About breaking the lease - look in your lease and see if there are provisions for early termination. Sometimes there are - but there is usually a cost. If you are only a month away from resigning the lease - why not just wait till that time and not renew and then you are able to move?