I am taking a new job in Ft. Lauderdale as a high school math teacher. I have given the 60 day vacate premises notice required by the lease. The landlord is stating that I am responsible for the entire amount of the lease. To be paid on a monthly basis(which ends in OCT '07. I will be leasing a new place in FT. Lauderdale for $600/month and my current apt is $820/month. On a teachers salary I cannot afford both. I am moving from Melbourne, fl to Ft. Lauderdale, fl 175 miles away. Can a lease contract conceivable keep the tenant from a job transfer and or career growth? I have lived here 4 years and they have asked me to sign a lease every 12 months. Which doesn't appear to be normal for the area. Most landlords go month to month after the first year. Are their any provisions or remedies that are available to this situation. The landlord is offering to allow me to pay a 2 months rent penalty when I move out. Which is still $1640 I would have to borrow to pay. Is that my only option here?

Hello boochie:

Geez. It's not math, but you should have at least some sort of grounding in civil law. You are college educated.

Can a contract conceivably keep you from "career growth"?? You becha! What do you think a contract means?? I'll follow it if I can?? No, teacher. It means, I'll follow it, because I'll get sued if I don't.

They asked you to sign a lease. You could have said no. You didn't. Doesn't matter what's normal. You did, what you did.

If he's going to let you off the hook with a two month penalty, that's a very, VERY good deal.

excon

You should have checked your "options" for cancelling your current lease BEFORE accepting your new position and THEN discussed your "moving costs" with new school.

Read your lease and then have a F2F discussion with your landlord about your options.