[pelle27]

I have signed a lease with 3 other people that the owner/landlord of the house says to be a year long lease. The lease states that "the resident agrees to rent said premises on a month-to-month basis for not less than 12 months under the following conditions." In condition number 16 it states.
Termination:
This agreement shall continue from month to month on the terms and conditions set forth herein until terminated by either party giving the other party written notice as to the date of termination at least thirty (30) days prior to the end of any monthly period.

Am I able to give 30 days notice at any time during the year that would allow me to have my name taken off the lease?

[LisaB4657]

Wow. Whoever wrote that lease really messed up.

First try talking to your landlord and see if you can work something out. If you can't work it out and if the landlord sues you then there's a pretty good chance a judge will find in your favor. That's because when a legal document is ambiguous then it is ruled in favor of the person who "didn't" write it.

[ChihuahuaMomma]

Lisa, I was thinking the same thing. It says "month-to-month" more than once, that's the opposite of a lease, isn't it?

[LisaB4657]

It sounds like they tried to make sure that they got at least 12 months out of the tenant and that it would automatically become a month-to-month after that. It would have been fine if they had stated that the Termination clause began after the first 12 months had passed.

[lovinu88]

You may want to seek counsel. Becareful, leases are wrote funny and can be confusing. If you leave before the "lease" is up you may have to pay month to month for the remainder of the lease.

Best advise would bo to seek a lawyer

[ChihuahuaMomma]

I would suggest talking to the landlord first. I've been in the same situation and my landlord let me break the lease as long as I found someone to take my place on the lease (that the other roommates approved of).