Lease Break Frequently Asked Questions

Breaking a lease is a significant decision. We understand that life circumstances change, and we are here to help you navigate the process. Below are the answers to the most common questions regarding vacating your unit before your lease term ends.

1. What is a Lease Break Fee and why is it required?

When a lease is signed for a full year, the property’s maintenance and administrative budgets are planned around that timeline. Breaking a lease creates immediate, unbudgeted costs. The Lease Break Fee (equal to one month’s rent) helps cover:

• Advertising Costs: Significant resources are required to market the unit across multiple platforms to find a qualified replacement quickly.
• Administrative Labor: Staff time for processing new applications, conducting additional inspections, and managing the legal paperwork of a mid-cycle turnover.
• Increased Maintenance: Frequent “turns” mean more frequent painting, professional cleaning, and utility management (switching power/water back into the owner’s name), which costs the owner significantly more than a standard annual turnover.

2. Does paying the Lease Break Fee mean I stop paying rent?

No. The Lease Break Fee is a processing fee to initiate the re-rental efforts; it is not a substitute for rent. Per your lease agreement, you remain responsible for:

• Monthly Rent: You must continue paying rent until a new tenant is found and their lease begins, or until your original lease expires (whichever comes first).
• Utilities: You must keep all utilities in your name and the power turned on until your move-out date.

3. How do I start the process?

To officially begin the lease break process, you must:

1. Provide a written 60-day notice to vacate.
2. Pay the Lease Break Fee (one month’s rent) at the time the notice is submitted.

Note: Management cannot begin advertising the unit or seeking a new tenant until the Lease Break Fee is paid in full. Delaying this payment can negatively impact our ability to find a new tenant.

4. When do I actually have to move out?

To confidently market the unit to new renters, we need a firm, guaranteed move-out date. We cannot effectively show the unit or sign a new contract while it is still occupied or if the move-out date is “flexible.”

• You must set a specific date to vacate.
• You must fully move out and return keys by that date.
• Once the unit is vacant, we can finalize the start date for the next tenant, which helps “stop the clock” on your rent responsibility.

5. Can you just take the fee out of my Security Deposit?

The security deposit is primarily held to cover physical damages to the unit or unpaid balances after you have vacated. While management reserves the right to deduct unpaid fees from the deposit, you remain legally responsible for any total balance that exceeds the deposit amount—including unpaid rent, utilities, and turnover damages.

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Summary of Responsibilities

Item	Your Responsibility
Notice Period	60-Day Written Notice
Initial Payment	One Month’s Rent (Lease Break Fee)
Ongoing Rent	Until a new tenant is found or lease expires
Utilities	Must remain on and in your name until move-out
Condition	Unit must be returned in “rent-ready” condition