Can I break lease?

[Bon]

I want to break the lease on the place I'm currently renting and move elsewhere.

I share with someone else and co-signed a lease with them.

What can I do? I'm willing to forfeit my bond money as it's only 2 weeks worth of rent, so $1k. But, at the same time I don't want to get myself black listed or anything.

 

[wylie]

If the other person on the lease is agreeable, you could ask to be released. That means the one left is responsible for the whole of the rent, so he/she may or may not want you to go.

We had three young tenants sign a lease. One left after a year, the second left in another year. Each time, we were consulted and agreed to refund a portion of the bond, which was to be replaced by another tenant. We were happy to meet a replacement tenant, add them to the lease and continue like that.

It can work, but you have to okay it with your flatmate and also the PM.

Your bond has nothing to do with it really. If your flatmate doesn't want to be left with the lease on his own, I am not sure what happens. Legally, you are liable, but in reality I don't know how things would pan out. If you both want to leave, you are both liable for costs to find a new tenant and any loss of rent while a new tenant is found.

 

[Bon]

Cool, so basically if I find someone else willing to move in that I can sign the lease over to, I can up and leave?

I'm pretty certain it's just me who wants to leave, he needs this place for car parking for his precious $60k car he has a loan for.

 

[wylie]

It is my understanding that as long as the property manager checks out the new person and accepts him, and your flatmate is happy, then there should not be a problem.

 

[Bon]

awesome, thanks a lot wylie!!

 

[wylie]

No problems Bon. I would suggest you make sure if you do find someone that everyone else is happy to replace you, that the correct forms are submitted to get your portion of the bond back and to make sure that your name comes off the lease.

Please don't take my word for this, because we self manage, but this is how we have done things, with the guidance of the Residential Tenancies Association. The remaining tenant also asked us to do an inspection so that if there was anything we were not happy about, it would not come from HIS bond at the end, so that is something to sort out too, if there is any damage.

Of course, it all depends on your flatmate agreeing and more importantly, the property manager agreeing to the substitution.

Good luck.

 

[Peterw]

Bon, I wholly agree with Wylie, talk to your PM sooner than later, and have them on side and they will help you with the process, so that no one is disadvantaged.