Should I sign a new year-long lease even though I know I'll be leaving early?
August 8, 2008 1:42 PM   Subscribe

Should I sign a new year-long lease even though I know I'll be leaving early, or try to get my landlord to agree to a shorter term?

This is probably a relatively straightforward question, but I want to know if I'm asking anything out of the ordinary.

My lease ends at the end of this month, but my girlfriend and I are pretty sure we'll be leaving Chicago by the end of this year. We love our apartment, and don't want to have to move somewhere else only for a few months. Is it a reasonable request to ask our landlord if we could sign a lease that would end in a few months, rather than a full year?

Our landlord owns the condo we're living in, so it's not like we have to deal with a big association or anything. But what should we expect in this situation? Could the rent go way up based on this request?

Another possibility: perhaps we could request to go month-to-month? I'm a little averse to this because the landlord could end the contract at any time.

Any advice is helpful. Thanks
posted by josh.ev9 to Home & Garden (11 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Is it a reasonable request to ask our landlord if we could sign a lease that would end in a few months, rather than a full year?

Yes. It's also reasonable for him to say no.

perhaps we could request to go month-to-month? I'm a little averse to this because the landlord could end the contract at any time.

True, but your landlord might not want to deal with the hassle if you were going to leave in a month later anyway.
posted by grouse at 1:59 PM on August 8, 2008


It's always reasonable to ask for options. 6-month leases aren't uncommon, some places deal with 3-4 month, and certainly month-to-month is viable, although I understand the "eh" about that. Obviously, you'd need to get an alternative lease option down on paper. Subletting is an option if you're up for that kind of responsibility and, in some cases, uncertainty, though your landlord may not like that.

What about extended stay hotels? I don't know how the pricing would compare in your location and situation, but it's another option.
posted by Ky at 2:02 PM on August 8, 2008


It's totally reasonable. You might consider negotiating if your landlord is reticent, for instance, offering to pay 5% more each month for six months instead of signing a 12 month lease. However, if I were a landlord I would rather have a current tenant sign a shorter lease than have to scramble to find a new tenant.
posted by lunasol at 2:11 PM on August 8, 2008


I was able to get a slightly shorter lease. In Chicago it can be helpful to be aware of the popular renting months. Be sure your request to end your lease doesn't end it in a slow time, such as the dead of winter. (Note: Many landords you would have turned in your renewal two months ago, so that says you might be even more likely to get lucky.)
posted by ejaned8 at 2:21 PM on August 8, 2008


Whatever you do, you have to get any agreement on paper! I know that sounds totally obvious, but a friend of mine was denied her security deposit, even though the landlord granted her request to extend her lease by two months (this was in Chicago as well). He might be more amicable than you think, especially if you've been a good tenant. Like lunasol said, he may prefer to have those few extra months to find a new tenant. Just be prepared for him to show your apartment to prospective renters whenever he wants (with 24 notice, of course). Good luck.
posted by muxnaw at 2:22 PM on August 8, 2008


You might get a shorter lease, but end up paying more per month. Compare to the cost of breaking the lease (my case - 1 additional months rent). Compare the two.

Make sure you read the lease.
posted by toaster at 2:23 PM on August 8, 2008


Yeah, having a lease end near the holidays is not something a landlord wants to deal with. So if that's your time frame you might want to plan accordingly.
posted by FlamingBore at 2:24 PM on August 8, 2008


It's definitely possible to do this but it all depends on the landlord. I needed to extend my lease for another month but I wasn't sure if I would stay on for the next year or be going to another city. My landlady (who is really nice) agreed to my request with the condition that I let her know my plans as soon as possible.
posted by peacheater at 2:58 PM on August 8, 2008


Just alter the lease terms for breaking it.

Breaking a lease is not a crime; you just have to follow the agreement in that case.

Offer a sweetener of increased rent for the year and leave your options open.

I took the month-to-month option at a 10% higher rent since this complex seems to have high occupancy and I don't plan on being here in a year.

5% raise would be more than fair to significantly reduce the early termination penalties.
posted by yort at 3:15 PM on August 8, 2008


I'd have this conversation with the landlord:

"If you're willing to extend our lease by a few months, it would really help us out. In turn, we'd be happy to help you find a new tenant. We'll keep the place clean and would be happy to show it to prospective renters for you in order to make the transition as easy as possible."
posted by mudpuppie at 4:01 PM on August 8, 2008


I was recently in a similar situation in NYC. I approached my landlord presenting a couple of options:

1. Going month to month
2. Signing a year lease but giving me an out if I found my own replacement.

His response:
For legal reasons I need to issue a lease but I am not interested in
penalties. If you sign a lease and give me a month's warning that you want
to leave that is OK with me (and we can put it in the lease).
Which is exactly what we did. Here's the text he added to the lease:
Lessee reserves the right to terminate the lease at any time upon providing thirty days (30) notice prior to date of surrender.
My advice: Graciously present what you wish -- continued occupancy with the option of moving out before another year is up penalty-free -- and see how your landlord responds. Wait for a response before offering sweeteners. It's not as if you only have one opportunity; you can always negotiate more favorable terms if the need arises. It may be the case that your landlord will be thrilled to not have to deal with finding a new tenant at this particular time -- for whatever reason -- and will gladly take you up on your offer. Good luck.
posted by funkiwan at 7:03 PM on August 8, 2008


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