Broke lease in CO by one month, didn't know it was a year and 1 month lease, what do we do now?

Question

We moved in on May 1st 08 and believed we had a one year lease... We put in our one month's notice and our landlord said, "Is your lease up? I thought it was up May 31st?" I told him, well we moved in on the first of May so May 1st again would be one year. He said, oh okay let me look into it. I called him two weeks later to make sure i was accurate (without actually looking at the contract i signed... i found it tonight actually) and he said that i was right and that he got our notice and we would be good to go. The week we were getting ready to move I found our rent balance in our apartment door... our landlord happened to be at the place so i went downstairs to ask him why we were being charged for the month of may... he said 50% of the time people say they're moving and don't so he always drops it in the door just in case and told me not to worry about it. We've been calling him to get our deposit back and he sent us a balance instead for breaking our lease! What do we do?

Answer 1

you moved in May 08?? - This year? maybe you signed a 13 month lease originally

Answer 2

You are reading it wrong.

You moved in May 1st..so the rent you paid for that month covered May 1st through May 31st.

12 months ends IN MAY...so your lease is up May 31st.

That is standard..

The problem you have is that you apparently didn't look at your contract...if your lease runs through May 31st on your contract, then you owe him for that month.

Next time, don't fall for lame excuses like he gave you.  If you are dealing with someone shady, bring TWO original copies of a notice to vacate.  Have everyone, including the landlord, sign them, that way everyone has a copy.