I am trying to get out of a lease agreement and i am not sure exactly how to go about it...?

Question

so heres the situation. my three roommates and i are trying to get out of a lease through a real estate company that is renting for a private owner of the house(which is also for sale). we want out of the lease because we recently discovered there are termites ruining the house ecpecially around one of the doors. we also believe that they know about the termites and are trying to hide it. the basement(which contains to of the bedrooms) is very damp and at the moment has standing water about 3 or 4 inches by the laundry area. and there are maintenence issues we asked them to fix right after we moved in, almost 2 months ago now, that are not yet completed or half way completed. we are renting in wisconsin(if that helps for answering the question at all)

Answer 1

If your lease a month to month, then give a 30 day notice. If it's a term lease, try to negotiate to see if they'll let you breach the contract.  Another way, hold the rent and the LL will give you a 3 day notice to quit, then pack everything and leave in 3 days.  Don't let them take you to court though cos' that will have a negative impact on your credit report.  So prepare to leave in 3 days, no longer than that. Of course, this method may not be the best, you may not be able to get back all of your deposit cos' you owe the rent and no time for you to clean up the unit.

Answer 2

Breaking a lease, even with all that you've written, leads to a complicated ending.  Your best way to handle it is, if true, stating that you must move out because the house is uninhabitable.  Take pictures and/or video of the water by the laundry area, the distance to bedrooms, infestation, and all other maintenance issues.  Contact them, in writing (certified letter with a return receipt), giving them a deadline to complete all repairs and note in the letter that no response is authorization for you to move out without penalty.  After you have documented the issues, you can start withholding rent and paying for the repairs if they respond to your letter.  At the end of the day, everyone may end up in small claims court so this is never easy.  In all communications (phone and letters), use the word uninhabitable (if true).

Answer 3

Look at the contract in most cases you are reponsible for paying rent at least until they sell or have another renter. If you just leave you will still owe the money and have a negative impact on your credit report.

As far as the problems with the house there are laws about what the landlord must do to keep the property up. There are different laws for different states. Check online under landlord tenant laws Wisconsin they should show a process to complain. Also check your local HUD office and consumer complaint websites.

Send them a registered letter with all the complaints and explain they need to be fixed within seven days or you will take further action. That way you have proof they received your complaints.

You may be able to get out of the lease if they do not fix the problems. Also if they don't want to fix the problems give them the option to break your lease.

Good luck.