We pay $1500 monthly 1 bedroom No door on the bed room, no smoke detector, how do we get out of the lease?

Question

W have 4 months to end our lease, the building is dirty and one room doesn't get heat. We really want to move out, how do we get out of the lease...will we have to pay the landlord any money?

Answer 1

You saw all that when you moved in so you can't act surprised now. If your life is in jeopardy, move today and don't worry about money.  More likely, you just want to get out of that dump.  You can't.  Unless you wrote a "lease break" fee into the lease when you moved in.

This is a good lesson for you.  In the future you will handwrite into any lease  "we can break the lease at any time by paying______".  

You owe the lease for the next 4 months.  Can you make it.

Answer 2

Call your county's health code enforcement dept and have them come inspect. If the landlord is renting you an apartment that violates health and building codes in your area, they will have to remedy it or let you out of your lease and pay fines.

Answer 3

in my state (massachusetts) this would be an illegal apartment. the town heath inspector may agree.  though if the landlord fixes everything in a reasonable time, you may not be able to opt out of the lease; that depends on your state and town.

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Answer 4

since one of your rooms doesnt get any heat that could be a reason and your landlord is supose to provide smoke alarms.

Answer 5

I would definitely make sure the place is up to code. If its illegal (and it sounds it is with the no heat in one room and no smoke detector...I think they can get away w/ no bedroom door) you can move out and win in small claims if they try to come after you. The courts won't award monies to someone attempting to collect money by renting an apt that isn't legal. You don't have to prove that you've asked them to fix it, but it sure helps your case. Esp if you give them a specific timeframe to fix it and they still don't. Make sure you have evidence. Dated letters requesting the repairs, photos (lots of pictures...of the dirty building too), video, etc. They will ask if this was the condition when you moved in and question why you would move in if it was in that condition from the get go. Did he promise to repair when you brought it up so you agreed to move in? If so, that could also help. Good luck.

Answer 6

You accepted it in that condition when you agreed to move in.

You CANNOT break  lease just because you decided that you don't like the place.  When you break a lease you typically lose your security deposit and or have to pay other fees.