Breaking a lease in MO

[gump657]

I am currently not very happy with my leasing company. My wife and I purchased a home and could not wait until the end of our lease to close on the house. My wife went in to tell the appartment complex and signed the form that cancels the lease - approx 2-13-01. There were no amounts that we would owe the complex past except for the lasts months rent. Yesterday we came home, and there was a photocopy of this form taped to our door, with $1600 written in as a lease cancelation fee. My wife nad I instantly went to the complex and asked them why they altered the form after my wife had signed it. THey stated that "That is our business pratice."

My wife would have never signed the for if there would have been $1600 on the form. The lease does state that there is a 2 months rent cancelation fee, but those pages were never signed or initialed. I personally believe that the relationship was altered when my wife singed the for and asked "is there anything else."

Enough venting, do I have any legal recourse, or should we just buck up and forget about it.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[dj1]

YOUR WIFE or course didnot leave the office with a signed copy of the cancellation form..... right?

When did your lease end and when did you move out? what about your secuirty deposit?

You could sue the landlord in small claims court and claim the landlord didnot LOSE any money on YOU, because they re rented the apartment.

Its your best bet.........next time the wife will be more careful as to what she signs!

 

[gump657]

Our lease expires the 15 of June, and we have not moved out yet.

No my wife did not get a copy of the cancelation form before she let. We have already discussed that in great detail.

 

[dj1]

Well as long as you pay the rent till June 15th then there is no lease cancellation.. RIGHT?... And therefore NO FEE!

If you move out before June 15th you owe da money...

Can you legally sublet (is it in your lease) the apartment for the rest of the lease? If so then no fee.

Then sue them in court, and take your chances with a judge, who might just agree with you, that the fee is rediculous!

[Edited by dj1 on 02-22-2001 at 09:35 AM]