breaking contract

[tangee20]

At the end of November I took over a contract for someone who was dropping out of school. I looked at the place once, and the landlord, who was there making repairs, immediately took me to sign the contract. Instead of writing the lease to end in May like it was supposed to, he termed it to end this coming August. I did not recieve a key. A few weeks before the move in date, I had something personal come up that would make it impossible to move in. I told the landlord that I wouldn't be living there. He said that I had to find someone to take the lease or keep paying rent. It has been three months now and I haven't been able to find anyone to take the lease. What can I do? Should I still be obligated to pay rent through August even though the lease I took over was supposed to end in May, I have never lived in the apartment, and the landlord knew that I would ot be living there before the move in date? I live in Utah.

 

[dj1]

Well what are you going to school for?

It seems like such a waste of our taxpayer money if you cant figure out that YOU signed a contract and YOU are responsible for ALL of the rent untill you find someone to rent it , or it expires.

Why havent you lowered the rent? and you make up the difference???? better to lose $50 a month then the whole thing!

And he bambozzeld you to add the summer months on to the lease....he did NOTHING ILLEGAL.. YOU SIGNED IT... RIGHT?

 

[tangee20]

it says in the contract

It says in the contract that if I notified the Landlord in the 60 days prior to occupancy that I wouldn't be living there, the contract would be voided and I would only have to forfeit the deposit money. I think it also said that I couldn't sublet the apartment. I don't have the contract with me, but I do have a copy of it if you want me to quote to you the exact wording of it. It wasn't very well written. And I never said I was going to school, just that I took the contract for someone who dropped out.

 

[dj1]

Well there is no way you are going to get him on the 60 days.......that is for someone who signs a lease in May or june, and is not moving in the apartment in sept.

But if it states that you cannot sublet, then you might have a case if he refuses to rerent the place for you. after you have given you 30 day notice..

It sounds like a college town contract sept-may, and you will have a very hard time renting it...you know that, and you probably wont get much sympathy from the judge either.

You signed it.....next time you will know better

Of course if your parent(s) are dying, and you have to move home to take care of them that would be an acceptable excuse to get out of the lease, most judges would side with you.