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Can I terminate a lease I signed but have not yet paid the first month of rent?

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medstudent82

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Alaska

Hello and thank you for your input.

I've signed a lease with a landlord who has not returned a copy of the lease with her signature on it, despite the fact that I paid the security deposit in full. Is there any way to terminate the lease? I have not paid the first month of rent yet or moved in, taken possession of the keys, etc...

Thank you again for your input.

J
 


Gail in Georgia

Senior Member
Unlike a few other contracts, a lease does not have a "cooling off" period where a signer can back out within a certain number of days if they change their mind.

Gail
 

latigo

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Alaska

Hello and thank you for your input.

I've signed a lease with a landlord who has not returned a copy of the lease with her signature on it, despite the fact that I paid the security deposit in full. Is there any way to terminate the lease? I have not paid the first month of rent yet or moved in, taken possession of the keys, etc...

Thank you again for your input.

J
Not likely and only on the very slim chance that you were able to produce competent evidence that before the agreement was countersigned the owner/landlord was notified that you were retracting the effect of your signature.

In other words, it would not be an unreasonable stretch of the law of offer and acceptance to treat the document as containing your offer to lease the property from the landlord. Which such offer, unless otherwise expressed, could be withdrawn at any time prior to the landlord's written acceptance.

Also if the term of the proposed lease was for more than one year, it would not be enforceable until signed by the landlord or its authorized agent. (Alaska Statutes Section 09.25.010 (a)(6)
 

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