Lease Language

[Persephone]

I am moving out of a Section 8 apartment on April 15. I signed the required 20 day notice and gave to manager on March 19. I say I only owe through 4/15 the manager insists I owe for the entire month of April the lease says:

"To terminate this Agreement, the Tenant must give the Landlord 20-days written notice prior to the time the next rental payment is due. If the Tenant does not give the full 20-day notice, the Tenant shall be liable for rent up to the end of the 20 days for which notice was required or to the date the unit is re-rented, whichever date comes first."

Who is right? P.S. She came screaming at my door today that I owe for the remainder of the month and she will make me pay it!

 

[LL]

She is.

You were required to give "20-days written notice prior to the time the next rental payment is due". Assuming that rent is due on the first, giving notice on March 19 is not 20 days prior to the time the next rental payment is due (April 1).

Thus, you "shall be liable for rent up to the end of the 20 days for which notice was required". That 20 days begins on April 11.