On average, how much does it cost to break an apartment lease?
Check your lease. Most leases are written as annual contracts, with a total amount due, paid in monthly portions. So if you’re paying $1,000 a month, your lease might say: “Rent from August 1 through July 31: $12,000, payable in monthly amounts of $1,000.” So, if someone had that lease, and moved out 6 months early, they’d owe $6,000. And if the landlord wanted to get really difficult, remember that there are also late payment penalties. So you’d start off with $6,000. Then, after a certain date (often the 5th of the month), you’d owe a penalty for that month’s rent…maybe another $100 or so. Those numbers can really mount up. Read your lease. See what your exposure is. Then discuss it with your landlord.
