Martins Ferry, OH asked in Contracts and Landlord - Tenant for Ohio

Q: If I have a lease that renews yearly per the lease which will renew on the 1st of May can I ask to move to monthly lease

It is my intention to move within the next 6 months but my lease renews for a year on the 1st of May. Can I advise landlord in writing that I do not wish to renew a year lease and would prefer to move to a month-to-month basis while I am looking for a new residence. It is possible that I may move out of state or even possibly only a town over depending on The employment situation of The father of my children. I believe I have to tell them 30 days ahead of time that I do not wish to continue the yearly lease but I'm not sure. What I don't want to have happen is that I am responsible to pay the rest of the years rent when I do find a place to move.

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1 Lawyer Answer

A: You can ask, but the landlord does not have to agree to month to month. If it renews automatically for another year, then you might not be able to break it if you have to move. You might ask landlord to include an early termination in which you would pay some extra amount to terminate, but landlord doesn't have to agree. If you renew for a year, and have to move, you could just leave, but landlord might sue you for breach of the lease. If you are out of state, that would be harder for landlord, but is possible. And landlord could make an adverse entry on your credit report, lowering your credit score. Try to work something out with landlord, or use the Find a Lawyer tab to consult a local real estate attorney to review the lease and try to negotiate something with landlord for you.

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