Q: Am I responsible for rent if I leave 3 months early without issues?
I want to notify my landlord that I plan to leave my apartment 3 months before the end of my lease. My lease does not have a clause about early termination or notice requirements, and I have not experienced any issues with the property or landlord. Am I still responsible for paying rent until the lease is terminated?
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A: Yes, unless separately negotiated. Your only defense would be if the landlord fails to make good faith efforts to find a replacement tenant. This, however, is a very low threshold to meet.
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A:
It’s good that you’re being proactive and respectful about giving notice, even though your lease doesn’t mention early termination. In Ohio, if there’s no early exit clause and no mutual agreement to end the lease, you’re generally still responsible for the rent through the end of the lease term. So, if you leave three months early, your landlord can still legally hold you accountable for those remaining payments.
That said, landlords in Ohio do have a legal duty to try and re-rent the apartment once you leave. If they successfully rent it out to someone else, you may only be responsible for the time it sat vacant, not the full three months. You can also ask your landlord if they’d be willing to work out a deal—some are open to releasing tenants early if they have a replacement or know they can find one quickly.
The most important thing is to communicate clearly and in writing. Let your landlord know your move-out plans and ask if you can come to a mutual agreement to end the lease early. Even though the lease is still binding, being open and cooperative could lead to a smoother outcome for both sides.
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