Lease Terms Help!

[justjenn]

Hi everyone,

I'll cut to the chase. Our townhouse is completely terrible, but we didn't want to move during a pandemic, so we stupidly signed a renewal lease. However, we found a good deal on a house and are now looking to move. They are telling me that I'm going to have to pay quite a bit of moeny to break the lease.

What I need help with is that there are some discrepancies on the leases. Our initial lease ends on Oct 19, 2020. The renewal lease begins Sept 18, 2020. Can they begin a renewal lease before the initial lease has expired? I live in Texas, if that helps.

I'm hoping they can't and that this makes the new lease I signed null and void.

Thank you in advance for any help!

[bacchi]

For the same property? And it's the lease starting date and not the signing date, right? It sounds like an error but that doesn't mean the lease is invalid. A lawyer's opinion is needed unless you can find some case law.

You should've gone month-to-month. Now you've left the landlord in a bind. Negotiate an out with the security deposit and 1/2 month's rent or something.

[Sibley]

If the housing market in your area is anywhere near as tight as it is in mine, the landlords should have no problems finding a new tenant. Negotiate.

[MrsSpendyPants]

Not an attorney but I work with contracts.  An effective date prior to the end of your other lease doesn't make the contract invalid.  It just means that if the lease is for a term of 12 months from the effective date and the date you signed is the effective date then you are only bound for a year from that earlier date.  Additionally many leases have clauses stating that there is no automatic termination of the lease and you must give the lessee the right to fix the problem if needed before the lease is invalid.  But as I mentioned, the lease is likely still valid.

[yachi]

They are telling me that I'm going to have to pay quite a bit of moeny to break the lease.

Does what they are telling you match what is written in the lease?

Sometimes you're on the hook for the rental costs and advertising costs until they find a new tenant (thru the end of your lease).  You could try and find a replacement tenant yourself and that could reduce your costs.

Some leases let you out if your job transfers you out of the area, or for other reasons.