Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Illinois

Re: termination of lease because of work

Unless the year is up you can not legally terminate the lease because of a job move. You will need to try to negotiate with the landlord to allow you to terminate the lease. It may cost you some $$, but that is the way its done

Re: termination of lease because of work

Jay is correct, but a couple of other things:

1. A lease MIGHT have a term of what happens in such a situation, and that term would govern the landlord's rights. (If you had some idea, going in, that you might not stay the year, you might have attempted to negotiate something in the initial leas.)

2. If the landlord can relet the residence and receive rent, that rent offsets the landlord's loss. If you can find a suitable tenant, you MIGHT be off the hook, although the landlord might not want to accept the new tenant.

3. Your employer may be willing to pick up some or all of the lease termination expense. You might want to ask.

4. Sometimes a new job or a job transfer that requires you to move makes some or all of the moving expenses deductible. Without studying IRS regulations, lease termination expenses might be a legitimate deductible moving expense. At the very least, it is worth checking with your tax advisor.

Good luck with the new job.