Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in New York

Trying to get off of my lease due to a domestic dispute

My Ex-Fiance and I had decided to move in togethter. We both put our names on the lease. Shortly after we moved in together, we got into a series of domestic disputes. A couple of times the police had to come to the apartment and put him out. Since then, I have moved out of the apartment in hopes to move on with my life. But what is happening is my Ex-Fiance is holding me to my half of the rent. I have no possesions there in the apartment. I spoke with the Landlord and asked him if it were possible for him to take me off the lease since I had given him the keys,a notarized letter of request for my name to be off the lease and a copy of both police reports. He still does not wish to take me off the lease. What do I do?

Thank you


Asked on 10/05/08, 9:40 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jonathan Cohen

Re: Trying to get off of my lease due to a domestic dispute

You have co-signed a lease so youv should understand that you are liable for the entire lease for the entire lease period. You may be lucky that your fiance is paying half even though he no longer lives there. In short you are both jointly and severally liable on the lease, which is a contract. I think the way to limit your damages is to move out, giving the ll notice and make sure he is looking for a replacement tenant (as he must mitigate his damages)

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Answered on 10/06/08, 1:35 pm


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