Is there a way to break my lease early if the surrounding area is full of crime?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is there a way to break my lease early if the surrounding area is full of crime?
I moved into an apartment 3 months ago. When I signed the leaseI wasn’t informed of the weekly shootings that occur near my street. I also wasn’t informed that a club was re-opened adjacent to my apartment between the time I signed my lease and moved in. The club is loud every night and is responsible drive-bys, shootings, drugs, etc. My landlords lease the section of the street I live on primarily to college students like myself. They didn’t inform me of any of the crime or the re-opening of the club. Is there a way to break my year lease based on this info?
Asked on December 17, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Georgia
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Whether or not there is a factual basis for you to terminate your lease early based upon the crime in the area where your rental is depends upon whether or not your landlord knew of the crime problem before you signed your lease and if so, did he or she disclose the knowledge to you beforehand.
If not, then there is a basis to cancel the lease due to the failure to disclose a material fact that affects the desirability and price paid for the rental.
I suggest that if you are serious about cancelling your lease that you speak with your landlord about the dissatisfaction you have to see if a written agreement cancelling the lease is possible. If not, your other option is to consult with a landlord tenant attorney as to what means can be implemented as a basis to end the lease based upon the crime you are writing about.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.