Breaking an apartment lease early means leaving before the fixed-term lease expires without paying the remainder of the rent due under the lease. Here are some things that can happen if you break an apartment lease early:
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Liability for Rent: If the landlord doesnt agree to let you off the hook, you will be liable for paying rent for the remainder of your lease.
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Termination Offer: Your landlord may give you a termination offer, and you should expect and be ready to pay at least a small fee for breaking the lease early.
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Penalty: If there is no legal justification for breaking a lease early, then the tenant will be responsible for the remaining rent due for the lease. An early termination fee can cost up to three months rent.
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No Mitigation of Damages: Landlords in Arkansas do not have the responsibility to "mitigate damages" by trying to rent their property reasonably quickly and keeping their losses to a minimum if you move before a lease ends.
If you need to break your lease early, try to work something out with your landlord. Provide your landlord as much notice as possible and write a sincere letter explaining why you need to leave early. Ideally, you can offer your landlord a qualified replacement tenant with good credit and references, to sign a new lease.
