I have bought a home and I plan to move in two weeks. My current lease ends in 2.5 months from now and once I move to my new home the property will be empty. I had a discussion with the owner’s representative asking her if she likes to try to rent it sooner and we can break the lease good will and she can return whatever money should be returned to me. She was not interested and actually it pissed me off. So I am about to just pay the remaining 1.5 months and have the home locked. Paying all the utilities and have rental insurance as well. Also I don’t plan to allow her to enter the home for fixes or anything other than showings which will happen in scheduled time. I found it very bad that she wants to keep the money but also prepare the home while I will be away. Also I explained her that in that way you will lose rent payments as whatever you do there is no way a new tenant to be available next day as you have to prepare the home etc. She seems not to be interested. What is the best strategy here? I try to minimize my costs here. Also I read the contact and there is no term that somehow makes me violate anything if I like the home vacant for few weeks. I of course am afraid of any random incidents and I will try to monitor the home every few days till we pass it to her. Any comments - ideas will be helpful here.
It’s just 1.5 months and you’re bound to a lease. You can use the time to move out. Stop being cheap.
Don't worry about keeping it vacant, that's what your insurance is for. Landlord should have their own insurance. It all depends on how you want to play the game. Even after you leave your landlord could still try to screw you on the security deposit. If you were feeling really nefarious you could just not give them the keys and squat, or even destroy stuff. It's in the landlords best interest to turn the property owner but that's their problem. You signed a lease so you will owe the remainder of it, or a lease breakage fee, really no way out of that one. The landlord technically has to try to rent the place out and you could avoid the last payments but it's hard to prove in court to get that money if they don't do it. So anyway, don't sweat it, pay it out, get your security deposit back and call it a day. If you don't get the full deposit back for some BS reason then sue. Take tons of pictures before you hand over the keys for your own evidence.
Yeah this is my plan. My fear is for any damage that can happen after I leave the place vacant or try to see if there is any “law” that doesn’t allow my to leave the plan vacant for 5-6 weeks. I didn’t find anything like that. Also I don’t want her to get in and out to home while we will be away as they can do whatever they like and claim it to us as we technically have responsibility for the property till end of the lease.
Well, in most places as long as there is 24 hour notice they can go in to fix something or even show the place now that they know you're leaving. Not much you can do about that unfortunately. You could in theory change the locks but your landlord would be entitled to the new key.
Where are you located? In some area landlords are required to make a good faith effort to find a new tenant
Redmond WA
Yeah I am pretty sure that area is covered. Read up on laws for breaking lease. I believe you inform them and they have to find a replacement or you can find a qualified replacement (simple as paying in Facebook marketplace for a lease takeover). Then they’re not allowed to charge you money as long as the other tenant is paying. Read the laws, read your lease.
Cameras are cheap
Your landlord probably isn't aware of your proposal. Most of the reps are just too lazy to break the routine. If you unlock when the lease is up, they don't even know you're unhappy.. save yourself some energy.
Actually i explicitly said the proposal to her. And she is like “yeah I will talk to the landlord”.
That's code for delete lol (kidding )
Just tell her you decided to stay until your last day.
What’s in it for her? You save money and she gotta do work earlier than expected. Why would she do that? Would you do that?
Invite a bunch of squatters
lol