Can I Break My Lease?

Your lease is a contract, obligating you to pay rent for the entire term.  If you want to break the lease you will be responsible for the landlord’s damages (the remaining unpaid rent).  Fortunately, the landlord cannot just sit back and wait for the lease to end and then sue you for the unpaid rent. Rather, a landlord must mitigate losses by trying to rent out the unit as soon as possible. 

If you must break your lease, try to find someone else to move in the unit.  If you do, the landlord will have no damages, and they cannot sue you.  Keep in mind, the landlord does not need to accept any applicant who walks in the door.  The landlord is entitled to be equally as selective with the next tenant as he or she was with you.  Still, you can help the situation a lot by offering your landlord a replacement tenant.