OPTION 2: Get Legal Help to Negotiate Better Terms
Since you are obligated by contract, you really won’t have any success going to court. However, you could consider filing a complaint with the Rental Protection Agency. By doing so you will be assigned a professional mediator whom will contact the landlord to make more fair lease termination conditions. There’s no guarantee as to the results, but at this point; you don’t really have any real options left. A complaint will help you turn the tables on your landlord. If your landlord fails to resolve the complaint fairly, it will be a negative record against them showing unfair or unethical lease termination fees. The record will eventually get indexed by all major search engines which can greatly impact your apartment complex’s ability to fill vacancies, thus when you file a complaint with the RPA, most likely management will offer you a much better termination agreement in order to look better publicly. If your contract is with a larger apartment community, this option could be very effective. If you do go this route… when filing a complaint be sure to make your request reasonable. (after-all, you are the one in violation of the rental contract) Explain your situation and how you don’t have ability to pay the huge amounts demanded and would like to suggest a more fair and reasonable lease termination settlement.

It sure makes it hard to get back on your feet when tenants are faced with these types of issues. So, is there a state or federal law that gives renters special rights in the event of unemployment or jobloss? No, there isn’t one single law on the books that protects tenants in this situation. However, there are some options for you; explained below.

Let me first explain why you can be held to your lease agreement. Often times tenants may feel like there should be a law or renting right that allows you out of a contract if a certain condition happens. The fact is that in a free country, the government can’t make special conditions for any contracts. Its really not much different than any other contract to buy something. Let’s say you bought a car from a dealer, then shortly after the purchase you lost your job. Regardless of you new financial situation, you are stuck and responsible for the car loan. Of course, you can stop making payments which eventually will have its own consequences. Rental contracts aren’t any different. Leases are regulated by contract law, thus you are bound to the terms regardless of what happens to you financially, even if you lose your job or are forced to relocate. Even though your unemployment was most likely due to something out of your control, it won’t automatically release you from a lease agreement.

What are your options? See my reply below: