Leaving a lease (apt style)

My ex wants me off the lease (understandable), but the apt complex wants $150 for us to sign a paper saying its mutual that I'm leaving the lease (why that matters I have no idea). My issue is the lease is up in 2-3 months and I don't want to pay a fee that's 4x the app fee to get added to a lease. What are any possible cons of staying on the lease and not re-signing if she stays. (I have no stake in the deposit, so thats a non issue) Secondly, do I give her the keys, the apt office or hold on to them until the yearly lease is up?

Pay the 150$ and get off the lease and call it a blessing. That will be the best 150$ you ever spent.

Get out now. She will probably have some difficulty when she tries to leave the place 2 - 3 months from now, and won't say it's "mutual" anymore. Do it now. Sometimes, what you pay is what it's worth.

is the ex going to buy out your share of the deposit?

Your Community Chest card:

Pay $150, advance to "GO".

Pay the 150, turn keys in to office directly, but not before getting a receipt for the 150 and a copy of the signed lease annulment.

To turn this around, what would happen if you remain on the lease, but she trashes the place, or refuses to pay any required cleaning fees, etc. when she leaves - does that $150 sound cheap now?

Mitchell wrote: is the ex going to buy out your share of the deposit?

Shove deposits. I've never found a way to get one back, the landlord always has a loophole somewhere to retain it. I've left apartments in better condition than I've found them, and never got back a dime because I owned more than one (running) car. I still vote pay the $150 (ECM's right..give the keys to the office!), get down the road as fast as you can, block the ex's phone number and rehearse saying, "Who? No, I don't know who that is.." with a straight face.

150$ bucks to bail is the cheapest run you can do. Pay it and gtfo. You don't want the E36 M3 i dealt with.

friedgreencorrado wrote:

Mitchell wrote: is the ex going to buy out your share of the deposit?

Shove deposits. I've never found a way to get one back, the landlord always has a loophole somewhere to retain it. I've left apartments in better condition than I've found them, and never got back a dime

been there, done that. I walked into a filthy apartment that had no screens on the window or anything. when I left two years later, it was spotless.. never got my deposit due to things like "mismatched screens" and the like... it was what happened when the management company changed :(

mad_machine wrote: been there, done that. I walked into a filthy apartment that had no screens on the window or anything. when I left two years later, it was spotless.. never got my deposit due to things like "mismatched screens" and the like... it was what happened when the management company changed :(

Bingo! That's exactly what I was talking about. "Mismatched Screens" on a place that didn't have any when you got there. 1kris, stuff this is why we're so active on your post. We've seen it. We know it. Pay it, as long as the ex still wants to call it "mutual" and you can deliver your keys to the front office. Make it "her" lease, instead of your lease. I'm hoping you're listening to us about all this 'best money you'll ever spend' stuff.

i cant believe were having this discussion about a hundred and fifty bucks. this is really a no brainer...

-J0N

I have always given back security deposits when appropriate.

I have, however, been stiffed as an owner by management companies who never returned the deposit to me after a bad tenant trashed the place.

jmthunderbirdturbo wrote: i cant believe were having this discussion about a hundred and fifty bucks. this is really a no brainer... -J0N

No E36 M3. I wish I could've been free of my ex for a hunnit an fiddy bux.

After reading the title I was going to recommend "sudo apt-get remove lease --purge"

If you ever get a security deposit back on a rental, consider it a prize from winning the landlord lottery

When we got an apartment for SWMBO's new job/relocation last year things seemed good with the management. We were upfront about the probability of us buying a house in 6-12 months, and they had reasonable terms to get out of the lease - 1-extra month's rent + forfeit our deposit.

What they didn't notify us of, or provide any documentation for, was a $90 fee for professional carpet cleaning after move-out(or hire your own professionals - no DIY/rental cleaner jobs). I contemplated paying our attorney to write a letter, or shipping them their $90 in loose change, but in the end just paid it so we could be done with the place.

RealMiniParker wrote:

jmthunderbirdturbo wrote: i cant believe were having this discussion about a hundred and fifty bucks. this is really a no brainer... -J0N

No E36 M3. I wish I could've been free of my ex for a hunnit an fiddy bux.

I am pretty sure every single person here with an ex agrees. I sure as hell do.

I dunno, it's been 20+ years since I rented a place, but I have never not gotten most if not all of my security deposit back.

EastCoastMojo wrote: Pay the 150, turn keys in to office directly, but not before getting a receipt for the 150 and a copy of the signed lease annulment.

Listen to what the lady says. Under the circumstances the best thing you could do.

I generally agree as well, but be sure there is some sort of document that doesn't leave you liable for any damage after you've left.

friedgreencorrado wrote:

mad_machine wrote: been there, done that. I walked into a filthy apartment that had no screens on the window or anything. when I left two years later, it was spotless.. never got my deposit due to things like "mismatched screens" and the like... it was what happened when the management company changed :(

Bingo! That's exactly what I was talking about. "Mismatched Screens" on a place that didn't have any when you got there. 1kris, stuff this is why we're so active on your post. We've seen it. We know it. Pay it, as long as the ex still wants to call it "mutual" and you can deliver your keys to the front office. Make it "her" lease, instead of *your* lease. I'm hoping you're listening to us about all this 'best money you'll ever spend' stuff.

I did listen to you guys. I wasted 2.5 hours today to sign a piece of paper since we couldn't get it done before she left for vacation. Now there's other things, but nothing you guys can help with.

In college, the only reason we got our security deposits back was that they had an accounting error and double counted a rent check one year, and the second year a friend was doing the inspection.

Last year we got it back because the landlord lived next door. I would consider him a friend. Same for this year--that and Chicago tenant laws are very, very tenant friendly.

As for the carpet cleaning, I'm pretty sure I could incorporate a college carpet cleaning service that vacuums for $25 at the end of the year. I would make a fortune. (Hint: the apartment company doesn't actually do it, they just charge you)

I had two apartments with the now-wife. We got 100% of both security deposits back. Dealt directly with owners of single units, not a management company or someone with a ton of them.

Although, the ones that were accountants tried to make us cover utilities from after we moved out. We had billing switched the day we moved out (which was like the 10th of the month) and paid off/closed the account. The landlords sent us a bill for utilities for the 11th-30th. Furthermore, the lease had been closed and as we were still moving out they were bringing people through and showing the apartment. They took possession at that time and actually thanked us for how clean the place was. We sent the bill back with a letter pointing out our refusal to pay their bills with a detailed explanation (including copies showing proof that we had paid the utilities through the 10th and closed accounts with zero balances). Its fun calling out accountants for blatant errors like that

You did the right thing though. Way too much risk exposure to being screwed. $150 is cheap risk mitigation. Consider it insurance so you dont have to think of it again.

As a former property manager for 11 years in Los Angeles: The $150 is a bullE36 M3 charge that will go right into the manager's pocket. Make out a check or get a receipt. Have yourself removed from the lease so you can be released of any responsibility for what comes next. I had to refuse people because they were "evicted." They left a rental situation with their name on the lease and the remaining tenants (plus those who were added afterward) couldn't pay the rent. These innocent people were stung because they were the tenants of record. The people who moved in after they left skated scot-free.

A renter can always get back a security deposit as long as they don't trash the place. I gave back almost every deposit I received within 11 days as required by law to anyone who left an apartment "broom clean" with no damage outside of a few picture holes. The only paint deductions I made were for units rented for one year with inappropriate amounts of wall marking requiring repainting. I would charge 66 percent of the cost to spot-paint as necessary.

The sure-fire way to get your money back is do a walk-through with the manager or leasing agent. Video record their presence as you catalog all existing problems with a unit. Be as thorough as possible. If they refuse to be videotaped, have a document ready for them to sign stating they were there on such-and-such day and date and witnessed you taping the problems. If they refuse to sign, walk away. They will call you back in a day or so if you have good credit and previous rental record.

Okay, I just reread your original post to make sure I got everything right. Make sure you get something in writing that states your $150 payment absolves you of any responsibilities while the lease is in force. If you're a tenant-at-will, that shouldn't be necessary as long as your name gets removed. also, you must turn in your keys. That is the universal symbol for "I'm done." Turn them in to the manager or leasing agent. Do not turn them in to your ex without the manager present. Get a receipt. Failure to turn keys in to the owner's representative means it did not happen and everything's up in the air legally.