RPA Tenant Rights Blog » Landlord Problems, Legal Questions » Forced to pay entire month rent, vacating apartment on 17th

Forced to pay entire month rent, vacating apartment on 17th

By Raj

I rent a private Condo in Bellevue, WA. My current lease expires on 30 June, 2010. I have got a new job on east coast and have to leave the current condo on 16th July, 2010. I sent a written notice to Landlord via email on 06/18/2010 that I would vacate condo on 07/17/2010. Although my lease expires on 06/30/2010, and I would vacate on 07/17/2010, the landlord wants entire july’s rent. Is there anything I can do about it? Any help will be greatly appreciated. I am waiting for a response.

 My landlord has quoted the below from the lease agreement:

 

Apartment Lease-Rental Agreement –Item 5

(a) Unless terminated as provide herein, this lease shall be automatically renewed for successive terms of one month each at the aforesaid rental, payable in advance without demand on the first day of each month. Each party may terminate this lease at the end of the initial term or a successive term by giving written notice at least 20 days prior to the end of the month.

—Your lease-rental agreement signed and dated on the 25th day of March established a rental period commencing on the 1st day of April 2010 and terminating on the 30th day of June 2010. Leaving the rental on the 30th of June requires a written notice by the 10th of June. Since no written notice has been received, the lease shall be automatically renewed in accordance with the signed lease-rental agreement.

(b) If RESIDENT does not give at least 20 days’ notice as required herein, the security deposit shall be forfeited, and RESIDENT shall be obligated for the next month’s rent in accordance with Washington State Law R.C.W. 59.18

—You are responsible for the whole amount of $1200.00 for the next month, the month of July 2010. If you wish to terminate your lease at the end of July 2010, please provide us with a written notice at least 20 days prior to the end of the month of July.

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Edited on: Sunday, November 21st, 2010 8:01 pm
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2 Responses to “Forced to pay entire month rent, vacating apartment on 17th”

My response: (We welcome stories, examples, explanations, answers and a touch of your personality)
 

Anonymous

June 28th, 2010 3:10 am

Hey Raj,
 
Let me just say this.  If your landlord is pulling the lease on you,  then you could be screwed.  Obviously, he is playing hard ball.  I still question if he really can charge you for the full month when you are moving out on the 17th.  As far as I understand leases automatically terminate on the expiration date.  So really, you’ve given your landlord proper notice.
 
The bottom line… If you plan to NOT pay the landlord you will need to play hard ball too.  You could try filing a complaint or going to bat with him yourself.  If he’s trying to be a jerk about it tell him that you will check out on the last day of the month.  This way you remain in control of the property so that he can’t double dip and charge someone else too.
 
When in doubt, treat him like he’s treating you.

Kristin

June 28th, 2010 4:02 pm

I think the guy that posted before me is right.  If you want to avoid paying rent for a unit you no longer live in then you will need to battle.  The rental complaint option is probably a good idea.  Or, do like the other guy said and tell your landlord that you will remain through the end of the month.
 
I wish I could be there when you tell him you will check out at the end of the month.  It would be even funnier if the landlord already had someone lined up, if that’s the case he will start to panic.
 

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