We Broke Our Lease and Are Still Being Charged!!

We Broke Our Lease and Are Still Being Charged!!
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[@justynmacfarland9322]

If no documentation, it didn't happen! Best lesson of my life learned in USAF in '95!

[@PS2Damon]

what happened in USAF?

[@zenFreq]

All those alien sightings never happened huh 😉😬..

[@amyrussell860]

I graduated from LPN program in 1993 (I went on to the RN program) and 1 of the first things I learned was 'if it isnt DOCUMENTED it's not done.

[@Hosz688]

If she left in March and the landlord is telling her now that she owes $10k that does not make any sense. If the landlord really did not know she broke her lease, they would have been hounding her since March for the unpaid rent. Plus, this is California. I would be shocked if the laws were not heavily biased towards the tenants preventing landlords from collecting the full balance of residential leases. Sounds like the landlord is just trying to squeeze her for money the landlord know it's not entitled to.

[@bernadettelovespie4734]

That was my thought. If she spoke to someone in the office eventually and they told her they would be processing the statement and then didn’t...someone isn’t doing their job or their trying to be shady now.

[@justfelicitous5109]

Well between the fact that many places can't evict people this year, that may be why they aren't being hounded. And they were possibly backlogged with a lot of renters leaving.

[@johannamiller527]

In California, like in many states, landlords have a duty to mitigate damages: If a tenant walks out on a lease before it's up, the landlord has to make a good-faith effort to find a replacement tenant before they can hold the original tenant liable for any additional rent. It sounds like the landlord here didn't do that, which is why they're trying to pull the "we didn't know you moved out" stunt - because they wouldn't have had a leg to stand on otherwise.

[@Fiery154]

Lawyers are very helpful in these situations. Also always take pictures at the end of a lease and get as much physical evidence as you can about when and how you left the property. We got a lawyer for our landlord breaking our lease. Worth ever bit.

[@jessvagnar4957]

Even when I return rental cars I have a video of myself physically dropping the keys into the box after zooming in on the key tags.

[@AC-ly6tg]

From all Dave’s co hostess’s this guy is the BEST

[@jamescadzow9545]

He is not a People Pleaser like his previous co-hosts, he's just authentic.

[@GApeech08]

Chris Hogan is not Dave Ramsey's "co-hostess". 😆 Chris Hogan has a brand of his own, including a podcast and a KZbin channel. He is also an accomplished author. He may have other endeavors I don't know about.

[@robertperry814]

co-host. "hostess" is the feminine form...like "prince" and "princess"

[@blackbutterfly233ify]

Hostesses****

[@robertperry814]

@@blackbutterfly233ify "hostesses" is a feminine form "hosts" is masculine. Chris Hogan is a guy.

[@MrCannock]

If I speak to anyone on the phone, I then email them straight away repeating what was said and agreed.

[@dosepulveda1]

Noted. Thanks.

[@shawkins79]

Exactly and if you don’t hear back, call and email again. If still no response, a certified letter generally does the trick.

[@rachelgee7894]

We broke a lease after 3 months because the lease didn't list any consequences for breaking it. They were mad but nothing happened 🤷

[@Sizukun1]

This poor girl thought she could just send an email saying "I'm giving 1 month notice" and the lease would end. Some leases say you have to pay until the end, some will just make you pay a penalty. She tossed the keys after sending an email and is shocked when it looks like they walked away from the lease.

[@Mysterious_Moon]

I would have taken a video of the letter and keys going into the drop box. Skipping with no notice is a risky business, which is what she did, no one skips and gives 30 days notice.

[@Sizukun1]

@@KN-cool just like insurance; policies cannot be broken by voicemail. Direct contact and something in writing is what makes and breaks contracts.

[@EarlyBirdCraft]

Yeah. And landlord is probably thinking she’s still there🤦🏻‍♀️

[@ryant2568]

Yes but she said there was a release clause in the leasing agreement so as long as she told them she was leaving as per clause "XYZ" of the leasing agreement then I don't see an issue. If they are physically closed and she handed the keys into their dropbox that did not get checked then that's on them.

[@Sizukun1]

@@ryant2568 Both times I've broken a lease I had to go into the lease, "give notice" and they give something back in writing giving an early lease break agreement, early move out date, and penalties owed. Even if she did email them, she should have followed up with something in writing at which point even if the leasing office was closed due to whatever reason, they'd give her something in writing. A lawyer could help her but as Dave said she sent an email, threw keys at a box, and expected everything to work out. This is still on her.

[@KVW110]

I have a lot to say, but at the end when Hogan mentioned leaving the keys in the car and walking away...It reminds me of my ex husband when we went to divorce. He honestly thought we could just rip up and throw away our marriage certificate. Like, no, that's not how this works. People, if there's one thing I've learned in life, nothing is over or done until the paperwork is done.

[@boots911]

a 12 month lease is a legal contract saying you will pay for the space for 12 months. Unless you get something written saying you've been released from the lease, you are still in the lease.

[@random-nz7dy]

But generally leases have cancellation policy. At least most places in the United States. For example in my apartment complex you have to give 60 days notice and you lose your deposit. It basically amounts to a two and a half to three months of rent. So how do I broken my lease with seven months to go that doesn't mean that they can still charge me 7 months of rent. They get to charge me what I agreed to pay for the cancellation fee in the lease agreement and thats it. What it sounds like she is describing is that they are trying to charge above and beyond what was agreed upon for cancellation.

[@mecheckraise]

But if they rent the place then the landlord can't make money on both. They must try to mitigate any loss.

[@random-nz7dy]

@@saulgoodman2018 according to her she gave notice via email that theyd be moving out 30 days before, which according to her is what the contract stipulated.

[@classiccoke6360]

@@random-nz7dy Exactly. She wasn’t trying to do anything retrospectively. Even if she had left and then issued a cancellation notice, she still wouldn’t need to pay till October. The notice would simply take effect 30 days after it was given and any rent due up to that point would still be payable. Nobody should listen to Saul Goodman.

[@random-nz7dy]

@@classiccoke6360 exactly. At most she would owe maybe 1 more month or half month.

[@angelramos2154]

Most leases have a clause that if they dont fill the unit (lease takeover) then the tenant is still liable for the remainder of the lease.

[@rrrrrfffff]

Not most, *some*

[@jayj4439]

It’s also legally required for landlords to place reasonable efforts to find a replacement tenant they can’t just sit back and receive payments for a tenant that’s moved out

[@GApeech08]

My roommate lost his job, and it was obvious that he wouldn't be able to pay rent. He signed a roommate release, and I MOVED out of the apartment. About a year later, I got a letter from the apartment telling ME that I OWE THOUSANDS of dollars for eviction and breaking the lease. I IMMEDIATELY presented that roommate release. They wrote ME an apology letter. I still have that letter and the lease from 1999-2000. Get closure on everything, get it in writing, and KEEP IT.

[@oloveeats3964]

Sounds like they skipped to me. Any apartment that you leave will require at minimum a 30 day notice to vacate. In addition to to whatever email she sent to them. Also if she is referring to a lease termination fee that typically requires at least a 60 day notice to vacate plus 2x month rent in addition to the termination fee. So yeah she’s not telling the full story and if they’re saying they never got the keys then the office would have reason to go and walk their apartment unless the utilities were turned off.... I only do this for a living soooo something doesn’t add up here. Unless she gets an attorney and can get this off her rental history and credit it will be there.

[@justfelicitous5109]

Yeah no lease lets you walk with no notice because what would be the point of the lease contract

[@bangladeshirealtor]

@@Power_Glove yes it does. The termination fee is usually 2 months rent , it’s a industry standard for corporate apartment complexes . Small mom and pop landlords may have different parameters .

[@IreneZGoodman]

lease termination varies. I've seen 1 and 2 month fees. I've also seen fees that equal to when a replacement tenant was found. If she skipped out, the landlord would have been asking her for rent for those 6 months.

[@DisabilityExams]

Imagine being held to the terms of a contract you signed - how ridiculous! It's un-American!

[@samysamy566]

How dare you making me pay for something i signed for

[@jbr1952]

Like student loans.

[@debbiericker8223]

She said her lease gave her the legal right to cancel by giving written notice, which she did, and paying a cancellation fee. That's all she's asking for. She was just careless with her follow through. (She sounds young, naive, and inexperienced, but she'll learn this lesson.)

[@ChrisMFlorida]

It's commiefornia 🤣

[@suttsd]

Did u not listen to the entire thing?...she was also able to cancel her lease by paying a month as a terminationfee....which is in the contract as well.

[@myjeanification]

She sounds like a child. Like a teen actually.

[@myjeanification]

@WeeStrom CO Guy It doesn’t bother me at all, just an observation pointed out because we all do silly stuff when we’re young.

[@cafegirl14]

She sounds young but probably not. A teenager doesn’t usually run up $80,000 in debt and have time to pay off $50,000+

[@Homeside301]

Shes def 20 something.

[@Benjamin-to2zq]

@Mitch Mitchelson what teen gets trillions dollars in debt?

[@probablynot1368]

She has a young sounding voice. I’d say she’s young, though, as she and her husband were unaware of the proper way to provide notice of ending the lease (Certified letter, with a signature returned receipt). Learning the hard way, as we often have done in our twenties.

[@theliftexpert]

This girl didn’t break a lease , she tried to walk away from a legal financial agreement.

[@petecheng1]

if it was me, I would check with them everyday to make sure they get the keys, and emailed them to confirm that.

[@probablynot1368]

Only problem is that they can deny receiving the keys on every response to the couple’s emails. Landlord has found a way to try to squeeze money out of these folks during the pandemic. Might be lucky to settle for 3 months rent. Might be interesting to drive by the place to see if it’s been leased again. If it has, it might make it difficult for the landlord to claim a ‘hardship’ about holding a formerly empty space. I hope this couple can settle this quickly and move on with their lives without the landlord creating a red blot on their credit report.

[@hbarudi]

The real question is the bad management of that apartment. They should not totally shut down communication with tenants and should allow for email and respond, if they did not respond to any of your emails it is a problem because they could have told you what they want.

[@fhuber7507]

Turning in the keys and writing a note does not release you from the lease. You still can be charged until they find new tenants. That's in the lease.

[@colleenjones8607]

Exactly correct and if it rents for less you are still on the hook for making up the difference.

[@alexandralovesgoats7705]

Excellent advice.

[@Corkfish1]

Just listening to this woman gives me a headache.

[@nemedc6392]

Hopefully it wasn’t a lease cancellation fee and in addition, you get charged until that unit is filled.

[@captainfailtv]

I sublease my apartment. I paid someone $800 to sign and take over my lease with 14 months still left on it. Best decision ever. Did everything at their office and had no issues.

[@ryant2568]

Yea sounds like human error. If there was a clause in the lease that she could exit it for $1700 which she paid and gave them notice she was doing it then it is on them if they weren't in the office and kept charging her. Unfortunately, if they want to argue the point then a lawyer is going to be the only way forward but start by sending them proof that you made the payment and advised them you were exiting the lease.

[@codorin]

it matter what is in the lease. you can be liable to pay until the end of your lease. i terminated a lease i had a (luckily) a good land lord. i lost 1 month rent. i COULD have paid another 3 months,because i was liable for whole lease. read it and see what you liable. if you are not liable no need for a lawyer. just pull up to court with the signed lease.

[@Positiveenergy68]

Forget the attorney, I would negotiate with them. Otherwise I would tell them if I have to obtain an attorney, I am going to sue them for the rent as well as the attorney fees. They won’t want to go to court.

[@moma5501]

In her case I can see where she was confused. I broke a least twice but I spoke and communicated both times. Email. And verbal.

[@oloveeats3964]

Yeah uhh saying you’re getting an attorney and are going to sue doesn’t mean anything. Most companies have several lawyers and will go to court without batting an eye. And unless she has proof of dropping off those keys and giving proper notice she is going to still owe all of that money.

[@Positiveenergy68]

@@oloveeats3964 I’ve been a Director in the Hotel Industry for many many years, apartment complexes are a similar business. We have attorneys but avoid Court at all costs and typically use arbitrators. If she has the email that she sent that’s plenty of proof unless it was an incorrect email address and they never received it. If she is dealing with apartment management, she should be contacting the property management company instead of property managers. I’m sure they would be very interested to know that their managers have not been doing the job they were paid to do for many months. I would report them all! The management company will want to know why they didn’t know they had an empty apartment for months and why no rent was collected. Either this girl is lying or the managers weren’t doing their job.

[@harrisonwintergreen1147]

"Hi Dave, what is this 'contract' my landlord keeps blabbing about?" 🙄

[@02nf2i]

There’s probably also a method by which she was supposed to give proper notice in the contract as well as a notice period. You’d think she would have read her lease before making a huge life decision.

[@TeKnoVKNG23]

It's usually 30-60 days on top of a 2 month rent amount termination fee, that's pretty standard in most leases. So you have to give them notice, stay there 2 more months, and also pay the termination fee that is usually equal to 2 months of your "market" rent. Most people have a concession to make the rent amount lower, so the market rent could be 1500 while you are only paying 1200 a month, so the termination amount would be 2x the 1500. It gets very expensive to break a lease.

[@NaNa-lt1po]

It's renting, not a life decision

[@oloveeats3964]

I mean do people not realize a lease is a legal binding document anymore 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@02nf2i]

@@NaNa-lt1po changing where you live and breaking a legally binding contract that potentially creates $10K of liability is a life decision, but let’s not quibble over which word you think fits best. It was an important decision and one she made carelessly.

[@02nf2i]

@@oloveeats3964 I know. I rented to a twenty something year old woman who was very smart, sheltered and entitled. She broke up with her boyfriend several weeks after signing a one year renewal. She didn’t call and ask if she could break the lease. She informed me that she was breaking the lease. She had no contractual right to do so, and was a rather entitled, upper-middle class person with a trust fund. Nevertheless, I told her that I would let her out of the lease (I don’t like having an adversarial relationship with a renter) but that I would only terminate upon signing with a replacement tenant. She agreed, and I worked diligently to find a replacement and in fact did so pretty quickly. The replacement moved in one month later, so I charged the original tenant for the month and charged her for the utilities, which were only around $200 or so (heat and electric). She had the audacity to argue with me that it wasn’t fair for her to pay for the utilities after she moved out and got quite heated. I reminded her that the lease was, per our agreement, still in effect until the replacement tenant arrived and that per the lease she was responsible for utilities. Did she expect me to come out of my own pocket and pay her bill after making a concession to let her out early? I reminded her that she had no right to unilaterally terminate a lease and she ought to appreciate the flexibility. I think she got the message, but the fact is that a lot of people are just entitled and think they should just do whatever’s best for them at the expense of whomever else.

[@dayumxjeanah]

This is a clusterfuck. Why would they do something like this without speaking to an actual person?! I don’t feel bad for them. This is absolutely ridiculous. Who drops keys in a drop box and just leaves? To Dave’s point, how do they know they actually left?

[@gregorynapoli7926]

Very true, I learned a similar lesson with a rental property a few years ago - left with an email and phone conversation agreement instead of an inspection with documented pictures. Cost me the $2700 deposit when owner claimed damages that didn't occur. My conversation was with the property management company, who was fired by the owner the day after I vacated. Then the owner took the deposit and refused to respond to requests for information. Since I'm military and was out of state on a new assignment, the cost of fighting was more than the deposit. Lesson learned - document everything and do a face to face inspection on the way out of a rental property.

[@shawkins79]

Did she drop off the keys off with her cancellation check? Did she cancel her utilities? Did they deposit the check? Who’s been paying the utilities? If so, that’s proof they received the notice of cancellation and the keys.

[@colleenjones8607]

She definitely half butted this. Her best evidence would be cancelled utilities and wasn't she at all suspicious when she emailed them and received no response from them. Sheesh!

[@debbiericker8223]

She sounds very sweet but naive and inexperienced. Lesson learned.

[@COINsimp2024]

Usually it's 1 months rent because of 30 days notice, plus lease break fee. That being said, usually you have to sign inspection paperwork and decide on cleaning with landlord. There should have been these conversations by email.

[@SilviaManentFinancialAdvisor]

Oh wow they closed and after 8 months still being charged? That’s ridiculous! She definitely needs a lawyer

[@emilym.5004]

Yes definitely!

[@claudiafer3051]

Pretty absurd! poor girl

[@neilsmith9066]

She will lose. She has no proof. Who does business this way a 10 year old????

[@SilviaManentFinancialAdvisor]

@Sponge Bob yes makes sense !!

[@matthewwilliams9200]

show proof of your new address. and cancel of utilities. that land lord is trying to sponge off a really bad market.

[@ceciliapreziose3783]

they are scamming you, they took 9 months so to get all this money

[@IreneZGoodman]

I agree. She didn't pay rent all this time. You mean to tell me they didn't ask her for rent in that time?

[@dangeroreilly2028]

In a similar vein, a lot of residential tenants I have had seem to think if they move out in the middle of a year's lease, their obligation ends the day they move out.

[@ThunderousNinja]

I'm going through this. They refused to show the unit. There was filthy furniture in it. It wasn't painted or cleaned. Maintenance just barged in. I'm recording all of these episodes. My medical conditions prohibited it due to the hall saturated with smoking. I couldn't breathe. My condition was worsened. They harassed me. I have medical documentation. I hired a lawyer

[@TeKnoVKNG23]

Turned in the keys and sent in an email? LOL... Your lease has a termination clause, it's usually at least 2 months rent and a 30 to 60-day notice to move out, so in most cases you're looking at 3-4 months of your rent total before you can actually break the lease free and clear. She most likely signed this clause and just didn't pay attention to it. It's VERY expensive to get out of an apartment lease, especially if it's with one of the major REITs or corporate apartment complexes. She most likely didn't give notice and it's pretty clear they didn't pay the termination fee, which is why they are charging them through October. We aren't getting the full story here. You can't just yeet the keys back to the leasing office and say "bye" LOL. That said, $10,000 seems a bit expensive...I would get a lawyer and try to get this settled at a lower amount.

[@CaseyBurnsInvesting]

These dealers don’t play when it comes to collecting that money.

[@seang3538]

What dealer are you talking about exactly????

[@wadesuhr]

Car dealers I think.

[@sami-9233]

Meaning what companies?

[@garrettwatson2737]

Clearly didnt listen to the call

[@wadesuhr]

Dave did briefly mention cancelling a car lease as a comparison to cancelling an apartment lease. Casey might have been referring to that? Not sure.

[@Jelliott424]

Why people think they can just do stuff like this is amazing

[@02nf2i]

This woman doesn’t sound very smart

[@samysamy566]

Leasing a vehicle isnt smart to start off

[@debbiericker8223]

@@samysamy566 It's an apartment lease, not a car lease.

[@samysamy566]

@@debbiericker8223yeah i went straight down in the comments thinking it was a car lease

[@seang3538]

@@samysamy566 talking about not being smart...commenting on something without knowing about it!

[@debbiericker8223]

Well, I will say that when I see the word "lease" in connection with a DR caller, my first thought is a car lease rather than an apartment. I do hope this young woman gets it straightened out without having to spend $ on an attorney. She won't make this mistake again.

[@DaddyDebt]

I'm also glad that Dave is to the letter of the lease

[@privateprivate8366]

Yes, I have to do this for a judgement that I paid off the week before the lockdown. While I have an email from the lawyer, agreeing that I paid in full and I have all of the money order receipts from paying it, it’s not as if I trust anyone. Certainly not a lawyer. So, I’ll send them an email requesting they send the final closing statement (or whatever they call it) in writing, via snail mail. At this point in my life, if I had to pay it all over again, I would simply let the debt sit instead. I surely with their was a lease breaking clause in my apartment lease! I’d gladly pay a much smaller amount and leave at any point in the year to buy a house. The closest they have is an6 month lease. This leaves a lot of room for timing to be off and just getting stuck here.

[@sonyamallett6402]

The one month’s rent she thinks is a re-leasing fee is in addition to any months the property is vacant. If it is a complex with a high number of units vacant, they are under no obligation to lease hers first. This fee covers commissions or other fees incurred when a new tenant leases the unit. It sounds like when she is describing the rent charged until October, that is either when their original lease was up or they actually did lease it to a new tenant. If they are charging her for the duration of her lease, then they won’t be charging her the re-leasing fee but can charge late fees for every day she failed to pay her rent.

[@shawkins79]

It depends on the law in the state. Down in TX, you’re required to pay the rent until it’s released or to the end of your contract. However it doesn’t have to be your unit that gets re-rented but a unit similar. What started to happen is that landlords would know you’re on the hook for your rent while the apartment was vacant, then start pushing new tenants to lease other apartments instead of yours, essentially getting double the rent. In CT where I used to live, to vacate a lease, you would forfeit your security deposit which was anywhere between 1-2 months rent and be done. In AZ, it’s based on the contract that you signed with your landlord. But generally a tenant has to pay out the lease. However, I had a contract that said we needed to pay 3 months rent or pay up until end of lease which ever was less to vacate our lease. But that lease was directly with the landlord and not a property management company.

[@danieldahlinger177]

Before obtaining a lawyer, create 30+ Google accounts and leave them repeated 1 star reviews explaining the situation. It has worked before

[@mnoble247]

I either always mailed the keys certified or I handed them off and made sure to get a receipt. I've always taken pictures of the property when I moved in and when I moved out.

[@nleem3361]

Also get medical authorizations from insurance companies in writing. I had a $900 bill for a procedure that I called the insurance company to be sure it was covered. They said it was, but when I got the $900 bill, they didn't have record of me calling.

[@rollingacresfarmstead206]

When we broke ours back in 12 due to our lovely neighbors we moved middle of the month. We got our security deposit back and they were able to rent it out for the next month. No extra fees,🤷‍♂️. Then again i turned the keys in person and told them we were out of there. Were there for a total of 45 days

[@braceyourselvesfortruth2492]

"I decided to break my legal contract in accordance with said legal contract, so I figured a note and the keys dropped into a box at a vacant building would be sufficient." Lessons learned?

[@xyzsame4081]

Not sure if a mail counts as written message. A letter would have been better. witnesses (other than her partner) that saw them walk out of the apartment. A USP package with the key and a mail on top of it announcing that the key was sent and would they please send the final bill.

[@braceyourselvesfortruth2492]

@@xyzsame4081 Not just any mail, certified mail.

[@SimonSaysyo]

Our society is something else I tell ya

[@lkj0822g]

Certified Mail. Emails, hand delivered notices, drop boxes, text messages, etc., all well and good, but back it up with a certified email. Keep a copy of the post office receipt as well as printed copy of the USPS tracking information.

[@Achilles5937]

The root of the problem with this whole mess is one word.....CALIFORNIA.

[@NaNa-lt1po]

Really? Check Arkansas for renters heaven..

[@dthomas7931]

Cali actually has some of the best tenant protection laws in the country though.

[@IreneZGoodman]

Yeah, California has nothing to do with it.

[@carolea7158]

The leasing office doesn't need to be on property to check and answer emails. They *should* have been reachable in some form or fashion even when they're closed. Also, sometimes higher up management in the leasing company will cooperate better than the local office. I'd go to the website of the leasing company corporate and see if I can get a phone number or email. You wanna call, leave a voice message if necessary & then send an email. Ultimately you wanna reach the regional manager or higher up. And always have written proof. After you get on the phone with corporate or the RM, send them an email to confirm that, as discussed, you will only pay xyz

[@DaddyDebt]

Sticky situation. Bringing lawyers is another added cost. Hopefully they will pay for that as well!

[@SimonSaysyo]

I want to believe her but just the way she was talking I don’t know. A clause in your lease to pay one months rent to break it early?? You do it during a pandemic while they were closed? What.. the frick? Just drop the keys in a box? How careless do you have to be to think it’s that simple? Holy.

[@shareworthy5720]

My wife and I wanted to move, to break a lease our apartment complex required 1.5 months rent as few. Its pretty common.

[@justfelicitous5109]

In the apartments that I have had there is a "buy-out" clause that will terminate your lease usually requires 45-60 days notice and you are responsible for rent during that time plus the actual buy out fee which in Chicago for me was 3 to 5 months rent depending on the time of the year. I would think California would also be expensive to buy out. But typically if you "break" your lease, apartments will continue to charge you until they are able to get a new tenant so it makes sense to me that they were continuing to be charged. Also even if she sent an email if it wasn't acknowledged or the only response was we'll get back to you, I don't know if she has a case. I don't know of any rental agreement including month to months that don't require a minimum of 30 days notice. At a minimum she is probably paying for one month of rent for the 30 days notice plus the $1700 for the buy out, but I think she may owe the full amount since there was no notice or written receipt of the notice from management. Keys probably should have been sent via certified mail to the main office since they couldn't be handed to a person, but hindsight is 20-20

[@hollyb6885]

She said management said the tenants were still their in October. I wonder if the tenants left things behind in the rental.

[@xyzsame4081]

either that - but why would she call in then. OR the landlord management try their luck. Maybe they will be all or half of that. Maybe we will shy away from the hassle. In other countries they have a public non-profit consumer agency that would write them a letter. so it would not be that expensive, usually you do not need a lawyer right away, and most companies do not like having to spar with the agency.

[@hollyb6885]

@@xyzsame4081 IF they did leave things in the apartment, I don’t think she realizes that THAT means they are not moved out. The people may have moved out but maybe there’s an old dresser and sofa still there.

[@shakemiz]

@@hollyb6885 Nah, management is being scummy to get 10k out of her. They know the tenants were gone and they did receive the keys. They are pretending they didn't know to squeeze the full rent out of them of the one month break fee.

[@laladesy7352]

Even after my lease was up I still took videos pictures and documents of who I spoke to, the condition of the apartment before leaving. I even video recorded me turning in my keys (to the manager ) lol I was not playing around 😅

[@fireengine77]

Breaking leases is a bad idea

[@jamescadzow9545]

Human create their own problems internally in their unbalanced mindset. You can't walk away from any financial obligation, hoping it will not follow you to the grave...

[@IreneZGoodman]

She didn't just walk away. Does no one listen before commenting?

[@OokamiKageGinGetsu]

I'd check and find out if anyone was living in their former apartment during that time. If so, that's proof that they knew, obviously, that these people weren't living there. I'd bring in the current tenants as witnesses.

[@shawkins79]

They knew. A company goes 8 months without getting paid and they’re just now noticing? She handled it wrong but it sounds like some funny business is going on. I’d also ask to see the security footage from the day she dropped off the keys. Most drop boxes have cameras since that’s where tenants drop off their rent payments.

[@IreneZGoodman]

@@shawkins79 agreed.

[@Mysterious_Moon]

If they rented that apartment, knowing she left at any point, they're illegally charging double rent. They may owe you a fee, on top of an adjustment of the ledger. As a landlord, talk to corporate or get a lawyer. As long as you didn't only call, and you left an email, to the correct email. They may not have been in the office for months, so a letter to the office wouldn't help-- certified mail to corporate.

[@TeKnoVKNG23]

It depends, most of the complexes I worked at you had to give a 30-60 day notice when terminating the lease, which meant either staying there 1-2 more months or paying the 1-2 more months while you lived at your new place, but either way you still had to pay that, and then you had to pay the termination fee which was usually 1-2 months rent at market rate. Most of these people renting get a concession off the market amount each month, so the market amount could be 1500/mo. but they are only paying 1200/mo. It's insanely expensive to break a lease at most of these places, the termination clauses are designed to be very punitive so that you don't break the lease. Sometimes if you are lucky they'll have a get out clause for a home purchase that lessens the fees, but in most cases at minimum you are looking at needing 2-3+ months of your rent amount to get out free and clear.

[@olivias2836]

@@TeKnoVKNG23 exactly. I learned this the hard way when I was a stupid teen back in college and had an apartment with my then boyfriend. We broke up and were both on the hook for 3-4 more months of rent even with the early termination clause. Lessons learned big time. I’m now married and we own our home but after that experience I NEVER rented from a corporate place again- only smaller scale individual landlords.

[@fallinlinewithjess3032]

Yay I believe I have hope!

[@matthewbecker6553]

I LOVE the way Dave says "You need a lawyer". The accent makes it sound like "You need a liar". I am a lawyer and I can tell you that quite frequently the two phrases are synonymous. Lolz. NOTE: THE BELOW PARAGRAPH IS NOT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. IT IS MERELY AGREEING WITH DAVE THAT THIS CALLER SHOULD TALK TO A LAWYER (AND ONE WHO SPECIALIZES IN LANDLORD/TENANT LITIGATION) AND PROVIDES A BIT OF EXTRA JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY. Also, I hope this caller still has a copy of the lease agreement. She should look through it. Some agreements will have a "cost shifting" provision where the loser pays the winner's attorney fees. If that is in the lease agreement, it would make it a far better situation in terms of the cost of hiring an attorney. The lawyer will probably insist on getting paid up front, but with a possibility of getting the legal fees back on the back end of it. Also, a L/T lawyer might be able to insist on legal fees being paid by the landlord based on statute. California has very tenant-favorable laws when it comes to landlords' duties to refund deposits, etc. and there may well be a statute that would permit recovery attorney fees for this even if the lease agreement doesn't have such a clause. Do not take anything in this comment to actually be legal advice that you can rely on. I'm just seriously agreeing with Dave that this caller should at least talk to a lawyer who specializes in L/T litigation.

[@ThePatriots010304]

This is like walking up to a register at the store and just leaving your money there without a store employee present at the register.

[@flisfinance5680]

Wow she needs some paperwork that is signed by both parties gosh I feel bad

[@PUBGMobile-ot2sk]

We had to give them 30days notice and We had to pay a lease cancellation fee, so it ended up being like 3months rent that wet weren’t even there for... 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@brittneydavis7846]

It's hard to believe that none of the staff was available to speak for so long. What if their was an emergency maintenance issue? A staff member has to process a maintenance request. Were they collecting rent during those months? If so, they had to process the rent.

[@Viva__XO]

That’s not the appropriate way to go about it. She should have went in person to cancel the lease

[@BusArch42]

Some employee took the keys and was using the place. She will have to go to court and fight it. The utilities are her saving grace because my guess is if they dig they will discover that the utilities were turned back on by someone. We had a hotel do that and we had checked out. We had the checkout receipts etc. someone was using our room and using the phone for long distance etc. fortunately the credit card company took our data including flights leaving and we won

[@retiredmanager510]

A lawyer in California will probably charge $500 to $600 an hour. This will probably take a few hours.

[@kitsontuli2713]

I got burned too, this is great advice

[@sneakattack5354]

Record yourself dropping the keys off. Statements from the electric company are useful as well. They probably are just being greedy because they are down on money because of the quarantine. Smh

[@Recovering_Californian]

lol ... the lawyer will probably cost $10K

[@KratosPT]

Good advice! I need to add this in my next video.☝🏻

[@mkirules]

In most states if you terminate a lease early, you only owe three months after moving out

[@IreneZGoodman]

The state doesn't matter. It's what's in the lease.

[@mkirules]

@@IreneZGoodman In most states, no matter what the lease says, they can charge you a maximum of 3 months rent after you move out

[@bobbyb7672]

She should of turned in the keys in person and got it in writing.

[@IreneZGoodman]

The office was closed. She couldn't do that.

[@bobbyb7672]

@@IreneZGoodman Oh, I thought she was saying the office was closed for the day.

[@SeanBaker]

Bless em.

[@azndude508]

Pause at 2:02

[@GardenerEarthGuy]

Probably hard to rent units during lockdown...

[@spldrong]

Depends where you are. Some areas it very easy.

[@MrJay197409]

Take pictures or better yet video record dropping keys into drop box make sure it is time-stamped.

[@KizerMoore]

If she happens to read these comments, I just want the caller to know that she does not need a lawyer. You have the emails proving you gave them notice and you have the paperwork proving you live somewhere else now. Also the lease has a termination clause where you only pay one month, you will pay them that one month and that will be the end of it, do not ask them for permission to do this, tell them that is what you are doing and then do it. Everything is in writing. They are not legally allowed to charge you for things you aren't responsible for. Show them the emails again and make it clear that this was your written notice. Don't let them play you, this can be solved with one stern conversation and reminding them that you have receipts of everything you've done, including receipts of rent payments at your new address if possible. Their inability to check their email and manage their drop box is not your responsibility. Good luck.

[@theklrdudeoo9173]

you sign a contract ,yo u have to stick to it . you can't just walk away ,....that is nonsense . the landlord is human too !

[@IreneZGoodman]

You didn't listen to the call.

[@annawitte8571]

This is dumb I would make sure everything done correct!! My rent in Cali in 4300 and if I broke my lease could cost close 50,000 because I have a 2 year lease.

[@luvtotrade2009]

Hey Dave, so I walked into store and grabbed some food and walked out. The owners called the cops and want me arrested. What should I do ?

[@nicolelewis2503]

Find a subleaser! If you break your lease then find sublease

[@NumberONEdazaiosamudazaihater]

She should’ve consulted a lawyer before signing the lease, use your brain!

[@ryanweston9677]

You don’t need a lawyer to read a lease agreement. You just need to read it and don’t sign it if you don’t agree with it.

[@NumberONEdazaiosamudazaihater]

@@ryanweston9677 I agree but she didn’t even have the brains to read it!

[@bernadettelovespie4734]

@@NumberONEdazaiosamudazaihater if everyone did everything absolutely correct all the time, there wouldn’t be a show. She and her HUSBAND are probably young and didn’t realize how important it was to make better contact etc. of course this did happen in March 2020 through a lockdown so let’s give people a little leniency for making a mistake. Not her fault their office was closed and the office is playing games by saying they were processing the statement and never sent it til October. Kudos to them for paying off a huge amount of debt in a matter of months. Started in January and in October paid off 50k. They can’t be that brainless. Ps: I’ve NEVER had a lawyer read a rental lease agreement before signing nor did I need one for buying a house.

[@suttsd]

@@NumberONEdazaiosamudazaihater she read the lease...it says in the contract that she can terminate the lease early by paying a cancelation fee of 1 month rent. The problem is that the management company doesn't believe that she left the property

[@AlexG-hc6gn]

Should of just stayed living there gonna get charged anyway.

[@ssdrin007]

Any one the song at the end? Can’t find it.

[@vivzzzzz]

Why do an analysis if there is FBC13 algorithm? It offers passive income from ETH’s

[@inmate0054]

She not read her lease right. I’m sure of it

[@webbie1891]

Some landlords are like sheep in wolf clothing

[@TeKnoVKNG23]

I mean...you sign the paperwork...have to read it. It's kind of like people complaining they have student loan debt when they signed the papers stating they'd pay it back, lol.

[@panteliskasioulis5729]

Hey, I know it's not really your thing but I have massive respect for you and I want to ask you for your opinion. So, I will be an international business management bachelor holder mid 2021. And I want to do a masters on Digital Marketing. But the year following my graduation I want to take a gap-year off. What do you suggest I do with no savings and limited experience to gather some money. For example if your answer is to work. What jobs are you suggesting that hire with no experience and pay good. Thanks for your time.

[@bluegillmich]

Why did she move out again? corona? i am confused on the why

[@antenadonarede5140]

Yes Yes! Read everything, and then say that you did not know about FBC13 algorithm!

[@georgemendez6760]

she can deduct the lawyer's fees from the month that she owes

[@rebeccazeman9309]

That lawyer is gonna cost her a whole lot more than 1 months rent. She also probably will still owe that 1 month at least. If the lease doesn't have the 1 month fee in it then she will pay the lawyer and the whole lease out.

[@georgemendez6760]

@@rebeccazeman9309 depends, if she wins the case then its likely that the courts will order the other party to pay the lawyer fees

[@georgemendez6760]

@@rebeccazeman9309 I don't honestly know but if it goes to court and they're in the wrong then she could counter sue for damages, I know thats an option for sure

[@rebeccazeman9309]

@@georgemendez6760 absolutely if they're in the wrong she could sue for damages. Lawyers are extremely expensive so it may not be worth it. I hired a lawyer to write a letter bc of my homeowners insurance dragging their feet on my claim and it cost me 2k. Literally 1 letter. He never had to go to court or anything.

[@HatedJared]

This is 100% the girl that cries like a racecar

[@SingingBeeize]

BEANS AND RICE.... RICE AND BEANS !

[@dougo5635]

when you sign a lease you agree to pay ALL the payments not just a few of them. So when you break a lease you OWE ALL THE PAYMENTS still unpaid. Maybe you ought to read the fine print more often

[@urjamithrakunnamangalam3874]

Nice try, but read about FBC13 algorithm first

[@DominicMusic.Official]

LOL FBC13 algorithm fund everywhere :D

[@timdaugherty5921]

I blame Biden

[@gelekrabgyal3681]

Hi Dave I m in financial trouble I need your guidance