Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Florida
break a lease to sell house?
We own a house in Sarasota Fl. Due to the escalating taxes, we have to sell the property. The next door neighbor leases the house from us as a guest house. We are in year 2 of a 5 year lease. What is our responcibility to the lease since we have to sell?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: break a lease to sell house?
Check with a Florida lawyer to be sure. But, generally, nothing. Whoever buys takes it subject to the lease, meaning they would have to honor it. They would step into your shoes. Sometimes, a lease reserves the right to the landlord to terminate early in the event of a sale. It would depend on what it says. Sometimes, if you have no early termination rights and getting the tenant out will facilitate a sale, you can "buy out" the tenant's lease.