Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Kentucky

I called to give my landlord notice of me leaving the house I'm renting. I will be breaking my one year lease and forfeiting my deposit as I knew I would be. I told him I could either pay him this months rent and be out by the end of the month or be out sooner if he'd like and he then continued to tell me that I would not only be reliable for the rent for the month and forfeiting my deposit but would also be reliable for rent until the house is rerented by another tenate. I asked where it said that in the lease and he told me that it was implied in the lease because of the year lease. Can he do this or is he grasping at strings?


Asked on 8/05/10, 3:52 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Andrea Welker Welker Law Office

That would be the nature of a lease, yes: That you agree to rent the property for a set period of time (i.e. one year) for a set amount of money. Signing a one-year lease meant you agreed to rent the property for one year, not just for as long as you wanted to stay there.

If you are not wanting to pay the monthly rent until the landlord leases the unit to another tenant, you can consult an attorney to find a potential "out" of your lease. Perhaps the reason you are moving is the unit is inhabitable, or there is some other breach of your lease by your landlord. Absent such a breach, you will likely be responsible for the rent. A landlord is responsible, under the Uniform Landlord-Tenant Act, to take reasonable steps to rent the unit. If you feel the landlord is not doing so, you might have a basis there as well.

As always, you should consult an attorney in your area and who has the opportunity to review your lease and learn the facts of your situation to properly advise you of your legal options.

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Answered on 8/17/10, 4:17 pm


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