Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Pennsylvania

Re: breaking a lease

You are obligated to pay until the lease term expires. Unless the lease is very unusual, you are both jointly and severally liable, which means the landlord can sue you, the other person or both - whether you move out or not. Did you and your roommate enter into an agreement that would make them responsible for paying your rent or finding another roommate if you had to move out? If not, why would you think they had any obligation to do anything?

Something you may want to consider is if you do move out and your roomamte does not, even if they find someone else to take your place, you will still be responsible to the landlord for the rent and in the event the lease has sme automatic renewal provision you may stay on the lease beyond the end of the immediate term.

I suggest you try to work this out with both your roommate and your landlord. Read the lease very carefully (better yet, hire a competent attorney to read it) and do what it calls for regarding termination. Also, if your roomamte and landlord allow you to get out of the lease get it in writing, a simple termination and release should work. Without it you are setting yourself up for a big headache.