Landlord Asks Reddit If She's In The Wrong For Wanting Her Tenants To Pay The Rent Until The Lease Expires

The tenants are moving out before their lease ends and OP wants them to pay for the entire duration of the lease.

Senad

• Published in Interesting
• January 24, 2024

Welcome to the real-life rollercoaster of duplex living, where a simple lease agreement can lead to unexpected twists and turns. In this Reddit tale, OP invites us into the intricate dance of landlord-tenant relations, unfolding in a meticulously landscaped backyard.

The story begins in the heart of a high-cost-of-living U.S. city, where OP and her spouse own a duplex. They reside in the lower unit and lease out the upper to a seemingly fine couple in their late 30s or 40s.

Life is humming along, with minor hiccups stemming from the tenants' particular preferences and a not-so-subtle request about the backyard.

Cue the neighborly discord when the tenants decide to grace the professionally landscaped and OP's prideful backyard with her plants. A clash of expectations arises, highlighting the need for clear communication and adherence to the lease terms that explicitly prohibit personal belongings in the shared outdoor space.

Fast forward to summer, and the tenants drop a bombshell – they're moving out a month early. A mid-month departure prompts OP and her spouse to relist the apartment promptly. Showings are scheduled, a new tenant is found, and life seems to be back on track.

However, the plot thickens as the tenants express shock at the expectation that they continue paying rent for the six-week gap between their move-out and the new tenant's move-in. A chilly exchange of emails and tension in their interactions raise the question: Are OP and her spouse being unreasonable landlords or simply adhering to the standard practices of fixed-term leases?

The dilemma unfolds against a backdrop of legal obligations and the financial implications of breaking a lease. While OP and her spouse argue that the tenants had ample time to budget for this situation, there's an underlying concern – are they acting like "AHs"?

OP and her spouse own a duplex in a US city with a high cost of living

Things started to go downhill recently when the tenants put plants in the shared backyard

Sometime after that, the tenants told OP that they were moving out in a month

The tenants were shocked that OP expected them to pay for the rest of their lease

OP believes that they're doing everything by the book but she's still worried that they might be in the wrong here

OP added an update to the original story

An interesting experience

This is why we have contracts

The roommates are lucky

They can find someone else

A lease is a lease

They should have known

OP grapples with whether they are being unreasonable in holding the tenants responsible for the remaining lease period. They wonder if they should have done more to find someone who could move in sooner and if their actions make them "assholes" in this situation.

The Reddit community provides reassurance to the OP, highlighting the legal and ethical obligations associated with fixed-term leases. Breaking a lease incurs a cost, and the tenants should have factored this into their decision to move early.

The majority of responses support the OP's position, emphasizing that they made a reasonable effort to re-fill the unit promptly.

Senad