Ending Your Lease

What happens if I have to leave and break my lease?
If a tenant who's locked into a term lease for another six to twelve months needs to leave, they are legally responsible for the remainder of the lease, until the landlord finds a new tenant.
If my landlord has violated the lease, do I have to give notice if I leave?
Tenants are required to give notice if they are going to break their lease or they're moving out regardless of whether the landlord violated some of their responsibilities, or the conditions of the lease.
If I'm on a month-to-month lease, do I have to give notice if I leave?
Tenants who are on a month-to-month rental agreement should give the landlord a 30 day written notice of their intention to move.
If my roommate situation is not working out, can I leave without penalty?
If tenants have roommates and they want to move out because they're not getting along with their roommate, they should still notify the landlord of their intention of moving out and they should do so in writing.
How long can my landlord keep my security deposit after I leave?
Local, city and state regulations may vary as to how long the landlord may keep your security deposit after you leave. To give you an example, in California, landlords have 21 days to return a tenant's security deposit once they've moved out.
Can my landlord keep my deposit if I find a new tenant when I break my lease?
If a tenant breaks their lease and finds a new tenant, landlords are still required to refund the original tenant's security deposit. However, there might be deductions to the security deposit if, for example, there were repairs to be made, or something was damaged in the property that the original tenant didn't fix.