Guides & Resources

Straightforward answers about getting out of a lease, taking one over, and what parents and co-signers need to know.

• Lease Takeover vs. Subletting vs. Breaking Your Lease
  Lease takeover, sublet, or break your lease? Compare who stays liable, the cost, and landlord approval so you can pick the cleanest way to get out.
• What Is a Lease Takeover?
  A lease takeover lets a new renter take over your remaining lease so you stop owing rent. Here's how it works, the steps, and how it differs from subletting.
• How to Find Someone to Take Over Your Lease
  Step-by-step: confirm the lease allows it, price it right, list it where takeover-seekers actually look, screen replies, and get the landlord's written release.
• How to Help Your College Student Get Out of an Apartment Lease
  A parent's guide to getting out of a college apartment lease — lease takeover, subletting, early termination, and what your co-signed lease means for you.
• How to Get Out of a Student Apartment Lease (Without Wrecking Your Credit)
  A student's guide to getting out of an apartment lease — reletting, takeover, co-signer impact, and what to do without hurting your (or your parent's) credit.
• Getting Out of Your Lease for a Semester Abroad
  Studying abroad? Decide between a sublet (you're coming back) and a lease takeover (you're not), and learn how to get landlord approval and protect yourself.
• Transferring Schools? How to Get Out of Your Apartment Lease
  Transferring schools isn't a legal reason to break a lease — but a lease takeover almost always solves it. Here's the step-by-step.
• Leaving for the Summer: Sublet or Lease Takeover?
  Leaving for the summer? Sublet if you're returning, take over if you're not. Pricing, furnished vs. unfurnished, and the must-do landlord approval step.
• What Does It Cost to Break a Lease?
  Typical early-termination fees are 1–2 months' rent, sometimes plus the deposit. Here's what breaking a lease really costs — and the cheaper alternative.
• What Is a Relet Fee? (And How It Differs From a Lease Transfer Fee)
  What a relet fee is, how it differs from a lease transfer fee, where to find it in your lease, and how a lease takeover can keep costs down.
• Lease Assignment vs. Sublease: What's the Difference?
  Lease assignment vs. sublease explained: who stays on the lease, who pays the landlord, and how to pick the right option for your move.
• How to Transfer Your Apartment Lease to Someone Else
  Step-by-step: how to transfer your apartment lease to someone else, from reading your lease to landlord approval and a written release.
• For Parents and Guarantors: What Happens to a Co-Signed Lease When a Student Wants Out
  For parents and guarantors: what happens to a co-signed lease when a student wants out, and how a lease takeover with a written release can help.
• Spring Semester Sublease and Lease Takeover Checklist
  A month-by-month spring semester sublease and lease takeover checklist: lease review, listing details, landlord approval, and key handoff.
• Summer Sublease and Lease Takeover Checklist
  A month-by-month summer sublease and lease takeover checklist: lease review, furnished listing details, landlord approval, and move-out records.
• Short-Term Apartments: Why Taking Over a Lease Can Beat Signing a New 12-Month Lease
  Need an apartment for less than a year? Why taking over an existing lease can beat signing a new 12-month lease, plus what to check first.
• Does Your Landlord Have to Re-Rent? Duty to Mitigate Explained
  In most U.S. states, landlords must make a reasonable effort to re-rent an empty unit. Here's what 'duty to mitigate' means and how it affects what you owe.