English
EspañolHow do I get out of my lease if I am a victim?
If you are a protected tenant, you can end your lease or rental agreement without penalty by giving your landlord:
- a copy of your valid protective order; and
- a written notice of termination, including the date that you want the lease to end. Note: The date you pick must be at least 30 days after the landlord receives your notice.1
Keep a copy of everything you give your landlord in case you ever need to prove that you followed the law. Also, write down the time and date that you gave the notice of termination and the copy of the protective order to the landlord, how you delivered it, who witnessed it, if anyone, etc.
Note: If you already had your protective order before the start of your lease or rental agreement, your written notice must also include an explanation of a new safety concern that came up after you signed your lease.2
1 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.300(5)(a)
2 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.300(5)(b)
Once I notify my landlord that I want to end my lease, do I still have to pay rent?
You are responsible for any rent due under your lease up until the date your lease is terminated. Your rent must be paid on the normal date that it’s due. If your termination date is not at the end of your normal rental period, the amount due for that month may be pro-rated.
Your landlord cannot do any of the following things because you terminated your lease early:
- give you a negative credit entry;
- give you a negative character reference; or
- charge you any additional rent or fees.1
However, your landlord might still be allowed to do some of these things if s/he has a different legal reason to do them.
Note: If you sign a lease and then follow the steps to terminate your lease at least 14 days before you move in, your landlord can’t make you pay damages or penalties.2
1 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.300(5)(c)(1), (c)(2)
2 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.300(5)(c)(3)
