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Most students enjoy their off-campus experience without substantial difficulty. But circumstances sometimes change, and students are often surprised to learn they cannot cancel their lease.
Even if you encounter difficulties with roommates or finances, transfer or relocate, take a leave of absence, or if campus closes the lease contract is binding. If a lease does not specifically provide an option to cancel early, the lease will be binding for the entire term. Before you sign, evaluate whether you are prepared to fully accept the obligations for the entire term of the lease.
Roommate issues. Living with others can often be challenging, and a difficult roommate can seriously affect the quality of life in your apartment. However, conflicts among roommates are not grounds for ending your lease or your problematic roommate's lease.
Changes in your or your family’s financial resources may make it impractical to meet the financial obligations of your lease. Financial hardship is not a ground for canceling your lease. Carefully evaluate your resources and the full financial obligations of the lease before you sign.
Most leases in State College are for just under a 12-month term, but you may want to move out early. You might be offered a summer job or internship, transfer to a different University, or return home for the summer. You can move your belongings out of the apartment when you choose but moving out early will not end your financial obligations for the remainder of the lease.
Students sometimes take a semester off or defer enrollment due to unforeseen personal, medical, or family matters. If you must take a leave of absence and cannot move into the apartment or need to move out early, this is not a ground for cancelling your lease.
Off-campus housing is privately owned and managed. This means your lease will remain in force even if the campus closes to in-person instruction. Long-term closure, such as the closure that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, is exceptionally rare. However, even under such extraordinary circumstances, your lease would not be cancelled due the university’s closure or transition to remote classes.
Resources are available to help students navigate unexpected challenges. Save and/or print a copy for future reference.
When considering whether you can commit to the full term of a lease, do not assume you will be able to sublet or assign the remainder of your lease if you move out early. Landlords are not required to allow subleases or
assignments and finding a suitable replacement tenant is often difficult. If your lease allows subletting or assignment, both processes usually involve additional costs and may require that you take on additional risks or responsibilities.
Under a sublease, a new tenant enters a contract with the original tenant (you) to rent the property, and the original tenant remains liable to the landlord. Subletting your apartment is very risky because you will still be responsible under the lease even though you no longer reside in the apartment and cannot control the new tenant. Your landlord can hold you responsible for unpaid rent or for damages caused by the subletting tenant.
With an assignment or lease transfer, your landlord transfers your lease to a new tenant. This means your rights and obligations under the lease will terminate, and the new tenant becomes responsible for the lease. Assigning a lease is preferable to subletting because with an assignment you are not responsible for the new tenant’s actions or failure to pay rent.