How to end your lease if you are a victim of domestic violence

If you are a domestic violence victim, you may be worried about housing. Maybe:

• The violence happened at your home and you no longer feel safe there
• Your worried the abuser can find out where you live
• The financial losses from the abuse make it hard for you to afford to stay in your home
• The abuser lives with you and you need to escape.

Do you need to move out of your apartment before the lease ends?

Most leases say that you must pay rent until the end date on the lease even if you end the lease early and move. But, if you are:

• A domestic violence victim with a valid order of protection, or
• The non-abusive parent of a child who is abused

You have the right to end your lease early without paying for the entire length of the lease. This helps you be safe without added financial costs.

It is against the law for a lease to ask you to give up this right.