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You are here: Home / Leases and Agreements / FAQ – Can the landlord or tenant ever “break the lease”?

FAQ – Can the landlord or tenant ever “break the lease”?

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Substantial Breach

There are certain situations where a landlord or tenant may be able to “break the lease” or end the lease early. If the tenant or landlord has committed a substantial breach of the residential tenancy agreement, a 14 day notice can be served to end the tenancy or an application can be made through the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service or Provincial Court Civil  to end the tenancy. See our pages on Eviction Notices and Tenant’s 14 Day Notice to Terminate Tenancy for more information.

Personal Circumstances

If a tenant wants to break the lease early because of personal circumstances (i.e. lost job, relocating for work), the tenant should talk to the landlord and see if the landlord will consent to ending the lease early. Tenants could offer to help the landlord find a new tenant by advertising the suite online or in local community hubs. The landlord is under no obligation to consent to breaking the lease, but might be willing if the tenant agrees to help with advertising and making sure the suite can get rented. If the landlord agrees to break the lease early, the tenant should make sure this agreement is in writing and signed by the landlord to prevent any problems in the future. When a landlord will not agree to end a lease early, a tenant may want to consider subletting the property or assigning the lease. For more information, see our tip sheet If Your Employment Ends. Lost your job and want to know more about your rights? Visit CPLEA’s Rights at Work page.

A landlord cannot break a tenant’s lease and make a tenant leave the property before the end of the lease. A landlord can ask the tenant to consent to ending the lease early but the tenant is not obligated to do so.

March 2015

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  • About
    • About CPLEA and Disclaimer
    • Copyright Statement
  • Topics
    • Legislation
    • Leases and Agreements
    • Security Deposits
    • Inspection Reports
    • Responsibilities
    • Roommates, Subletting, and Assignment
    • Repairs
    • Notices
      • Eviction Notice (Notice of Termination of Tenancy for Substantial Breach)
      • Notice of Objection to an Eviction Notice
      • Notice of Entry by the Landlord
      • Notice of Landlord
      • Notice of Rent Increase
      • Notice of Termination of a Periodic Tenancy for Allowable Reasons
      • Notice to End a Periodic Tenancy
      • Tenant’s 14 Day Notice to Terminate Tenancy
    • Dispute Resolution
  • Resources
  • FAQs
  • Glossary
  • Find Help
    • Forms
    • Legal Advice
    • Government & Court Services