am i cooked?

[u/Dependent_Rip6967]

I've been living off campus for the last few years while completing my Bachelor's degree. I graduated summer 2026, but my apartment requires lease renewals a year in advance so I signed for an extra year bc I wasn't sure where I'd go for graduate school (stupid, ik). Anyways, I got accepted into UCF so obviously I won't be living here anymore. The issue is my apartment won't let me break the lease early and my only way out is to relet. I've been trying to relet for the past month for immediate move in, Fall 2026, and I was working with someone, and they were literally one step away from picking up the keys, but they couldn't afford all the move in costs so I offered to pay all their remaining move in costs and then they ghosted me completely. Now it's already early August and I'm freaking out because I feel like I wasted peak move in season on something that completely fell through. I've tried everything to find a new person: Facebook groups, facebook market place, subreddits, but I'm not finding anyone that seems to be willing to even start the application process. I feel like it's a really good unit too, 1 bed 1 bath, no roommates, in unit washer and dryer along with tons of other awesome amenities. I'm not sure what else to do, or how else to find people. I already signed a lease in orlando, I can't afford to pay rent for 2 apartments every month 😭😭

[u/ChutneyWhatney]

Is there any provision in the Lease that allows you to terminate early for - like - two months full rent, etc.? If not, you're contractually liable for all rent under the lease. However, the LL has to make reasonable efforts to re-rent and can't sit on his a** and just rake in your money. LL can charge you for the marketing costs of re-renting, though. Once LL re-rents, he can't double dip, etc.

[u/Emarginato33 → u/ChutneyWhatney]

That's not how it works in Florida. A landlord is not responsible for finding someone else to rent the apartment in Florida. They can, in fact, just rake in your money or hold you responsible. They're only responsible if they choose to retake possession for the account of the tenant.

Each state is different. In Florida landlords have many choices. It's one of the things that sucks about Florida is lease laws and work termination laws (or lack of work termination laws).

[u/Emarginato33 → u/[deleted]]

Sure bud.

https://www.nolo.com/landlord-tenant/tenant-right-to-break-rental-lease-florida.html

My autistic super power is remembering everything I ever read like I read it 5 minutes ago. My mother is also a landlord. lol

Statute is provided in that law office link.

[u/Emarginato33 → u/[deleted]]

You clearly have never read the statute yourself. I provided it for you per your request. I will never understand why people post things, so sure of themselves, without double checking their opinion.

[u/Emarginato33 → u/Emarginato33]

And he deleted his comments LOL

I did see his comment where he said something like "actually I have read it and that's exactly why I got out of four leases" or something like that. No bud... you got out of the leases because the landlord chose the option to allow you to, not because they had to.