Apartment Lease - Getting Out? (kinda long)

I moved into a new apartment in a new area almost two weeks ago. I moved to be closer to school (in a large city a few miles north). I didn't know much about the area, but have heard from people in my classes and people who used to live here that it is very nice. The town itself is nice, but the apartment complex is not. I did tour the complex a couple of times, and know people who lived here, but they moved out long ago. As soon as I moved in, a few things broke down in the apartment. There are people loitering in the streets, people yelling around at night. The breaking point was when I awoke to loud rap music at 10 till 8 in the morning. I play my music sorta loud, but not LOUD - I had earplugs in, and tried to block it out. Didn't work. I'm not one to complain. I've lived in an apartment setting, and rarely were there problems. I know noise and such are common in apartment life, but I feel this goes beyond normal. I guess crime is slowly coming down from the city. As you go up the street, it gets pretty bad. I go to school in the downtown, so I'm accustomed to crime, but I didn't expect it in the southside. I've not experienced any problems other than disturbances, but there are cops all around which is not a good sign. It just amazes me because the town is very nice as a whole. I guess it is the cheaper cost of the complex. I knew this deal was too good to be true.

I went into the rentor to pick up a bill, and I mentioned the music. She said they'd put letters on the doors telling everyone to keep it down.
Hopefully, that problem will be solved, but the underlying problem remains. This is just not the kind of neighborhood I thought it would be. I knew living closer to an urban area would have drawbacks, but I didn't expect it to be quite this bad. I'm not racist, I swear, but I'm literally one of the only white people here. That's not a problem at all, I like diversity, except I feel alienated when people look at me like I don't belong here. I have a 12-month lease, which is the problem. I've seen apts. that are cheaper and further outside of the city that I think I'd like better. I can get out, but it will cost over $1000. I want to know if there is anyone who has experienced this before. What did you do? Can I cite the above reasons as a defense to leaving?

Ironically, I go to paralegal school, and just had a class in contracts. I got about a C- in it, though . It was really general, but one thing I did learn was that for a contract to be voidable, you have to be a minor, insane, or intoxicated. I'm getting close to being the last two about now... Or, you need a defense to the contract, such as duress. There are no screwy clauses which would be a good defense, so I feel stuck. I did some brief research on landlord/tenant law, and didn't find anything glaring in my contract that would release me. I know it's my fault for getting in, but an hour's drive to the city was too much, and I felt compelled to move fast. I honestly do feel weird and a little scared about living here. If I was back home, for instance, I would've knocked on the neighbor's door to complain about the music, but here I don't want to make rifts because I'd fear for my safety. Any ideas on what I can do?

I would think fearing for your safety would be a good reason. You do not have to be racist to be afraid of people that you feel would do you harm. In most places you can go to the county offices and find out how many police reports have been filed for violent or property crimes in that complex. If they did not inform you that it is a high crime area, you could have cause to break the lease. Can you tell I am an old hand at ealing with landlords?
Maybe you could ask one of your teachers or bring it up in class if you hve discussion time. I hope you can find a way. If you do not mind me asking, what city are you in? If you do not want to say, I understand, I am just curious. It sounds like the situation that is occurring in a place I lived a few years ago. It is a shame, too, I really loved it there.

If you do not mind me asking, what city are you in?

I live just south of Columbus, Ohio.

Maybe you could ask one of your teachers or bring it up in class if you hve discussion time.

I think I'm going to ask one of my friends in class, who has worked with lawyers. He might have at least a general idea. I don't want to get into it too much until I'm sure I want out because I don't want it getting around that I'm thinking of breaking my lease. There are a few people in my class that live close by and it's a small community... But, I want to be prepared in case the situation worsens. Thanks for the suggestions - I think I'll check out the police reports, too.

well i broke off my lease after being there for a month, here you have to pay for the next three months for your appartment even if you move out immedietely.. well ben and i resolved it and that he would even pay for my part.

I know that in america its different but i wish you good luck at moving

Have you asked your landlord about the possibility of breaking the lease?

I know that the person who had my apartment before me signed a 12 month lease and only stayed a month because she didn't like the neighborhood. She says the landlord didn't give her any problem. Good landlords will let you out of the lease if you give them enough advanced notice for them to find someone else.

I have a friend that moved out of the same area a year ago. She said it had realy gotten bad with crimes targeting non minorities. I hope you can do something.

Hi MaisieCat, I sympathize TOTALLY with your plight.

My DBF and I live in rental situations, we left one bad situation to essentially another bad one. Though we weren't aware of it.

In our old apt, we lived in deplorable conditions basically because our landlady was too cheap and too dumb to fix leaking ceilings and holes in the roof that essentially grew mold and ruined our furniture (not all of it, but enough).

We broke our lease in that one, but that was more of a courtesy thing, her letting us out of it, because we did a lot and lived there under the old landlords (who were wonderful, btw, we would still be there if they still owned it).

In the new building, which we thought would be great b/c it's managed property, there are so many things that have been a clusterbomb since we moved in, it's not even funny. There is onsite laundry -- would be great if the washers and dryers ever worked at the same time, let alone work AT ALL.

The super speaks English only when there is something in it for him (and even the conversation Spanish I know, he acts like he doesn't understand)...try to get him to fix something and you have to pay him off (not like he doesn't get enough from the owner).

The piece de resistance is the entire weekend with NO hot water. When we called an emergency number, the owner picked up. My DBF, who is on great terms with him, was like "What's going on?" It was Sat, owner said the repair people wouldn't be there till Monday. NIIIIIIIIIIIIICE. Meanwhile, Home Depot is 24/7 in our neighborhood, you mean to tell me someone couldn't get out there on a Sat? Pay them the overtime!!! After all, that's what we pay rent for.

So you would think after all this, we would be ready to buy, right? Well, in our state (NJ), it's impossible to own something w/o putting yourself into major debt, not to mention all the incidentals with owning a property, like taxes, which is nuts in this state.

My basic statement here is...I feel for you. Getting our of your lease should be easy if -- a.) you do your research on renter's laws in your state (which there's got to be some kind of clause for guarantee of livable condition or something like that) b.) see if you can get someone to assume the lease. It's not a sublease, but that's what we did in this situation -- we found a new apartment in a better area, got a new couple to assume the lease once we move out. It worked out well. That way, the management company can draw up a lease, and give you your exit letter.

Believe me, I sympathize with your plight. I've had more nightmare landlords/living situations than I care to remember. But try to stay positive, and see what you can do to get out of it. Otherwise, a year will pass by quickly