Thanks for all your advice girls! We got approved for the house we wanted and sign the lease Saturday.

I gave 3 weeks notice today.

I worked it out that after the notice and we move out, there's only 4 weeks until our rent is over anyway. So even if we have to pay rent until someone else moves in, it's the exact same cost as paying the 4 week break lease fee!

We're going to be broke for the next few weeks but it'll be totally worth it. SO gets to start his new job In two Sunday's time!

And I have a wonderful mother who is happy to help us cover the costs (which I can repay her when we get our bond back in Jan - because we've already payed bond for our new place)

Very happy! Now to start packing ?

Again, thanks for all your advice x

I would think in Sydney that most rentals would get snatched up pretty quick! You really only get penalised if the house sits empty after you have left early.

I'd consider risking it and as long as they can get new tenants in pretty much straight away you may only have to pay the advertising fee anyway

I would've thought the 4 weeks mentioned in your contract meant that the agent still had to try find new tenants asap and you pay rent until they move in OR for 4 weeks, whichever is first, not an upfront payment that's a bonus to the agent if they fill it in

We broke a lease 2 months early to move into our own home. Had to pay 1 extra week for breaking early and how ever many weeks until new tenants moved in (which wasnt long). I think it all depends on the agent and contract.

Also got all of our bond back, bond has nothing to do with rent and it's held by the bond agency. In NSW you should have payed the bond plus 2 weeks in advance, so you should get all bond back if there's no damage or whatever. Goodluck, just talk to the real estate again.

A little loop hole for you.. assuming your rental agreement was signed with the residential tenancy agreement 2010. If your more then 14 days in arrears the landlord will issue a termination notice, DONT spend the money but once you receive the letter then you pay the real estate that termination letter becomes null and void on their side BUT here is where it benefits you, you are still able to act on that termination notice that they have given without giving them notice.

So pay your arrears, it does Not go on your history as long as u pay up to date on the notice you are free to leave as per termination notice... :)

Go by your contract.

Look up who your rental tenancy advisory group are in your state and ask them for advice.

I would also email your landlord from now on, he either doesn't know what he is talking about or is trying to screw you over.

Double check your contract states 4 weeks notice to break the lease and not just vacate.

We won't do that. We'll be renting for a while so need good history.

We have enough money saved to get us moved and to pay the extra money for breaking the lease.

I just wasn't sure on what the go is, as the real estate is saying one thing, but our contract says another.

Whatever you do, don't use your bond as the final months rent!!!

That is terrible advice.

If you are applying for new rentals and your current landlords get a call for a reference they will tell them you haven't paid rent/won't get your bond back.

The bond is there in case you damage the place, don't pay rent etc not to cover your last months rent.

Yeah, that's something to look into.

Yeah, I thought that was odd, but he's got proof of it actually being true.

I have no idea how he got around that one.

Thanks for your advice :)

Maybe he could stay in a cheap motel near his new work and look for a new rental, while you stay there, slowly getting everything packed up properly and either he comes home for weekends, or you travel there for weekends, either way it's up to you guy's.

Also I have never heard of anyone breaking lease early, paying the 4 weeks rent and getting bond back. The whole point of the bond is so that you aren't out of pocket if you break early, and the landlord has their rental insurance excess covered for you leave the place trashed and they need to fix stuff.

His new work place is 4 hours away ?

my partner left his old house, before the lease was up (due to losing his job) he had to pay the 4 weeks, but he still got his bond back.

So technically he didn't lose any money & easily got accepted for another place.

This s*** is confusing. It would be much easier to just wait the lease out, however this is an extremely good job opportunity, for his career, and our family because the pay is great. And we don't want to pass it up.

Ah, so many decisions ?

You go with your contact. The 4 weeks rent you don't actually have to pay either because your bond is the 4 weeks rent. If you need your bond back in order to move into another property, then you are just going to have to tough it out for the next 2mths and your partner make the travel to his new work place until then.

I checked the contract afterwards, and realised it didn't match up.

I definitely will be bringing it up again. I'll be calling him tomorrow.

I just wasn't sure how the renting world worked, lol.

What ever is in your contract should apply. Did you mention to them that the contract says a four week penalty?