I need to move away; can my friend take over my lease?
Question:
I signed a one-year lease but now I have to move out halfway through the year to take a job in Alberta. I have a friend who would like to take over the place permanently. Should I ask the landlord, or should I just have the friend pay me the rent and not say anything to the landlord?
Answer:
You should ask the landlord for permission to "assign" your place to your friend. It's best to do this in writing. If you don't get permission, your friend could get evicted. If your landlord refuses to let you assign to anyone, or doesn't give you an answer within 7 days, you can get out of the lease, but you can't force the landlord to accept your friend as a tenant. However, if your landlord says you can assign your place but not to your friend, the landlord must have a good reason for refusing your friend.
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