Landlord Question and Answer Forum

Our tenants lease is up on March 31st 2013...However, they have decided to move back to South Carolina and end the lease as of November 1st 2012... Does anyone know the Wisconsin Laws for a broken lease...What are my rights as a landlord and what are the obligations of the tenants for breaking the lease... Is it fair to have them pay rent until the lease is up...? Do I have to give them back the security deposit..? I want to do what is right but I also need to protect myself... I can't afford many months with no rent being paid... Please help...

They are liable for the rent through the end of the lease but you have to be diligent in finding a replacement tenant. Keep in mind that in WI, it's cold and therefore people don't move as much making it harder to find a new tenant. The security deposit can cover damages such as lost rent. It's in your best interest to find someone else NOW while at least its in the 50s.

Posted by Dawn A, WI on Saturday, October 6, 2012

Depends on how your Lease was written and if it followed WI statutes. Wisconsin Way/Landlord-Tenant Guide: http://datcp.wi.gov/Consumer/Wisconsin_Way/index.aspx Tenants Rights: http://datcp.wi.gov/uploads/Consumer/pdf/TenantsRights143.pdf IMPORTANT NOTE: 2011 WI Act 143, enacted in March 2012, made several important changes to landlord-tenant law. Click here https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/704.pdf for a copy of the new law and click here to see a copy of 2011 WI Act 143 https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/related/acts/143 and WI Legislative Council Act memo https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/related/lcactmemo/sb466.pdf explaining the changes. This information replaces sections of The Wisconsin Way.

Posted by Michelle D, WI on Saturday, November 3, 2012