There are only two ways to legally terminate the lease agreement- to ask the landlord to end the lease prior to the ending date, or to prove the landlord has violated his obligations as designated in the lease. The second available option is to appeal to the court, ordering the landlord to make the necessary repairs. The court will require proof of damage and proof that the landlord was notified. The court can then order the landlord to comply with the lease and the City and State laws. The final option is placing rent in escrow.
Escrow is the procedure of withholding rent from the landlord and paying it directly to the court.
This way the landlord does not receive any money until all the terms of the lease have been met. All payments must be up to date in order to utilize this option, as simply withholding rent can be considered a violation of the lease. Contact the Clerk of the Courts if this is a viable option. Residents whose actions result in a breach of contract may be subject to eviction. Eviction is the legal process through which the landlord takes physical possession of the tenant's residential unit.