What do I need to do to break my lease? What do I do to legitimately get out of this nasty place?

I have 5 months left in my lease, and I need to get out of this apartment. In the last 3 months my tires have been slashed twice and we are completely infested with cockroaches. It's disgusting! When I called the rental office, they claim I can't break it since it's a legal contract. But they have listed as landlord duties that they will keep the area safe and clean and they don't.

I can't just leave or I'll never be able to get another place, it'll ruin my credit.

They don't have anything specific in the lease about early termination.

See if there is a landlord/tenant association within your city or county. Just as you are required to keep your part of the lease, so is management. Is it a gated community? Are the gates locked at night and do you need an access card or remote to enter the premises after a certain hour? Take pictures of the roaches (dead, hopefully) you have found in your apartment and show them to your landlord with a written note advising him/her that this is a safety issue and you expect them to maintain the apartment in a healthful manner. Failing that, contact a small claims court and go to it.

just leave

You should have a copy of your lease. Read it and see if they have any clause about termination.

If they won't let you out of it, even for a fee, then you could try to find a subleaser.

you could try subletting the place out, or going to small claims court over terminating your lease.

You could probably take them to court, but that may end up costing you more money. Try calling building code enforcement. Worse case scenario, you may have to pay the 5 months left on the lease if you move out.

document EVERYTHING with dates, times, pictures, attempts to rectify the situation, letters you send to them, conversations with them....try everything possible to keep the lease, and document your efforts

when you leave, don't tell them when, just leave....and send them a letter from your new place, tell them if they sue that you have records to prove your case

they'll sue you, and your documentation will hold up in court; if they send you to collections, dispute it immediately and be willing to send the collection agency the same proof

Check your lease. Some state that it's up to you to get rid of insect infestations. If so, you can't use that to get out of the lease. As for the tires, was it parked on the street or in a parking lot or garage provided for tenants? If it was parked on the street, the landlord/management company isn't liable because it wasn't on the landlords property. And sometime they even state in the lease that parking in the lots or garages they provide are at your own risk. That releases them of any liabilty for damage to your car. Is there anything else that makes the apartment uninhabitable? That is the best way to get out of a lease. But to be honest I really think you should consult a lawyer about this. A lot of cities have free legal aid if you can't afford a lawyer. Call the city as well. Depending on where you live you may be able to get out of the lease because of different laws in different states. Just as other people have said take pictures of everything you don't think is right or legal and document everything, calls, letters, and requests for repairs, etc. If you look for something, nomally you can find something that will get you out of your lease.

Here's a site that has your rights as a tenant ( laws )...Each state is different so this will help also in the future. Where ever you may live http://www.uslandlord.com/ go to Laws & Statues and the your state.

There's legal resources and much more!