Abandonment Remedy
Remedy 2: The "Abandonment" Remedy
A tenant can also abandon (move out of) a defective rental unit when the defects would cost more than one month's rent to repair, but this is not a requirement of the remedy.
If the tenant uses this remedy properly, the tenant is not responsible for paying further rent once he or she has abandoned the rental unit.
The basic requirements and steps for lawfully abandoning a rental unit are:
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The defects must be serious and directly related to the tenant's health and safety.
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The tenant or the tenant's family, guests, or pets must not have caused the defects that require repair.
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The tenant must inform the landlord, either orally or in writing, of the repairs that are needed.
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The tenant must give the landlord a reasonable period of time to make the needed repairs.