Can I break my lease due to job relocation?

We found no Alberta rule that ends a fixed-term lease early for a job move, a job loss or military service. The landlord is not obliged to accept early termination. The statutory early exits we found are narrow, such as domestic violence with a certificate and at least 28 days' notice, and are not tied to work.

A month-to-month tenant gives one tenancy month's notice. A fixed-term tenant can ask the landlord to agree, or assign or sublet with written consent. If the tenant leaves without a valid end to the tenancy, the landlord must take reasonable steps to limit its loss (s.27).

BC sets out specific ways to end a tenancy early, and a job move or military posting is not one of them in our research. The routes we found include a mutual agreement (the RTB-8 form), family or household violence or being assessed for long-term care (s.45.1, one month's notice), and a landlord's breach of a material term that is not fixed in a reasonable time (s.45(3)).

A month-to-month tenant gives one month's notice before the rent due day. A fixed-term tenant who wants out can ask for a mutual agreement or assign or sublet; consent cannot be unreasonably withheld when 6 months or more of the fixed term remain (s.34). A landlord must also try to limit its loss (s.7(2)).

Manitoba has a military rule. A member of the Canadian Forces posted at least 50 km away can end the tenancy with a certificate from the Forces. The notice is three rental payment periods, or one period if the member got less than three months' notice of the posting (s.92.1; the periods are the ones on the Residential Tenancies Branch tenant sheet). We found no similar rule for a civilian job move or job loss.

Other tenants who are still in a fixed term are responsible for the rent until the end of the term, unless the landlord agrees or the tenant assigns or sublets (consent not unreasonably withheld; up to $75). A tenant who abandons the unit stays liable for lost future rent, and for a $75 administration fee if there was no notice, but the landlord must re-rent and minimize its loss. A month-to-month tenant gives one full rental payment period's notice.

We found no Saskatchewan rule for ending a fixed-term lease early because of a job move, job loss or military service. The early exits we found are interpersonal or sexual violence (s.64.2, with a certificate and at least 28 days' notice) and a landlord's material breach (s.56). A fixed term of three months or longer must be in writing (s.20).

A tenant can ask the landlord to agree or assign or sublet (consent not unreasonably withheld; up to $20). A landlord claiming for a loss must take reasonable steps to minimize it (s.8(2)).

We found no Ontario rule that ends a fixed term early for a job move, job loss or military service. A fixed-term tenant needs 60 days' notice ending no earlier than the end of the term. A month-to-month tenant also gives 60 days (28 days for a weekly tenancy). An early end is possible by agreement with the landlord (N11).

A tenant can ask the landlord to consent to an assignment or sublet; the landlord needs a good reason to refuse. If the landlord refuses or does not reply within 7 days, the tenant can give an N9 with 30 days' notice (28 for a daily or weekly tenancy). The Landlord and Tenant Board looks at whether the landlord took reasonable steps to limit its losses. Ask the Board or a tenant legal clinic about the deadline for a landlord's claim for money owed.

We found no New Brunswick rule for a job move, job loss or military service. The early exits we found are violence or criminal harassment (s.24.01) and a rent increase notice (the tenant can end on one month's notice, s.11.1(3)). A month-to-month tenant gives notice at least one month before the end of a month (one week for a weekly tenancy).

A tenant who leaves a fixed term early can be liable for damages and lost rent, subject to the landlord's duty to mitigate. Clauses that speed up the rest of the rent are void (s.22(1)). Where the lease requires the landlord's consent to an assignment, the request uses Form 7 and the landlord may charge up to $20 for reasonable expenses; the landlord may instead serve a notice to quit. For a sublet, ask the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office.

We found no Nova Scotia rule for a job move, job loss or military service. The statutory early exits we found are for health, a nursing home admission, domestic violence and the death of a tenant, none of them tied to work. A month-to-month tenant gives one month's notice before the end of any month (Form C).

A tenant who leaves without proper notice stays responsible until the unit is re-rented, and the landlord must try to re-rent. The provincial policy says a landlord that makes no reasonable attempt to mitigate is not entitled to compensation. Consent to an assignment or sublet cannot be arbitrarily or unreasonably withheld, and the landlord can charge only expenses actually incurred.

We found no Prince Edward Island rule for a job move, job loss or military service. An ordinary notice cannot end a fixed term early (s.55(3)(b)). The early-end grounds we found are family violence, a Human Rights Commission order and certain illness-related situations, each on one month's notice. A month-to-month tenant gives one month's notice ending the day before rent is due (7 days for a weekly tenancy).

Consent to an assignment or sublet cannot be arbitrarily or unreasonably withheld, and only actual expenses may be charged. A landlord must mitigate (s.46). Contact the Rental Office if you are unsure.

We found no Newfoundland and Labrador rule for a job move, job loss or military service. A month-to-month tenant gives one month's notice. A fixed-term tenant can give notice not less than 2 months before the term ends. The early-end grounds we found are special circumstances with evidence (s.18(8)), family violence (ss.25 to 27) and a landlord's breach.

Consent to an assignment or sublet cannot be arbitrarily or unreasonably withheld, and the landlord may charge only actual expenses. If a tenant abandons the unit, the landlord must mitigate. We did not confirm a list of the losses a landlord can claim, so ask the Residential Tenancies Office.