| name | lease-termination-agreement |
| title | Lease Termination Agreement |
| description | Drafts a mutual early lease termination agreement for U.S. commercial and residential properties. Covers party identification, termination mechanics, property surrender, financial settlement (prorated rent, security deposit accounting), mutual release with carve-outs, and execution formalities. Use when landlord and tenant agree to end a lease before expiration, when negotiating buyout terms, or resolving disputes through consensual termination. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/lease-termination-agreement |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | real-estate |
| language | en |
Lease Termination Agreement
Drafts a mutual early termination agreement resolving all lease obligations between landlord and tenant before the lease's natural expiration.
Prerequisites
Gather before drafting:
- Original lease — execution date, term, rent, security deposit, amendments
- Parties — legal names (all tenants; landlord entity type and signatory authority), addresses
- Property — full address, unit number, legal description
- Termination terms — agreed effective date, early termination fee or waiver
- Financial status — rent paid through, deposit held, prior deductions, disputed charges
- Jurisdiction — state where property is located (governs deposit return timelines, notice rules)
Quick Start
- Collect all prerequisites above
- Draft sections 1–8 below in order
- Run the Pitfalls checklist before finalizing
Drafting Workflow
1. Parties & Recitals
- Use exact legal names from the original lease; include all tenants (omitting any creates residual liability)
- For entities: specify type (LLC, corp, trust) and confirm signatory authority
- Recitals: reference original lease by execution date (Exhibit A); state term, rent, deposit, amendments; frame as voluntary and mutual — no fault language
2. Termination & Surrender
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Effective date/time | Exact date and time |
| Vacate deadline | Date/time tenant surrenders possession |
| Property condition | Clean, broom-swept, free of personal property, normal wear and tear excepted |
| Keys/access devices | All keys, fobs, openers, access cards returned |
| Walk-through | Joint inspection; advance scheduling notice |
| Abandoned property | Landlord's rights per state statute |
3. Financial Settlement
Final rent — prorate for partial month (monthly rent ÷ days in month × days occupied); specify due date and payment method.
Security deposit accounting:
