In most jurisdictions, landlords have a legal duty to   “mitigate damages.”   This means that even if you abandon the property in violation of the lease, the landlord cannot simply let the unit sit empty and sue you for the remaining months of rent. They are legally required to make a reasonable effort to find a suitable replacement tenant. Once a new tenant begins paying rent, your obligation to pay ends. You would only be responsible for the rent during the time the property was vacant, plus any reasonable advertising costs the landlord incurred.

To speed this process along, you can offer to help find a new tenant yourself. This can take two forms:

    Subletting:   You find a new tenant (a sublessee) who moves in and pays rent to you. You then continue to pay the landlord. In this scenario, you are still the primary person responsible for the lease.

    Assigning:   You find a new tenant who is approved by the landlord. This new tenant signs a new agreement, taking over your lease and releasing you from all future obligations. An assignment is a much cleaner break.

In certain rare and specific situations, such as being called to active military duty or if the property becomes legally uninhabitable, tenants may have a statutory right to break the lease without any penalty.