Im a tenant in an appartment lease to Oct '10, the area is unsafe, break lease?

[acacia]

I am living in an apartment in a fairly rough area of the city.

When I moved in, people warned me against the area, but I figured that crime etc can happen anywhere, and not just in certain parts.

Anyway, I was attacked on the street outside the apartment (literally yards from the door) recently when walking home with a friend. I was kicked and punched, and my friend was also punched. Prior to this, some junkie knocked on the apartment door (I have a spyhole), having gained access to the building. There are some other tenants in the block who have had problems as well.

I now feel pretty unsafe in the area, and when my flatmate is away I am a virtual prisoner after dark as I do not want to venture out.

I am signed into a 12 month lease until October.

Is there anyway of getting out before then? Is what happened to me (I have a garda letter to prove it) a valid reason to break the lease?

 

[twofor1]

Re: Want to break lease - feel unsafe in area

It can be done, it might be worth explaining the situation to your landlord first, although not obliged to, he/she might accept reasonable notice under the circumstances.

What happens if there is a fixed term lease in place?
A tenant cannot avail of the notice periods where they are bound by a fixed term lease which they signed.
A tenant can also avail of section 186 of the Residential Tenancies Act to end a fixed term lease where the landlord refuses their wish to assign the lease to somebody else.
If a tenant wants to end of fixed-term tenancy early, they should inform the landlord in writing of their wish to assign or sublet the lease. Where the landlord refuses to give his or her consent, the tenant is entitled to serve a Notice of Termination.
The tenant is entitled to the return of their deposit if they take these steps.


http://www.threshold.ie/page.asp?menu=70&page=256