We have what we believe to be a typical contract - it is 3 years with the ability to 'terminate the contract after 1/3 of the period'. The required notice period in the contract is 120 days. We have decided to leave as soon as possible and have therefore told our landlord we want to end the tenancy after 1 year, i.e. 1/3 of the contract duration. We have told him (via email and registered mail) more than 120 days in advance. He is arguing that the law, and therefore contract, actually means that we have stay and pay rent 1 year + 120 days per the law i.e., that we can give notice to terminate after 1/3. We have spoken to two lawyers (one hired professionally and one candidly) and an immigration consultant and all agree with our understanding that we can leave (i.e. terminate the contract) after 1 year, provided we give the appropriate notice, as we have done. The landlord's lawyer has reached out to our lawyer, supporting what the landlord said, which our lawyer says is illegal. Does anyone have experience with this or insight? We want to follow the law, but our understanding is that we are.
We have suggested getting a third, impartial opinion to act as a kind of arbitrator to avoid going to court.
They have 6 months' worth of rent as a security deposit, so we expect they will attempt to keep that though, so we expect we will likely need to go to court if they don't come around.
Thanks in advance
