What happens to the tenant's obligation if they vacate earlier than required?

When a tenant vacates a rental property earlier than the agreed-upon term in the lease, the tenant typically remains liable for paying the rent for the duration of the notice period or until a new tenant is found to take over the lease. This obligation exists because the lease is a legally binding contract which stipulates that the tenant is responsible for payments regardless of their physical presence in the property, provided that they haven't officially terminated the lease according to its terms.

The landlord is usually not obligated to re-rent the property immediately after a tenant's early departure, which means that the tenant may potentially owe rent for the remainder of the lease term, or at the very least, for the notice as required in the lease agreement. This preserves the landlord’s right to collect rent as stipulated in the contract, ensuring they are compensated for the agreed use of their property.

If a tenant is vacating the property early, they may want to negotiate with the landlord regarding any remaining balance or explore subleasing options where applicable, but these are not guaranteed outcomes under typical lease agreements, thus making the obligation to continue paying rent for the notice period the most accurate explanation of their liability.