Lease Expired, Month to Month Amount is Not Mentioned

[pavan]

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: TN

Hi,
We lived in TN, Memphis apartment for 3 yrs and in Jan 2009 our lease got expired.We did not sign the new lease sent by apartment folks due to uncertainity . The lease says after it gets expired , and we do not renew then it will become month to month.
we paid since Jan 2009 rent of $806 , which they accepted and never asked for more.when we have given written notice on april 28 , 2009 about moving out of TN due to job and moved out on May 3, 2009. leasing office says you have to pay for 2 months rents and one month notice , total $2400. I said we are out of contract. leasing says then it will be month to month, the amount of month to month is not mentioned in the lease.my question is do I need to pay extra money apart from may 2009 rent, which I have already paid.I called again to enquire about sending me the revised balance, and came to know that the apartment is already rented out to some one else.
I appreciate the help.

Thanks,
pavan

[Mr. Knowitall]

You need to read your lease and see what it says about lease renewal and notice to quit following the expiration of the original lease term. If your lease requires sixty days notice, that's what you agreed to give.

But if the apartment has been re-rented, under typical state law, even if you moved out without notice they have no business charging you rent past the date they found a new tenant. I haven't found anything yet that says this general rule applies in Tennessee, but I would be surprised if it doesn't.

[pavan]

Hi Mr. Knowitall,
I appriciate your response , my lease says 2 months pf notice. but once lease got expired I did not sign the new lease in Jan 2009.
Leasing office found new tenant on May 23 , 2009.
We received letter from collection agency stating that we need to pay early termination fees. We lived in TN, Memphis.
I already paid notice fees for month of may 2009.
kindly help and suggest should we need to pay balance fees also , which is $760.

Thanks,
Pavan