How Early Move-Out Loss Before Lease End Is Calculated
Moving out of a jeonse-style lease before its term ends without the landlord's consent usually means you can't get your deposit back right away, and by common practice the tenant often covers the broker fee for finding a replacement. Your deposit also stays tied up until a new tenant moves in, creating an opportunity cost for every month it sits idle.
Total Loss Formula
Total Loss = (Deposit × Broker Fee Rate) + (Deposit × Applied Rate ÷ 12 × Vacancy Months)
For example, with a $220,000 deposit, a 0.3% broker fee rate, a 1-month expected vacancy, and a 3.5% applied rate, you'd owe about $660 in broker fees plus roughly $642 in opportunity cost — a total loss of about $1,302.
How to Minimize the Loss
The most effective approach is negotiating with your landlord in advance for consent to move out early, or finding the replacement tenant yourself to minimize both the vacancy period and broker fee. Also check your lease for any early-termination clauses beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's not a legal requirement, but by common practice, if a tenant moves out before the lease ends without the landlord's consent, the tenant often covers the broker fee for finding a replacement tenant.
Yes. If you leave before the lease ends, the landlord can delay returning your deposit until a new tenant moves in — the longer the vacancy, the bigger the opportunity cost of your tied-up funds.
The most effective approach is negotiating early move-out consent with your landlord in advance, or finding the replacement tenant yourself to minimize both the broker fee and vacancy period.