Tenant wants to break the lease

[Marisa Alvarez]

My tenants moved in last July to a 3 bedroom house 🏡. Today the husband asked me what would happen if they leave the house as the market has gone down and there are cheaper houses around now. They are mostly determined to move out.

My lease specifies that the tenant is responsible for the whole year lease and also that if they break it they should pay a fine. The question is if I can enforce that clause if they leave and how to do it.

Also, when they moved in I told him I would consider fencing the backyard which I still haven’t done. He is using that as an excuse for wanting to move out.