Tenant wishes to terminate lease.

[Phil B.]

I apologize if this question has been answered but I was unable to locate a response on point.

Issue:

Our tenant wishes to terminate our 12 month lease agreement at month five; although our lease clearly states that the tenant does not have the right to take such action.

Little more detail:

He wishes to give us 60 days notice (which would take his remaining lease requirement from 7 months to 5 months.)  He also states he will not be in the property for the remaining 60 days and that we are free to show the property to new prospective tenants at anytime.   As soon as we rent it, he will move out his belongings.

Can I / Do I somehow hold him to the remaining 5 months of the lease ($7,750) or do I just move on and find a new tenant?

I would like there to be some middle answer where he pays me for a portion of what he has remaining beyond his 60 day notice, say an additional two months and if I find a new tenant tomorrow he still owes me these funds to cover my costs to list the property and find a new tenant.

I would think there should be some penalty to breaking a lease.

Thanks.   Phil