I know people who are paying out the nose for their plans - is this really necessary?

No - see Dodd Frank regulations.Hard money lenders will make you sign an agreement saying you do not intend to make it your primary residence. 

@Misty Stroud really hit it on the nose.  

That's only going to get worse as while everyone was up in arms fighting the golf course, the city slipped in a measure for a new development under everyone's noses that will add something like 300 new vacation homes to the area. 

One surgery in particular was the installation of a metal plate on my pelvis (multiple fractures and complete dislocated hip).

Tell them you are willing to rerent the property and they would only be responsible for rent and utilities until a new tenant moves in (plus a rerental fee and any other deposit deductions if applicable.)You could just go the hard nose route and demand they pay rent for the remainder of the lease, but here is what will happen.

Gotta love when deal 1 is in the nose bleed seats, way up there. 

However, some of the RUBS billing services (if you use them), hired attys to go to court and actually win so now RUBS are common here.However, that was a bunch of towns and suburbs, if the Legislature gets their nose into it, it may change.I think you need to do something (like sub-meters) not so much to recoup your water bill as to get them to USE LESS D*** WATER!!!

I see it as robbing Peter to pay Paul, dismantling the west wall to repair the east wall, trying to cover yourself with a short sheet, cutting off your nose to spite your face, or kicking the can down the road... take your pick. 

Most tenants resent landlords, don't rub their nose in it.