It means that the tenant can't say he/she didn't know the consequences of breaking the lease, because they have to actually check an option.

It's so much easier to manage a place when you can vet tenants yourself, who think the going rent is a good deal, and you can set the expectations/consequences, etc., from the beginning.  

Get a judgment, and then even if you just turn the judgment over to a collection service, at least you will have given them a consequence.  

Just wondering if there is any legal consequence to raising one tenant's rent significantly more than another's at the same property without a "valid" reason.

We have to pay our mortgages on-time and tenants have to pay their rent on-time or there are consequences.

And getting kicked out, after using up his last straw with you, is a consequence he deserves.So, when I say the following, you can believe that I am not a heartless person, because I am now in the trenches with low-income people and it's honestly no excuse:  Don't make this guy any concessions. 

You need to be okay with setting boundaries and giving consequences - as in kicking them out, charging late fees, saying no when they ask if they can pay part of the security deposit now and part later or if you will take less or let their dog stay. 

"How likely is it that I will be caught, and what are the consequences of getting caught?"

When a tenant doesn't instinctively do the right thing, then they may need to be taught, with clear guidelines and meaningful consequences.

The only consequence for me as a landlord has been that when a new tenant arranges to have utilities switched back on, a utility might call me to verify the previous tenant isn't still in the unit and trying to trick the system.