What protections does the Service Members Civil Relief Act provide?
Right to terminate leases on real estate and motor vehicles: The service member may cancel a lease for real estate or motor vehicle by delivering a written notice of termination to the creditor and providing a copy of his or her military orders. Notice should be hand delivered or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. Real estate leases: Service members have the right to terminate leases for residential, professional, business, agricultural, or similar purposes for premises intended to be occupied by the service member or his/her dependents. It covers (1) the service member who enters a lease and afterwards joins the military or (2) the service member who enters a lease while in the military and afterwards receives a permanent change of station or deployment for 90 days or more. Any rent due for the period before the effective date of the notice must be paid. If the service member has paid rent in advance, the prepaid amounts must be refunded by the landlord within 30 days o
