Couple torn between paying off debt and leaving a roach-infested apartment. The Ramsey Show has an obvious answer, but breaking a lease can be tricky

“My wife and I, we potentially can be out of debt by the end of this year, but she currently wants to move to a new apartment because of an ongoing roach issue,” Jerry shared to hosts Jade Warshaw and George Kamel.

As he explained on the show, Jerry’s current lease ends in late November 2026, and remaining in that apartment would give him and his wife the opportunity to save money and pay off debt.

But if they were to move out now, the couple would have to pay first and last month’s rent — as well as a security deposit — on a new apartment, and that would inhibit their ability to pay down their debt. Making matters worse, moving out would require breaking their lease agreement, which could incur penalties if they’re not able to break the lease legally.

While this Florida couple appears to be stuck between a roach and a hard place, the hosts believe there’s an obvious answer to this problem.

‘Yeah, I’d be up and out of there’

It didn’t take long for Warshaw and Kamel to come to a consensus.

“I can’t do roaches,” Warshaw said bluntly. “Yeah, I’d be up and out of there. I’d sit down with your wife and figure out what [moving out] is going to cost.”

Kamel agreed, though he did question why the apartment complex hadn’t taken care of the infestation. Jerry said their lease states that tenants are responsible for pest control, and while renters can easily take care of pests in their own units, Jerry’s roach problem may be affecting the entire building.

That distinction matters. If roaches are isolated to one unit, spraying may help. But when an entire building is infested with roaches, individual treatments often fail because pests can migrate from neighbouring units.

“You can spray till the cows come home,” said Warshaw, “but they’re going to keep coming.”

With that in mind, both hosts quickly agreed that moving out of a roach-infested apartment is an easy decision, even if it temporarily puts a halt on financial progress.

“I think it’s well worth it,” said Kamel. “And I would just try to make up for lost time once you guys are in that new apartment. ‘Let’s work twice as hard to get out of debt by the end of the year.’”

Why breaking a lease can be difficult

Jerry quickly agreed with Warshaw and Kamel’s position. “Great, that’s good advice,” said Jerry. “I appreciate it.”

And with that seemingly settled, the next step is for Jerry to figure out how he and his wife can get out of their current lease. In fact, Jerry’s situation brought up a question that many renters have likely pondered: does a pest infestation give tenants the right to break a lease without penalty?

The short answer? Not automatically.

While Warshaw and Kamel’s advice prioritizes health and peace of mind, it isn’t exactly legal guidance. Tenants can typically break a lease agreement if they can prove a pest infestation is severe enough to make the apartment uninhabitable, and if the landlord fails to solve the problem in a reasonable timeframe, but habitability standards vary by state and even by city.

In general, landlords are required to provide a habitable living space, which may include pest control (2). However, as Jerry’s situation has shown, the terms of a lease agreement can shift pest control responsibilities on to the tenants.

While getting out of a lease can be difficult, there are steps that tenants of a roach-infested apartment can take to make a case for breaking the lease without penalty.

What renters should do if they’re in Jerry’s shoes

For starters, renters in a similar situation should document the infestation thoroughly with photos and video (3).

The next step is to alert their landlord to the situation with a written notice and keep all communication in writing. This serves as proof that the landlord was informed of the situation, and that proof could come in handy if said landlord fails to address the issue within a reasonable timeframe.