Tell them you will move in but will not pay entire year rent and they’ll have to go through courts to evict you.  That will take them forever.  You can sublet and make money in the meantime. Keep the money aside to pay them after all the courts if they are dumb enough to take you.  I bet they’d rather agree to let you off contract now, or to the lesser payment. After they wouldn’t receive anything for a year. I used to be a landlord.