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HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 10Ch. 5Art. 2§ 10519 Lease Damages Calculation

§ 10519 Lease Damages Calculation

Commercial Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 10519 Lease Damages Calculation

This law says that when a landlord breaks the lease (like not delivering the rented item) and the lease doesn’t have its own special rule, the tenant can get money equal to the present‑value difference between today’s market rent and the original rent for the rest of the lease, plus other damages, minus any savings the tenant got.

Key Takeaways

  • •If the lease doesn’t have its own damage rule, use the present‑value difference between market rent and original rent.
  • •Market rent is set at the place where the item was supposed to be delivered.
  • •Add other real costs (incidental, consequential) and subtract any savings the tenant got because of the landlord’s breach.

Example

A company rents a delivery truck for three years at $1,000 a month. After two years, the leasing company fails to deliver the truck and refuses to fix the problem.

Because the lease has no special damage clause, the company can claim the present‑value difference between what a similar truck now rents for (market rent) and the $1,000 they were supposed to pay, for the remaining 12 months, plus any extra costs, minus any money they saved because they didn’t have to pay for the missing truck.

How to Calculate

Damages = PV(Market Rent) – PV(Original Rent) + Incidental/Consequential Damages – Expenses Saved

  1. Find the market rent per period (the rent a similar item would fetch today).
  2. Note the original rent per period from the lease.
  3. Determine how many periods are left in the lease (remaining term).
  4. Choose a discount rate (interest rate) to calculate present value.
  5. Compute PV(Market Rent) = Market Rent × [1 – (1+r)^‑n] / r, where r = period discount rate and n = number of periods left.
  6. Compute PV(Original Rent) using the same formula with the original rent amount.
  7. Subtract PV(Original Rent) from PV(Market Rent).
  8. Add any incidental or consequential damages and then subtract any expenses the tenant saved because of the landlord’s default.
  9. The result is the total damage award.

A lease has 12 months left. Market rent is $1,200 per month, original rent is $1,000 per month. Annual discount rate is 5% (0.4167% per month).

Result: PV(M) = $1,200 × [1 – (1.0041667)^‑12] / 0.0041667 ≈ $14,025.6 PV(O) = $1,000 × [1 – (1.0041667)^‑12] / 0.0041667 ≈ $11,688.0 Difference = $14,025.6 – $11,688.0 = $2,337.6 Add incidental damages $500 and subtract saved expenses $200 → Total damages ≈ $2,637.6

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 10519 Lease Damages Calculation

(a) Except as otherwise provided with respect to damages liquidated in the lease agreement (Section 10504) or otherwise determined pursuant to agreement of the parties (Sections 1302 and 10503), if a lessee elects not to cover or a lessee elects to cover and the cover is by lease agreement that for any reason does not qualify for treatment under subdivision (b) of Section 10518, or is by purchase or otherwise, the measure of damages for nondelivery or repudiation by the lessor or for rejection or revocation of acceptance by the lessee is the present value, as of the date of the default, of the then market rent minus the present value as of the same date of the original rent, computed for the remaining lease term of the original lease agreement, together with incidental and consequential damages, less expenses saved in consequence of the lessor’s default. (b) Market rent is to be determined as of the place for tender or, in cases of rejection after arrival or revocation of acceptance, as of the place of arrival. (c) Except as otherwise agreed, if the lessee has accepted goods and given notification (subdivision (c) of Section 10516), the measure of damages for nonconforming tender or delivery or other default by a lessor is the loss resulting in the ordinary course of events from the lessor’s default as determined in any manner that is reasonable together with incidental and consequential damages, less expenses saved in consequence of the lessor’s default. (d) Except as otherwise agreed, the measure of damages for breach of warranty is the present value at the time and place of acceptance of the difference between the value of the use of the goods accepted and the value if they had been as warranted for the lease term, unless special circumstances show proximate damages of a different amount, together with incidental and consequential damages, less expenses saved in consequence of the lessor’s default or breach of warranty. (Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 254, Sec. 69. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

measure of damagesmarket rentpresent valueincidental and consequential damagesexpenses saved

Related Statutes

  • § 10528 Lessor Damage Recovery Rules
  • § 10508 Lessor Default Remedies
  • § 10509 Lessee Rejection Rights
  • § 10510 Installment Lease Rejection Rights
  • § 10511 Lessee Disposal Of Rejected Goods

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 10519.
View Official Source