I am a 40-year-old man who is engaged to be married in May 2009. Currently, I reside in Buffalo, NY where I am in a one-year lease. My fiance lives in another state but is relocating to Buffalo, NY to live with me in my apartment. The problem is that my fiance is terrified of the next door neighbor. The next door neighbor is verbally and physically abusive to his girlfriend and the police have responded to reports of domestic violence on several occassions (of which the landlord of my apartment is aware of these reports). Is there any way to break my rental lease because my fiance refuses to live next door to a man who is physically violent to women? I have spoken to my landlord about this issue and she told me that because I'm not legally married and my fiance is not on the lease, there is nothing the landlord is willing to do. Because I will be married in May does that mean we can break our lease in May? There must be some provision for tenants who are fearful of violent neighbors, no?

Thank you so much in advance for your help.
Signed, Jakob and Kandace of Buffalo, NY