I Need Out Of Apartment Lease

https://www.reddit.com/r/roommateproblems/s/P8vT5FLwFL

25F location: AZ, USA

Above is my most recent update on a roommate issue I’m having. My roommate has been complaining of an unpleasant odor coming from my side of the apartment and it’s creating a toxic environment. I’ve done everything I can to accommodate her sensory issue, I’ve cleaned literally EVERYTHING I’ve brought into the apartment, using her preferred methods. I’ve had family and friends come over and no one was able to smell any negative scents. Maintenance has come by twice and couldn’t find anything. Due to the ongoing arguments and crossing of boundaries, I’ve decided to move out tomorrow. I will be letting the complex know in writing once I’m done moving tomorrow that me and my things will be staying elsewhere at the moment but am still going to pay my portion of the rent until we get this resolved.

Some things happening in the complex: roommate constantly spraying chemicals, I’m talking every day before and after work and if I go in the common area she come in right after I’ve left to spray more chemicals (hypochlorous acid specifically for the most part). She also has incense and sage burning constantly. She also tried to get me to buy an ozone machine but I put my foot down on that one since it’s not meant to be used in apartments and has serious health risks to us and our neighbors. She also leaves the balcony door open 24/7 with the heat off, every time I’ve turned the heat on she comes out and turns it back off. Same with the balcony door. She’s also gone into my bedroom multiple times without my permission, even after I set a firm boundary to not do that in writing (before we moved in together we had set that only verbally). She’s taken my things and washed them without permission. I think she might have also thrown some of my things away, but I’m not 100% positive.

I’ve talked to the apartment complex and my options are somewhat limited. They do have an early buyout option for one months rent and I believe that’s 60 days notice. We could do a transfer to a 1 bedroom (for roommate while I get removed from the lease) at the 6 month mark which will be early May. The only immediate option is if we could find someone to take over my part and do a switcharoo, but I’m 99% sure my roommate won’t agree to having a new roommate.

I’m okay with paying my portion until May if need be, but would very much prefer to not have to pay until our lease is up next January (14m lease).

I’m working with my primary care doctor and therapist to get documentation that this isn’t a livable situation for me. I was hoping maybe the complex could then let us do the transfer sooner if we had that. I don’t think my roommate really wants to do the transfer, I’ve actually considered that this situation might have been serious gaslighting so that she could get the apartment to herself for the next year while only paying half the rent. She asked me to send her 12k for my part of the rest of the lease period, or else she wouldn’t sign the roommate release form. Of course I didn’t do this and will only be sending funds directly to the complex.

Oh and one other thing is today after we both talked to the complex (separately at different times but both today) she asked me for the mail key, I could’ve sworn we got a second copy for her but I could be mistaken. Idk why but it feels like some sort of trap and I was thinking of leaving it with the complex instead OR first asking them if they already issued her one. Please lmk if I should give her the apartment the mail key since I’m leaving tomorrow and shouldn’t be back until next Monday for when someone comes to pickup my mattress that I’m returning.

Does anyone know if there’s anything I can do here? Will the doctors notes help? Can she really make me stay on the lease for the whole next year?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!