In this article Robert Sutherland examines break clauses and irritancy clauses, which allow the parties to a lease to specify within the terms of the agreement itself that the lease might be terminated before the expiry of its full term. They can however contain a number of traps for anyone trying to use them if there terms are not considered carefully and the correct procedures are not followed. This article is an abbreviated version of a talk given at Terra Firma Chambers Property Law Conference on 18 April 2013.