I was able to break a lease once from a simple email. Mind you, it took months and months for a water leak to never get fixed, but all I did was send an email saying "since x, y, and z are happening, I was curious if we could end my lease in 3 months". They got back shortly and said they had to ask someone else in the department but asked me to be clear with what I was asking. So I put it every blunt after that saying I want the lease ended in 3 months with my security deposit back in full. Received a follow up a couple days later and they let us break the lease! We moved out three months later and got the deposit back in full.

Something like that might work out for your friend? Good luck!