There comes a time in every rental agreement when you want to move out. Whether you’re moving across the country, buying your first home, or simply looking for more space, you’ll need to follow a few steps before your lease ends. And sending your written notice to vacate letter is one of those steps.
Outlined below are all the essential details you need to know about writing your notice to vacate letter, including why it’s important and what it needs to include. From protecting your security deposit to keeping a good relationship with your landlord, we’ve got tips and tricks to keep your move-out easy. Plus, we’ve provided a simple template to make things even easier for you to check this off your to-do list.
What is a notice to vacate letter?
A notice to vacate letter (aka lease termination letter) is a formal letter a tenant writes to their landlord or property manager to end their lease agreement. It’s an important legal document that protects the tenant and serves as proof they sent their notice within the required time frame. It also gives the landlord ample notice and enough time to find a new tenant or make other plans for their rental property.
The tenant should include their contact information, intent to end the lease, and the date they wish to vacate. In most cases, a landlord or property managers require a notice to vacate letter from their departing tenants. But even when not needed, it’s a good idea to send one anyways.
Is a notice to vacate letter the same as an eviction notice?
Confusingly, an eviction notice is sometimes called a “notice to vacate.” But generally, a notice to vacate letter is sent from a tenant to a landlord, whereas a landlord can send an eviction notice to a tenant if they violate the terms of the lease agreement.
Landlords can also send a “no-cause notice to vacate letter” to a tenant. This is not a credit-destroying eviction notice, though it can also be called a “no-cause eviction notice.” Instead, a no-cause notice is a notice of non-renewal. In other words, your landlord can decide not to offer you a new lease agreement. This is usually the case when a landlord plans to sell or renovate the property.
Do you need to give a 60 or 30-day notice to vacate?
In most cases, you need to provide some sort of notice that you intend to end your lease. Some landlords require you to provide written notice. Some are less formal and ask for an email or phone call. Whatever the case, always get a receipt or confirmation when your landlord gets the notice. Failure to provide proper notice can result in fines owed to your landlord.
The notice period you’re required to give depends on your municipal and state laws. In most cases, 30 days’ notice to vacate is required for long-term leases. But 60 days is also common, though less popular. On the other hand, some cities don’t require such advanced notice. In Seattle, WA, tenants only need to give two weeks notice and only seven days are required in Raleigh, NC. Always double-check your lease agreement as well as state and local laws to ensure you know and follow the rules. Following what your landlord prefers usually makes things easier for you.
How much notice do you need to give for a short-term lease?
A short-term lease, sometimes called a tenancy-at-will agreement or a rental agreement, follows similar rules. A rule of thumb here is that a tenant should provide notice of at least one billable period before they wish to vacate. So in a month-to-month lease, you would need to provide one month’s or 30 days’ notice. In a week-to-week lease, seven days notice is usually enough.
Notice to vacate letter template (tenant to landlord)
You can use the template below as a guideline when writing your formal notice to vacate. Keep in mind that the “reason for leaving” section is optional. If your reason for leaving has nothing to do with your landlord, it’s nice for them to know. For example, if you currently live in an apartment in Seattle, WA, and are moving out-of-state, you can consider saying, “I’m not renewing my lease, because I’m moving to Boston, MA, for my new job.”
If there was an issue with the apartment, this isn’t the best place to bring it up for the first time. You can include information about an ongoing problem if you want to, but it’s not required.
Below is a sample letter template for a 30 or 60 notice to vacate:
[Your Name]
[Street Number, Apartment Number]
[City, State, Zip]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Today’s Date]
[Landlord or Property Manager Name]
[Landlord or Property Address]
[City, State, Zip]
Dear [Landlord or Property Manager’s Name],
In accordance with my lease, I am writing this letter to provide a [number of days] notice that I will move out of my apartment [rental property address and unit number] on [move-out date].
(Optional) I am not renewing my lease because [reason for leaving].
Please contact me via [preferred contact method] to schedule the final inspection.
Dear [Landlord’s Name],
I am writing to formally request the return of my security deposit in the amount of $[amount] to my new address: [New address or forwarding address]. If there are any deductions to be made in accordance with our lease agreement, please provide me with an itemized list of costs.
Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to [call or email] me. I am more than willing to address any concerns you may have.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to receiving my security deposit in a timely manner.
Sincerely,
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