How to Give Notice of Moving to Your Landlord
Are you tired of your old apartment and ready to move elsewhere? Moving out of one rental into another is a little more involved than just packing up your furnishings and scheduling a day for a moving truck. There's many other tasks to tackle as well, including giving us landlords proper notice that you won't be renewing the lease.
How to give proper notice of moving out
The fine print of your lease is where you'll find how much notice your landlord requires if you don't plan to renew the lease. I ask for a 30 day written notice in my leases which is very standard for yearly leases and month-to-month tenancies. Long term leases may require a two month notice. If you rent by the week, a 7 day notice is usually all that's required.
Knowing the time frame in which notice must be given means that you won't be charged an additional month of rent. Here's some other tips that will also help.
Get it in writing. While verbal notice is all that's really required when giving notice of moving, for your protection it's best to put it in writing and mail it by certified mail. A certified letter is your proof that the notice was mailed in plenty of time and helps avoid misunderstandings. Movingtoday.com has a great sample form to use. Remember to date and sign the letter, and include a forwarding address.
Don't wait until the last minute to give notice. A 30 day moving notice is the minimum amount of time needed, but to play it safe it's best to provide notice at least 45-60 days before the lease expires. Advance notice gives you some wiggle room in case you can't reach the landlord, or if your letter is lost in the mail or somehow delayed.
Follow up with a phone call. Several days after the letter has been mailed, follow up with a phone call to the landlord to verify that the letter has been received. This is also a great time to ask your landlord about your security deposit, and what will be required to ensure a complete refund.
More from this contributor:
Guide to apartment hunting for college students.
How to live on a minimum wage income
Is it legal for landlords to require renter's insurance?
How to give proper notice of moving out
The fine print of your lease is where you'll find how much notice your landlord requires if you don't plan to renew the lease. I ask for a 30 day written notice in my leases which is very standard for yearly leases and month-to-month tenancies. Long term leases may require a two month notice. If you rent by the week, a 7 day notice is usually all that's required.
Knowing the time frame in which notice must be given means that you won't be charged an additional month of rent. Here's some other tips that will also help.
Get it in writing. While verbal notice is all that's really required when giving notice of moving, for your protection it's best to put it in writing and mail it by certified mail. A certified letter is your proof that the notice was mailed in plenty of time and helps avoid misunderstandings. Movingtoday.com has a great sample form to use. Remember to date and sign the letter, and include a forwarding address.
Don't wait until the last minute to give notice. A 30 day moving notice is the minimum amount of time needed, but to play it safe it's best to provide notice at least 45-60 days before the lease expires. Advance notice gives you some wiggle room in case you can't reach the landlord, or if your letter is lost in the mail or somehow delayed.
Follow up with a phone call. Several days after the letter has been mailed, follow up with a phone call to the landlord to verify that the letter has been received. This is also a great time to ask your landlord about your security deposit, and what will be required to ensure a complete refund.
More from this contributor:
Guide to apartment hunting for college students.
How to live on a minimum wage income
Is it legal for landlords to require renter's insurance?
Published by C. Jeanne Heida - Featured Contributor in Business & Finance
Jeanne is a small business owner with 25 years experience in the real estate industry. A consistent Y!CN Top 100 writer, her articles can be found at Y!Finance, Shine, Your Wisdom, DEX, and the Scripps Net... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentVery timely, I'm planning to put in my notice by the end of the month. We only need to give a months notice, since we are going month-by-month, but I'm hoping to get it in a little earlier...as soon as I know for sure that I'm moving out.
I wonder how many people actually give 30 days' notice, much less a follow-up call!
I went out to dinner with my landlord when it was time for me to finally move back to NY from Boston. I lived with her for many years :) cheers!
Great article!