Landlord Basics: Requiring Written Notice of Tenant’s Move-Out Plans

By E-Renter Tenant Screening
Posted on December 14, 2010 under Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tips | Be the First to Comment

Many tenants notify landlords of their plans to move at the end of a lease by mentioning it in passing. Others assume that, if they haven’t signed a new  lease, the landlord knows they are moving and they don’t need to notify.

It’s a good idea to require tenants to provide a written notice of their intent to move. Many states require it, and if you use a well-written lease, it probably does as well.

The Advantages of Written Notices
Requiring tenants to put their intentions in writing is a good idea for several reasons:

1. It eliminates the mix-up that can occur with verbal notifications
2. It keeps the landlord/tenant relationship more businesslike
3. It may be state law
4. Written notices leave nothing to the imagination
5. You won’t forget the tenant’s move-out date, which can lead to problems
6. You’ll have time to prepare the security deposit return or deductions

What to Include on a Tenant’s Notice of Intent to Vacate Unit
Use a simple form, either one you obtain online or one you create yourself. You can provide it to tenants at lease signing, although it’s not likely they’ll keep it around long enough to turn it in at the end of the lease. Many landlords provide a form to tenants 60 or 90 days before the lease is up, with instructions to return it within 30 days of the end of the lease, if they plan to move.

The form should include:

• The date the form was completed;
• The name of the landlord or property management company;
• The address of the rental unit;
• Legal language including: The undersigned Tenant (name) hereby gives written notice of intent to vacate the rental unit at (address) on (date);
• A statement that the tenant understands they are responsible for rent until the end of the current lease or the day they vacate the unit, whichever is later;
• A statement that in accordance with the lease, the landlord is allowed reasonable access with advance notice to show the rental unit to prospective renters or contractors;
• A line for the tenant to sign and date the form.

As you can see, a thorough tenant move-out form covers all the bases: the date of the move-out, the day the rent is to be paid through, and permission to show the unit or allow access to workers.

Landlords who want even more information can include a short survey on the form, asking why the tenant is moving and if there is anything that could have been done to keep him or her as a tenant. This type of feedback is extremely valuable!