Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

Updated September 08, 2022

Or use an attorney at ContractsCounsel to write this letter.


A lease termination letter allows a landlord or tenant to cancel a month-to-month lease in accordance with state law. A termination letter can be sent at any time during the course of a tenancy-at-will and commonly gives thirty (30) days’ notice to vacate the premises.

Send By: (2 options)

  • Certified Mail (USPS) – Recommended option and gives a receipt to the sender after successful delivery.
  • Certificate of Service – For hand-delivery or any other state-approved option. It is best to have the recipient sign to prove they have received the termination letter.

By State

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Washington D.C.
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

Table of Contents

  • Lease Termination: By State
  • Lease Termination: Other Types (2)
  • How to Terminate (5 steps)
    1. Review Your Lease
    2. Making Communication
    3. Sending Notice (2 options)
    4. Scheduling the Move Out
    5. Filing an Eviction (if necessary)
  • Required Notice (By State)
  • Video
  • Sample Letter
  • How to Write

Other Types (2)


Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant
(Early) Lease Termination Letter – Used by a Landlord or Tenant to cancel a lease before it ends.

Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument


Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant
Notice to Quit – Used by a Landlord if the Tenant has violated the lease which is most commonly due to late rent but can be for any type of lease violation.

Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument


How to Terminate (5 steps)

  • Step 1 – Review Your Lease
  • Step 2 – Making Communication
  • Step 3 – Sending Notice (2 options)
  • Step 4 – Scheduling the Move Out
  • Step 5 – Filing an Eviction (if necessary)

Step 1 – Review Your Lease

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

In most month-to-month leases, the minimum time period to terminate is included. If not, the State Required Notice Period should be used.

Step 2 – Making Communication

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

Before sending the notice, communication should be made to inform the other party of the intent to terminate.

For example, if the landlord is terminating the lease, this will help both parties organize and schedule the best time for the move-out.

Step 3 – Sending Notice (2 options)

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

It is highly recommended to give notice in 2 ways:

  • Certified Mail (with return receipt) – This is the best option as the USPS will give a receipt to the sender after successful delivery.
  • Certificate of Service – Use for personal delivery or any other type to prove the letter was sent.

Step 4 – Scheduling the Move-Out

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

After the notice has been sent, it is advised to schedule a move-out date. In larger residential complexes, it’s best to inform management in the case of an elevator or other resources that need to be reserved.

Step 5 – Filing an Eviction (if necessary)

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

In the event a tenant refuses to vacate the premises, the landlord will have to seek an eviction lawsuit in the local housing court.

Even if the tenant mentions they will not vacate the premises, the landlord is required to wait the full notice period before filing a lawsuit.

Required Notice (By State)

State Minimum Termination Required Statute
 Alabama 30 days § 35-9A-441
 Alaska 30 days § 34.03.290(b)
 Arizona 30 days § 33-1375
 Arkansas 30 days § 18-17-704
 California 30 days for tenancy 1-year or less, 60 days for tenancy of more than 1-year § 1946
 Colorado A tenancy for one year or longer, three months; A tenancy of six months or longer but less than a year, one month; A tenancy of one month or longer but less than six months, ten days; A tenancy of one week or longer but less than one month, or a tenancy at will, three days; A tenancy for less than one week, one day. § 13-40-107
 Connecticut 3 days § 47a-23
 Delaware 60 days Title 25 § 5106
 Florida 15 days § 83.57
 Georgia 30 days § 44-7-7
 Hawaii The landlord must give at least 45 days’ notice, the tenant must give at least 28 days’ notice. § 521-71
 Idaho 30 days § 55-208
 Illinois 30 days 735 ILCS 5/9-207
 Indiana 30 days § 32-31-1-1
 Iowa 30 days § 562A.34
 Kansas 30 days § 58-2570
 Kentucky 30 days § 383.695
 Louisiana 10 days CC 2728
 Maine 30 days Title 14 § 6002
 Maryland 60 days § 8-402
 Massachusetts 30 days § 186-15B
 Michigan 30 days § 554.134
 Minnesota 30 days § 504B.135
 Mississippi 30 days § 89-8-19
 Missouri 30 days § 441.060
 Montana 30 days § 70-24-441
 Nebraska 30 days § 76-1437(2)
 Nevada 30 days NRS 40.251
 New Hampshire 30 days § 540:11(2)
 New Jersey 30 days § 2A:18-56
 New Mexico 30 days § 47-8-37
 New York 30 days § 232-b
 North Carolina 7 days § 42-14
 North Dakota 30 days § 47-16-07.2
 Ohio 30 days § 5321.17
 Oklahoma 30 days § 41-111
 Oregon 30 days § 91.070
 Pennsylvania 15 days for tenancy 1-year or less, 30 days for tenancy of more than 1-year § 250.501
 Rhode Island 30 days § 34-18-37
 South Carolina 30 days § 27-40-770
 South Dakota The landlord must give at least 30 days’ notice, the tenant must give at least 15 days’ notice. § 43-32-13
 Tennessee 30 days § 66-28-512
 Texas 30 days § 91.001
 Utah 15 days § 78B-6-802
 Vermont 60-day notice for tenancy 2 years and under and 90-day notice for tenancies of more than 2 years. § 4467
 Virginia 30 days § 55.1-1253(A)
 Washington 20 days § 59.18.200
Washington D.C.  30 days § 42–3505.54(a)
West Virginia 30 days § 37-6-5
 Wisconsin 28 days § 704.19
 Wyoming No minimum No statute

Video

Sample Letter

LEASE TERMINATION LETTER
(FOR MONTH-TO-MONTH TENANCY)

Effective Date: March 1, 2022

RE: NOTICE TO TERMINATE LEASE

Dear Jon Smith,

I, Pete Anderson, as your Landlord am sending this letter as official notice with the intention of terminating the lease dated on May 1, 2022. In accordance with governing law, the lease shall be terminated upon 30 days from the date you receive this notice.

If any refundable deposits were made by the Tenant, they shall be disbursed a mailing address to be provided later.

In addition, the Landlord and Tenant agree to the following:

It is recommended that both the Landlord and Tenant perform a move-out inspection of the premises to inspect any damage (less wear and tear);

All possessions are required to be removed from the premises within the notice period; and

The Tenant agrees to arrange for all utilities to be turned off upon move-out.

Please contact me at (555) 555-1234 or .

Sincerely,

Pete Johnson

How to Write

Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument

I. Lease Termination Header

(1) Notice Effective Date. The Recipient must be informed of the official date when this letter was completed and the statement it makes solidified. Record the calendar date when this letter’s effect is activated at the top of the page. More often than not, this will be the same date as the Sender’s signature date.

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

(2) Recipient Name(s). The Recipient of this instrument should be accurately identified. For instance, if the Recipient is more than one Tenant, then each Tenant’s name must be transcribed from the concerned lease to the empty line attached to the opening “Dear.” Whereas if a Landlord is the Recipient, then the name of this letter’s Recipient should be the legal name of the Entity that has signed the lease including any status suffix in its name (i.e. LLC, Corp., LLP., etc.). Properly direct this notice by supplying the full name of its Recipient to the blank line provided.

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

II. Termination Statement

(3) Sender Name. The Notice Sender is the Party who must inform the Recipient of his or her intent. The first empty line in this notice statement must be populated with the name of the Party making the statement and who will sign this letter. If the Sender is one or more Tenants then make sure each Tenant who is formally ending his or her participation in the month-to-month lease is identified by name in this space, whereas if the Sender is a Landlord, then his or her legal name should be displayed here. Produce the full name of the Sender(s) to the space available to identify him or her as the Party giving notice.

(4) Landlord As Sender. As mentioned this notice may be utilized by a Landlord or a Tenant whose intent is to terminate an active month-to-month lease. It will be necessary to define which of these Parties is sending this letter. Thus, if the Sender behind this letter is the Landlord seeking to terminate a month-to-month lease then the checkbox labeled “Landlord” must be marked.

(5) Tenant As Sender. Mark the “Tenant” checkbox if the Sender is one or more Tenants.

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

III. Refundable Deposits

(6) Lease Date. Now that the Sender has been identified as the Party issuing this statement, the official date when he or she wishes the concerned month-to-month lease to end must be established. Utilize the lines formatted for this calendar date to declare the termination date of the month-to-month lease.

(7) Official Days’ Notice. It is important to keep in mind that the number of days between the effective date of this notice and the date when the month-to-month lease will be terminated must be compliant with the concerned lease and the State laws where the premises is located. To be certain that such compliance is met, using the blank space presented, supply the number of days after the assumed (and successful) delivery date that the termination of the lease will occur.

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

(8) Mailing Address To Be Determined. In many leasing agreements, the Tenant will have submitted a security deposit. If so, then once the premises has been assessed as undamaged, this deposit (or the balance after any needed repairs/cleaning) must be returned by the Landlord. If the Tenant is presently unable to provide an address where the security deposit may be returned then place a mark in the first checkbox discussing this topic.

(9) Predetermined Mailing Address. If the Landlord has been given an address where the security deposit submitted by the Tenant can be mailed, then select the second checkbox provided and document the Tenant’s preferred mailing address to the available space. If more than one Tenant is involved and each has a different mailing address where his or her share of the security must be returned then record each such Tenant’s mailing address.

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

IV. Landlord Signature Execution

(10) Sender’s Signature And Name. Whether the Sender is a Tenant or a Landlord, he or she must sign this notice to place it in effect so that it may be served.

(11) Sender’s Printed Name. The full name of the Sender/Signature Party must be submitted once he or she has signed this notice.

(12) Signature Date. The Signature Party/Sender must also note the exact date when he or she signed this notice. This act must be performed immediately after submitting the required signature.

Lease termination termination of rental agreement letter by tenant

What do you write at the end of a tenancy?

You should say something like: “I am giving 1 month's notice to end my tenancy, as required by law. I will be leaving the property on (date xxxxx). I would like you to be at the property on the day I move out to check the premises and for me to return the keys.

How do I give notice to my landlord in Netherlands?

Always inform your landlord well in advance about: the date you would like your contract to expire, and when you will be leaving. This should be done via registered letter. Depending on your rental contract, a notice period should be given before the expiration of the tenancy.