If you are a tenant or landlord, there may come a time when you need to rescind a rental agreement. This situation requires writing a lease termination letter to ensure there is no miscommunication and to provide details on what steps to take from this point forward. You may want to end a lease because you are moving to a new home, or if you are the landlord, a termination letter could come in handy if you have sold the building and tenants must leave. In any situation, this type of correspondence requires understanding the terms of the agreement and ensuring you stay within your legal boundaries. Dissolving a contract outside of the legal limits for doing so could lead to a lawsuit. To help you craft a professional and well-worded document, study our lease termination letter templates.Lease Termination Letter Template
Lease Termination Letter Template
Molly Mitchell, the tenant in Apartment 1B of the Stafford Arms Apartments, wrote the lease termination letter below. She is ending her agreement with Gregory Stafford, the owner of the building. Ms. Mitchell must dissolve her contract because the company for which she works has transferred her to a different location. She is writing to offer a formal notice of lease termination as requested in the agreement she signed when she moved into the building.
Dear Mr. Stafford,
I would like to end my lease for Apt. 1B. As per the lease agreement, this letter serves as my required 30-day written notice. I will be completely moved out of the apartment by October 21, 2017, but I will drop off my last rent check as I do normally, and it will pay for the entire month of October.
Although I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Stafford Arms, I am moving because my company has transferred me to its office in Midville. The commute would simply be too long if I continued to live here in Riverville and worked in Midville.
I would like to schedule a walk-through with you for either October 19 or 20, provided this is a convenient time for you. At that time, I would like to have you check over the apartment so that we can discuss the return of my security deposit of $1200.
Please contact me at 478-555-6363 to set up the walk-through. You may reach me after 5 pm on weekdays or anytime on the weekends.
Sincerely,
Molly Mitchell
How To Write a Lease Termination Letter
Typically, a contract will state when and how you must give notice before moving out of a rental. Many landlords will require a 30-day written notice. Make sure to reference the rental agreement when you give written notification regarding terminating your lease. Keep the letter professional even if you have a personal relationship with your landlord. Remember this is the end of a legal contract, so you should handle it in a formal way. If there are problems, other people besides your landlord may read it.
Begin by stating up front you are ending the lease. Give the date the lease will end and the date you will move out. You can offer a reason for your move if you would like, and you should also request the scheduling of a walk-through. You will want the landlord to check your apartment with you there so you can note any issues that may reduce the amount of security deposit you get back. When you write, you can also mention you would like to discuss the return of your deposit. Make sure to include a phone number where the landlord can contact you and provide times when he or she should call.
Close with your full name and address so there is no confusion as to who you are or what rental you live in. If you need assistance as you write, please refer to the lease termination letter template above. You can use it for inspiration when crafting your own letter.
What To Avoid in Your Lease Termination Letter
When writing a lease termination letter, you want to stick to the topic of when you will move out. You should not use this opportunity to express grievances. If you are leaving, then any issues you have with the owner are no longer important. In fact, you should have addressed any complaints in previous correspondence to the management. Make sure you give your last date in the unit and ask for an inspection or walk-through to tie up loose ends.
Even if you feel the landlord will not be cooperative, you should still always write a lease termination letter. In most states, this is a requirement to end the agreement formally and prevent the landlord from trying to collect rent beyond the time you actually lived in the apartment.
Always keep a copy of the letter. You may even want to send it with a signature due upon receipt to ensure there is a record of when the landlord received it. You should not just leave it on a manager’s desk or drop it into an overnight deposit where you leave your rent checks. You must make sure it gets to the supervising authority on the premises.
How To Follow Up After Sending Your Lease Termination Letter
You should hear back from your landlord regarding scheduling the walk-through or inspection you requested. If you gave a specific date for the evaluation and you have not heard from your landlord by a week before that date, then you may want to contact him or her. Simply stop by the office or call. Explain you are following up on the lease termination letter you sent and would like to schedule the inspection of your rental. Hopefully, your landlord is cooperative and sets up the date with you without hassle. If there is no answer, leave a message requesting an immediate return call to discuss scheduling.
Top 5 Lease Termination Letter Writing Takeaways
1. Reference the lease requirements for termination
Always make sure to reference what the lease says about a formal lease termination. If it is a 30-day notice, note this. This attention to detail helps to demonstrate you are compliant with the agreement.
2. Do not state complaints in the letter
The lease termination letter is not a place to voice complaints or talk about issues. Focus only on information related to ending your lease.
3. Request follow-up to set up an inspection or walk-through date
To get your security deposit back, your landlord will likely want to look at your rental. In your letter, request an appointment for the inspection.
4. Don’t forget to include the specific date you want your lease to end
Always state the date when the lease will end. If you do not do this, you leave the terms up to interpretation, which could cause you trouble down the road.
5. Make sure you follow up if you do not hear back
If you do not get a response to your letter, make sure to follow up. You want to know the landlord read the letter and understands you are leaving, and you need to set up the walk-through.
