I am renting and I am not renewing my lease. Should I write a letter of intent not to renew?

Question

My lease ends August 31st and I would like to vacate July 31st. I understand that I will probably loose my security deposit which is enough to cover that last months rent. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't run into any other issues.

Answer 1

NOT LEGAL ADVICE!!! Most states have laws preventing a security deposit from being used to satisfy any rent.

Therefore, generally, you have to pay last months rent.
Additionally, if your lease ends and you fail to give proper notice, (more than one month usually), you may be found to be a hold-over tenant and responsible for more money.

Document everything! Protect yourself! Don't hesitate to get legal advice!

Answer 2

You may lose more than that. You need to read the lease and see if the security deposit was against possible rent loss to the landlord or if it was against damage to the property. If the latter then you can be sued for the last months rent plus court costs and legal expenses incurred by the landlord plus any other penalty the law in your state or your lease make provision for. In most any state, you would need to give written notice, delivered via certified mail, at least 30 days prior to the end of the lease period, of your intent to vacate. But since you intend to break the lease and abandon your legal responsibilities then you may face penalties and other repercusions. And if you ever need a good letter of referral from this landlord, that would be out the window as will.

Your smartest move is to give written notice, send it via Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested, and stay through the end of the lease. You should keep a copy of the letter of notice you send and the green Return Receipt card, and file that away. This you should keep with your other important documents and you should keep them forever.

Answer 3

If you leave on July 31, you would be breaking your lease, pure and simple. You can still pay the rent by that time or look for someone to sublet the apartment for that month (usually a good time for students to live somewhere while they're looking for somewhere else to live).

Also regardless of whether you have a lease or not, in most states, you're supposed to give the landlord 30 days notice before you move out. It is too late to do this at this point.

Answer 4

Yes. Everything is writing so there are no surprises.

"Dear Landlord, My lease comes due on August 31st of this year.

"This is my 30-days notice, advising you that I will not be renewing the lease and will vacate the premises no later than August 31st of this year." [You have to spell things out. Never assume anything]

Answer 5

I think you have to do this within 30 days....it doesn't have to be very long...You may still have to pay the last months rent I bet...the deposit is usually used for repairs. If you bail, it can mess up your credit and prevent you from getting into another lease at a later date. Good luck!

Answer 6

READ your lease! lol.... It should spell it out for you, when you are supposed to give notice, what the security deposit can be used for, etc.

Since we do not know what was in your lease, its a bit of a guessing game to try and give you advice on a contract youve signed, that we havent seen. ;)

Hope you have a smooth move

Answer 7

You still have to give 30 days notice and you may have to pay extra since you are breaking the lease.

Answer 8

It is the right thing to do.... They are probably going to want you to pay Aug and the give back a part of your deposit. I would bail, tell them to keep it.... Just make sure you clean the place first....

Answer 9

Yes, they usually are the people called when verifying your next move.