2 roomates getting out of a cosigned lease?

Question

I am having a room mate issue. If I give a written notice to the Apartment Company or Landlord that says something like

I, (insert name) a current co-tenant (insert name of apartment) will not be renewing the lease for another year by myself, with the current cosigner, (insert name), or month to month. I will expect my last payment to be on Jan 5th, 2007.

If she does not write a letter to get off the lease does that mean that she automatically will be on the lease by herself for another 12 months or does it go month-to-month until either she leaves or is kicked out by the apartment agency/landlord?

Are we suppose to write two individual letters about our own intents? What if the letter I write states that I plan on moving out, but she has one that reads that reads something like... I plan on cosigning again with (insert my name) or I plan to renew the lease again (insert my name) for another 12 month term. To me the letters would be contradicting each other.

If she decides to stay

If I take my name off the lease completely, but she has an agreement with the company to either pay month to month or 12-month. When exactly would they change the locks. The lease ends on Jan 31st. If I were to go to the house on February 1st, does that mean the place would have the locks changed and would any of my belongings be out of the apartment?

Answer 1

Once the 12 month lease expires it will default to a "month to month" lease in the absence of another written lease.

A minimum of 30 days prior to lease termination is the requirement to notify the landlord of your intentions.

The tenant that decides to stay should discuss the future lease agreement with the landlord.

Answer 2

If your lease ends and you do not want to stay any longer then you are free and clear to do so. Just give your 30 day notice to your apartment manager and that is that. If Your lease will expire and you are then under no obligation to renew that is. What your room mate will do is up to her. Once a lease expires you A-Sign a new lease. Or B. Stay on a month to month with an increase in the rent when they send you out notices of the increases every 6 months. The lease just locks in the monthly rents for that period of the one year. Once you give your 30 day notice to move at the end of that 30 days you will need to be moved. The locks can only legally be changed once you are completly out. Now laws from state to state are different. I`m only refering the laws in calif.