In terms of how to write a lease termination letter, you must get every step right. There’s little room for error, whether you’re a landlord or tenant. After all, it’s a legal document concluding your legally binding lease agreement.
So, no matter which side of the rental agreement you’re on, we’ll give you some pointers on how to tackle this situation.
We’ll explore how long in advance you must provide it, the tone you should set in it, and the concrete details you must include in your lease termination letter. Even better, we’ve created a list of the best sample lease termination letter PDFs for your reference online. To find out more, look below.
Main Takeaways
- In this article, we’ve provided links to the best 10 sample lease termination letters for both landlords and tenants.
- Lease termination letters are important legal documents, so they require you to send them a certain time in advance with certified mail. Furthermore, senders need to outline all future instructions for themselves and the other party, such as payments owed, inspection dates, exact move-out dates, and more.
- Landlords can legally terminate a lease if the other party breaks the lease terms, the lease is coming to an end anyway, or they generally have a concrete, proven reason to do so.
- Tenants can break their lease without consequence if they are under threat of health and safety issues, domestic violence, landlord discrimination, or privacy violations. They also can break it if they’re enlisting in the military.
Sample Lease Termination Letter PDFs
Without further ado, here are our North Virginia property managers‘ top example lease termination letter PDFs for both landlords and tenants:
For Tenants
- National Community Resource Center: Short, general letter.
- JotForm: A fillable letter.
- Marine Corps: For tenants breaking their lease to enlist in the Marines.
- Texas Council on Family Violence: For victims of family violence, sexual assault, and stalking. References Texas law, so such references may need to be replaced with your own area’s laws.
For Landlords
- Colorado Judicial Branch: Our personal favorite. In customizable, checklist format. References Colorado laws, so parts of it may need to be altered.
- USDA Rural Development Department: For tenants who have broken their lease terms in some fashion.
- LegalTemplates: A short letter for mutual termination agreements.
- Utah Legal Services: A longer, more detailed letter for mutual termination agreements. Applies for Section 8 tenancies.
- NY Courts: For month-to-month leases (references NY laws in the form, so you should replace those with your own area’s policies).
- Cleaveland Housing Court: For month-to-month leases. More generally applicable than the NY Courts letter, but also goes less in-depth.
What is a Lease Termination Letter?
A lease termination letter is a legal request rental tenants or landlords send to each other to end their mutual lease agreement. It’s not an eviction notice—that’s a whole other process, especially for tenants.
Why Is It Important to Send These Letters Before the Move-Out Process?
For tenants, the lease termination letter from tenant to landlord serves as a statement. More specifically, it lets tenants make a case for why their landlord should release them from the agreement. Furthermore, it provides documentation of their request so they can have a paper trail.
On the other hand, for landlords, it’s better known as a notice-to-vacate. In notice-to-vacates, landlords should lay out a clear timeframe by which the tenant must move out. Furthermore, they must outline directions for any steps tenants must take in the move-out process.
Even if both parties simply choose not to renew the lease at the end of a term, they should still provide a lease termination letter. After all, leases are legally binding business contracts, so you should have all developments related to them in writing.
How Long in Advance Do Landlords and Tenants Need to Provide Their Letter?
State and local laws vary, and they have the final say in this matter. However, as a general rule of thumb, many places require each party to provide at least 30 days’ notice before move-outs.
When landlords are the ones to initiate a broken lease, their lease will be effectively over once the tenant signs and returns their lease termination letter.
For tenants, your lease will usually provide the timeframe in which you must provide your letter of lease termination to your landlord.
How to Write a Lease Termination Letter
Here, we’ll delve into the tone you should set in your writing, as well as the details you should include.
Setting the Tone in Your Writing
No matter how you feel on the inside, you don’t want to add fuel to the fire by lacing your letter with harsh words.
Calmly state the facts, stay polite and professional, and quickly end the letter. Short and sweet, calm and collected.
If your landlord-tenant dispute escalates and is taken to court, your words could be used against you in the courtroom. People may interpret your language as an indication that you acted in bad faith throughout the lease-breaking process.
Practical Tips to Cover Your Bases
Now, here are some practical know-how tips for your lease termination letter.
- Stay Specific: This is a legal document, so it’s not a time to mince words. You don’t want to leave any ambiguity, any grey areas for interpretation. As such, you should say things exactly as you mean them. For example, instead of saying you want someone to move out “as soon as possible,” you should state the specific date they must move out.
- Give Detailed Information and Instructions: On that note, you should add any and all details relevant to the situation. By doing this, the other party can’t claim they were left in the dark. For example, if you’re a landlord, you should add move-out instructions and the date by which you’ll return your security deposit. If you need help making sure you have everything covered, this may be a reason to hire a property manager.
- Use Certified Mail or Hand Delivery: A lease termination letter has huge implications, so you want to be positive the other party receives the letter safely. Because of that, you should deliver the mail extra securely.
- Get Legal Help: This is one of those times you can’t skimp on professional advice as a landlord or tenant. So, it might be a good idea to have a lawyer comb through your lease termination letter. They can make sure it’s as airtight as can be, helping you avoid as many legal pitfalls as possible.
What to Include in an Early Lease Termination Letter from Tenant to Landlord
Your lease may map out which aspects you must include in your letter of lease termination to your landlord. Just in case, here are some key features of a letter of lease termination to your landlord:
- Name: Your full name
- Date: Date of writing
- Contact Information: Your phone number or email
- Your address: Your current apartment number and future forwarding address
- Lease Agreement Date: Date when the lease agreement was signed
- Rationale: Your reason for wishing to move out
- Inspection Date: When you’re available for a landlord inspection
- Move-Out Date: The date you want to move out
- Exchange Date: The date you want to hand your keys, and any other items, to your landlord
- Early-Move Out Fees: The specific fee you plan to pay by your lease-specified date (or move-out date, if not specified). Also, information about the method by which they will receive the payment (such as a check).
- Landlord Information: Your landlord’s address, contact info, etc
- Security Deposit: When and how much you paid for your security deposit
- A Friendly Message: Such as, “Thank you for having me for these past __ months. It has been a pleasure being your tenant.”)
- Your signature
What Landlords Need to Include in Their Notice-to-Vacate
Landlords writing a lease termination letter should include these basics:
- Your Resident’s Information: Your resident’s name and exact property address (for instance, Apartment #B6)
- Lease Signing Date: The date when the lease agreement was signed
- Lease’s End Date: Statement of the lease’s expiration date and, if applicable, the expected date of “vacating the premises”
- Reason for Lease Termination: Statement of why exactly the lease is ending, as well as whether it is renewable or not. If the lease is ending because of a lease breakage, you could cite the specific clause broken and dated, fact-filled examples of how it happened.
- Legal Compliance: State how your letter and practices are complying with relevant laws and lease terms, as well as the laws and lease terms that must be followed throughout the future lease termination process.
- Renewal Options: Explanation of how to renew the lease if possible, including renewal options such as monthly or yearly leases
- Further Instructions: Which next steps to take if the lease is ending (i.e., steps the tenant should take as they move out, when they must move out).
- Inspection: Date of property inspection, if applicable
- Your Information: Your signature, relevant role (such as “property owner and landlord”), and forwarding address
- Tenant’s Signature Space: Space for the tenant’s signature, as well as when, where, and how to return the signed letter
When Is It Legal for Landlords to Break a Lease?
As a landlord, it’s legal for you to break a lease under the following conditions:
- When a lease is coming to its natural end
- Your tenant has broken the terms of your lease
- You have a real, valid, proven reason to break it (e.g., you’re converting the property to a hotel or selling it)
Note that you cannot break a lease as an act of discrimination against people based on their identities. For instance, you cannot kick someone out of an apartment because of their religion. In most cases, doing so is a violation of the Fair Housing Act.
When Is It Legal for Tenants to Break a Lease?
Here are some of the most common legal reasons tenants can break a lease without consequence:
- Health and safety code violations
- Landlord harassment and privacy violations
- Landlord discrimination
- Active military duty
- Domestic violence and abuse (in some states)
- Medical reasons (in some states)
If tenants need to end their lease for non-urgent reasons, like job relocation, those aren’t legally protected reasons. So, you could face severe penalties, such as lawsuits or lowered credit scores, if you end it.
This is always the case, but especially in these situations, you should work with your landlord to find a solution to recoup their impending lost rental income. By doing this, you may be able to minimize the impact.
Let PPM Handle Your Lease Termination Process
If you’re a landlord, you can avoid liability by sending a thorough, well-thought-out letter to your tenant, one that covers all your bases. On the other hand, if you’re a tenant, your letter of lease termination to your landlord can open the door to you breaking a lease without severe penalties.
Either way, using the tips from this article, you should take time and care when crafting your final result.
Luckily, no matter if you’re a landlord or tenant, we can help.
If you’re a tenant, we have a comprehensive, expert-curated set of listings to help you choose your next home. And if you’re a landlord, we can take over the lease release process, from writing the letter to making sure the move-out process goes smoothly. We can even help with the steps beyond that, like tenant screening and move-in procedures. So call us today to get a simplified rental experience.
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