There might be a time that will come wherein you might need to move out from the property that you are renting. Your reason might be due to the fact that you might need to relocate for job-related reasons or it can also be due to personal reasons. Whatever your reason behind the need to leave the current property you are currently renting, you have to make sure that you coordinate with your landlord. Letting your landlord know can be done through a lease termination letter. These letters need to be given ahead of time to ensure that your letter gets received by the landlord in time.

The thought of coming up with a lease termination letter can be daunting and can bring so much pressure. But there’s no need to stress as we are here to give you a few helpful tips and guidelines that can make the writing process easier and help you come up with a well-written basic termination letter. Likewise, we have included a couple of examples of termination letter that can help give you a good insight as to how these letters look like and how these letters are usually formatted. Just make sure that you continue reading this article to ensure that your lease termination letter ends up being effective.

Standard Lease Termination Letters

Sample Lease Termination Letter

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Lease Termination Letter Notice

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Program/Lease Voluntary Termination Letter

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Size: 53 KB

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Landlord-to-Tenant Lease Termination Letter

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Size: 15 KB

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Commercial Lease Termination Letters

Simple Commercial Lease Termination Letter

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Landlord Lease Termination Letter

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Size: 100 KB

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Basic Commercial Lease Termination Letter

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Commercial Lease Termination Notice Letter

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Tenant Commercial Lease Termination Letter

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Situations That May Need Lease Termination Letters

A lease termination letter may be given either by the tenant to the landlord, or it can also be the other way around. So when does a tenant give the landlord a lease termination letter? When does a landlord give a lease termination letter to a tenant?

A landlord will typically give a tenant a lease termination letter if

  • there are plans to sell the property where you are renting,
  • the property you are renting has been listed for foreclosure,
  • major damage has been incurred by the property and repairs would take long,
  • the government has claimed rights over the property,
  • several complaints have been made against the tenant, or
  • the tenant refuses to abide by the rules and has been warned several times yet has not taken any corrective measures.

As for tenants, some of the reasons why they give their landlords lease termination letters could be any of the following:

  • there is a need to relocate for personal reasons;
  • there is a need to relocate for work-related purposes;
  • as time goes by, tenant deemed the place to be unsafe to rent anymore;
  • repairs and maintenance have made living in the property too much of a hassle; or
  • health problems would need the tenant to live closer to a relative or doctor.

You may also like early lease termination letters and employment termination letter samples & templates.

How to Write a Lease Termination Letter

When it comes to writing a lease termination letter, you want to make sure you have covered all the bases: from reviewing the lease agreement to proofreading your letter. In this section, we would like to give you a guideline on how you can come up with a good lease termination letter.

1. Understand the Lease Agreement

Before anything else, it is important that you have a good understanding of what is stated in your lease agreement form. You want to make sure that you follow the provisions that have been provided with regards to terminating said agreement whether you are terminating the lease early or not.

  • Know the type of tenancy. You have to know what type of tenancy you currently have on your landlord’s property. This will give you a clue as to the amount of notice that should be given. Your tenancy is usually a periodic tenancy and can either be of the two:
    • Month-to-month tenancy. Based on what this type of tenancy is called, you can opt to renew, customize, or terminate your tenancy on a monthly basis given that you are also able to provide proper notice. Change in rent or terms and conditions may also be changed by the landlord with minimal notice.
    • Fixed term tenancy. A fixed term tenancy refers to a lease where an individual agrees to stay for a certain period of time and pay rent on a monthly basis. The minimum period of time that is required for an individual to stay in a certain leased property can range from six (6) months to one year. An individual may incur penalties and fees should he/she choose to end the lease earlier than the minimum amount of time required.
  • Read the termination clause. More often than not, you will always find a termination clause in your lease agreement. Make sure that you read and understand the clauses regarding terminating your lease in order to make sure that you abide by the rules set out by your landlord.
    • If your termination clause states that there is a need for you to give proper notice, make sure that you comply and follow the directions that are stated. Check out 30-Day Notice to Landlord Samples for more details about giving notice.
    • If the lease agreement you have does not have a termination clause, check with your state law. The state law will typically have clauses regarding the amount of notice that you should come up for terminating your lease.
  • Check out any delivery clause regarding termination notice. Aside from understanding the amount of notice you need to give, make sure that you understand how to deliver your lease termination letter as well. Just like the termination clause, if your lease agreement has a delivery clause, make sure to follow what is stated in the lease agreement. If there is no delivery clause, follow the state laws.

2. Writing the Lease Termination Letter

When it comes to writing your lease termination letter, you want to make sure that everything is stated in a clear and concise manner. Here’s how you can do it.

  • Make sure to address the letter to your landlord. Your lease agreement would typically include the official address of your landlord. This would be the address that you should use in addressing your letter. If it is not reflected in the agreement, give your landlord a quick call.
  • Include the date. The date would typically be seen before or after the address of the landlord. This will help the landlord know when your notice starts.
  • Let your landlord know why you are writing the letter. The very first paragraph of your letter should be able to establish that your letter is aiming to let your landlord know that you would like to end your lease with the property you are renting.
    • I, [NAME], residing at [PROPERTY ADDRESS], would like to notify you of my intent to end the lease agreement that we have. This will also serve as my 30-day notice which will start on date reflected at the top of this letter.”
  • Include the date when you want to vacate the rented space. This can either be before or after the 30 days are up.
  • Politely ask to have security deposits returned. Respectfully ask for any security deposits in return once you have successfully vacated the property. You can also mention that you have complied with what has been stated in the lease agreement which is the reason why you deserve to get your security deposit back.
  • Include your new address. Make sure that your landlord is well aware of where your new address will be. This is where refunds and security deposits will be sent.
  • Sign. Do not forget to sign the letter to help make it more official. This way it can be used when disputes arise.
  • Make a copy of your letter. Secure two copies and make sure that both copies are signed. One copy is for your landlord while the other one is for you.

You may also check out our related articles, job termination letters and contract termination letter samples & templates.

3. Delivering the Lease Termination Letter

  • Choose the best time when to send the letter. Once you are done writing your letter, it is now time for you to send it. It does not have to be immediate but always remember that you should give enough time for the letter to be delivered.
  • Make sure to deliver the letter properly. Follow the preferred delivery method stated in the lease agreement. Make sure that you understand how you should deliver your letter and make sure that you comply with the correct procedures to ensure that your letter is delivered properly.
  • Move out on your stated move-out date. Once the letter has been delivered, make sure that you make all the necessary preparations to ensure that you will be able to vacate the premises on the date that you have specified in the letter.

Always remember that it would be a good idea to work with your landlord when you are planning to vacate the place you are renting. You can even offer help to find new tenants for the place. This way, you can make sure that you end up being in good terms with the landlord despite your departure from the property. You may also see free termination letter samples & templates.

You may also want to ask for a final walk-through to ensure that any damages will be charged as soon as possible rather than later. You may also opt to take pictures as proof of how the apartment looks like before you leave. You may also like notice of termination letter samples & templates.

Apartment Lease Termination Letters

Apartment Residential Lease Termination Letter

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Automobile Lease Termination Letter

Termination Letter for Automobile Lease

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Termination Letter of Motor Vehicle Lease

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Size: 167 KB

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Automobile Sample Termination Letter

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Early Termination Letter Templates

Sample Early Lease Termination Letter

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Size: 77 KB

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Domestic Early Lease Termination Letter

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Early Lease Termination Letter Sample

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Tips for Terminating a Lease

1. Make sure to keep communication with your landlord open.

For a successful termination of lease, you have to make sure that you disclose the basic reason as to why you need to leave the property you are renting. Discuss everything in detail and you can also ask for a basic letter of recommendation in case your new landlord may need one.

2. Downsizing for commercial spaces.

Maybe you feel like you took a commercial space that’s too big for your business or office. Try to communicate with your landlord and ask if downsizing would be possible. Downsizing will help you retain your address and retain your customers and clients. Transferring to another commercial space may also be more expensive than downsizing. You may want to check out your commercial lease agreement to see if there are any clauses regarding downsizing.

3. Ask someone to assume.

Finding someone to assume the property is actually preferred by a lot of landlords as it saves them time from looking for someone to rent the place again. You can ask family members or some friends who may be interested to transfer in your soon-to-be former apartment. By asking someone to assume, you also lessen the risk of having to pay fees especially if you are ending a lease earlier or before the lease term ends. Check out Early Lease Termination Letters to Download for more information.

How to Format Your Lease Termination Letter

  • Keep it short. One page, even half a page, would be more than enough for your lease termination letter. Three brief and concise paragraphs would be good.
  • Keep everything aligned to the left as this makes it look more like a formal letter.
  • Keep the font style looking professional and the font size between a 10pt to a 12pt size.
  • Keep the margins on all sides at one inch.

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