Why do you need to provide a notice to vacate letter to your landlord?

Ready to move out of your rental and find a new place to live? You are going to have to let your landlord know that you are planning on moving out.

What is most commonly referred to as the 30 day notice letter (some leases will require 60 days notice, however), this letter states your intent to vacate your rental to your landlord and is legally required as stated in your lease agreement. In fact, writing a notice letter notice to your landlord and documenting that you sent it is important not only for moving out, but for protecting yourself in a court of law in case things turn nasty.

We created this template to provide an example of what you need to cover in order to successfully and legally move out.

What needs to be included in your landlord notice letter?

Providing a note letter to your landlord is simple. The 5 main details that you have to cover are:

• The date of your letter
• The date that you will be leaving your apartment
• A statement declaring your intent to vacate the apartment or home
• The number of days as stated in your lease agreement that you must provide notice before you can move out - usually either 30 or 60
• Information for how or where you can be contacted

View the Notice to Vacate PDF, print, and fill it out.

Understanding the Escape Clause In Your Lease

Being able to leave your apartment without owing extra fees all depends on understanding the escape clause found within your lease. In the escape clause, you will find useful information such as:

• If you need to provide a 30 day or 60 day notice letter to move out
• What extra fees you will need to pay if you need to break your lease in order to leave
• To learn more about breaking leases, read our guide on how to break a lease.

How to Get Your Full Security Deposit Back with a Pre-Departure Inspection

Although not necessary, this notice letter is a great place to set your expectations on the amount you should receive from your security deposit. The best way to do this is to ask for a “pre-departure inspection” where both you and your landlord walk through your rental, so that your landlord can provide you a list of things that need to be cleaned or fixed in order for you to receive your full security deposit back.

States such as California actually require your landlord to notify you that you can schedule a pre-departure inspection. Check the Civil Codes in your state to learn if your state requires pre-departure inspections. If it doesn’t, that should not stop you from asking your landlord to do a walkthrough.

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