Vacating Tenant Letter

After receiving word from your current tenant that they do not intend to renew their lease or rental agreement but instead intend to vacate the premises, send this Vacating Tenant Letter to your current tenants. This letter will begin the transition process as your current tenants prepare to move out and you prepare to replace them with new tenants.

Selecting new tenants is never an easy job, especially if you currently have tenants residing in your rental property. With this letter, you will acknowledge that you have received and accepted your current tenant’s request to vacate the premises. This letter also notifies or reminds the vacating tenant that you will be showing the property to prospective tenants in the near future, and it requests that they begin the process of cleaning and preparing the property for tours. A request for a forwarding address and instructions for return of the security deposit will also be included with this letter to further ease the transition.

Who: Landlords may give this letter to tenants who have given notice that they intend to vacate the premises in the near future. You will not give this letter to a tenant who has expressed interest in renewing their lease unless they have passed the deadline to renew and have thus shown their intention to vacate by default.

What: This letter is an acknowledgment and acceptance of the tenant’s intent to vacate, and it serves as a reminder of the steps they now need to take to prepare the house for showing, get their security deposit back, and leave on good, legal terms.

When: As soon as your tenant gives you notice that they intend to vacate, you may provide them with this letter. You must provide it before you begin showing the property to prospective new tenants.

Relevant Landlord Resources:

If you have a tenant vacating the property and/or you are searching for new tenants for a property, you may find these documents helpful, as well:

You may also want to read these informative articles related to renting a property and ensuring good relationships with your tenants:

• When Does the Landlord Have the Right of Entry?
• Security Deposits: Defining Normal Wear and Tear & How to Handle Security Deposit Disputes
• Abandoned Rental Property? How to Tell if Your Rental Has Been Abandoned & What to Do with Abandoned Real Estate
• 8 Ways to Reduce Rental Vacancy Rates for Better ROI