By its very nature, renting an apartment is a living arrangement that’s not meant to last forever. Whether you got a new job, found an apartment that better fits your lifestyle, or just have a desire for a change of scenery, providing your landlord or property manager with proper move-out notice may not only be a requirement of your lease but could also help you build a good rental history. As you may know already, having a good rental history could boost your chances of securing a rental apartment in the future.
Now, coming down to giving proper notice to your landlord or property manager before moving out, here’s everything you need to know in order to avoid complications and ensure a smooth move-out process.
Communicate Your Intentions in Writing
Although you could just tell your landlord or property manager that you’re leaving, informing him or her about your intent in writing is important for the following reasons:
- Submitting a move-out notice or notice to vacate isn’t only an act of courtesy, but also allows your landlord or apartment manager to plan accordingly and find a new tenant beforehand. Needless to say, this can go a long way in maintaining a good relationship with your landlord, which could be important if you ever need a letter of reference from him or her.
- Sending a notice to vacate to your landlord or apartment manager is a good opportunity to remind him or her that you expect a return of your security deposit.
- Last but not least, putting things in writing will preserve a record, which could prove useful in the event of a dispute.
Your lease agreement may include information regarding how you should deliver the notice to your landlord or property manager. While some leases require tenants to hand-deliver it, others may state that it can be sent through certified mail or a simple email. If in doubt, contact your landlord or property manager to make sure you provide the notice in the proper format. Regardless of how you send the notice, keep a copy of it for future reference.
How Far in Advance You Should Provide the Notice to Vacate Your Destin Apartment
One important thing to know is that written leases are typically for a fixed term, the most common being 12 months. However, a lease can be for any length of time. For instance, some leases are month-to-month and renew automatically. Others are for 6 or 9 months, and tenants move out when the time is up. Basically, the length of your lease can be whatever you and the landlord or apartment manager agree upon.
Standard lease agreements usually require tenants to give at least a 30-day notice if they intend to move out at the end of their lease. However, your lease may require more or less time. Reviewing your lease in advance will help you determine exactly how much notice you need to give to your landlord before moving out.
If you intend to terminate your lease early, things may be a little bit more complicated. In general, a tenant who doesn’t have a legal excuse to terminate his or her lease early must pay rent and cover any other expenses agreed upon until the lease expires. Failure to pay could hurt your credit score, show up on your rental history, and even result in lawsuits. However, you may be able to work something out with your landlord or apartment manager. For instance, you could find someone to take over your lease or arrange a payment schedule until the landlord or apartment manager finds a new tenant.
Now, let’s discuss what happens if you fail to give proper notice to vacate. In most cases, you may be responsible for paying rent for the remaining term of the lease, unless there’s a clause in the agreement allowing you to end the lease early, for example: Active duty military PCS or extensive deployment. However, depending on the state law and your lease agreement, terminating the lease early may also lead to penalties, which could range from potential fines to the loss of your security deposit.
Moving can be quite a stressful process. Violating the terms of your lease agreement will only make things more difficult. One way to prevent any hiccups is to check your lease agreement even before you start looking for a new apartment. Doing so will allow you to determine if and when you should provide your notice of intent to vacate the unit you currently live in. Once you establish that, writing the notice is quite easy and, as long as you send it out on time, there shouldn’t be any complications. If you’re looking for a rental apartment in Destin, FL, feel free to check out our floor plans as well as our photos & tours and get in touch with our team for any details you might need.
*Each Destin apartment complex has its own policies and procedures, including Sugarloaf Luxury Apartments. Check with management to see if any of these suggestions are part of our policy, as policies change.