Move-out notice to tenant: what to send and when

When a lease ends, a move-out notice to the tenant usually means several messages, each sent at its own moment: the notice that the lease is ending, the practical details of the last day, a reminder before it, and a note once the keys are back. Send them late or leave something out, and the last week fills up with phone calls.

This guide is for owners whose tenant is leaving at the end of a lease, whether you decided not to renew or the tenant told you they're moving. It covers what to send, when to send it and what each message should say. It doesn't cover notices for unpaid rent or lease violations, or evictions: those have separate requirements under the rules where the property is.

Why move-out dates get missed

The dates that matter are spread over several places. The end date and the notice period are in the lease, the notice rules are in local law, and the tenant's "we're moving in March" came in a text two months ago. The last day itself may not be written anywhere you and the tenant can both see.

Then the questions pile up in the final week. What time do the keys go back, and to whom? Is the walkthrough before or after the cleaners? Should the tenant cancel the electricity or transfer it? Where does the deposit go? Each one is a short answer, but when they come one at a time, by different channels, something gets missed: a key that never comes back, a meter nobody read, a deposit sent to an old address.

A short sequence of written messages prevents most of this. The tenant has the answers in writing before the last week starts, and you keep a dated record of what you said.

Move-out notice to tenant: the timeline

The timing below is a starting point. Your lease and the rules where the property is may set longer notice periods or a specific way to deliver notices, so count back from those first.

1. Before the notice deadline: the end-of-lease notice, or your written confirmation of the tenant's notice.
2. About three to four weeks before the last day: the move-out letter with every practical detail.
3. About a week before: a short reminder with the walkthrough time and key return.
4. The day before: a one-line confirmation.
5. After the keys come back: a note confirming you received them, then the deposit statement within the deadline local rules set.

If the lease has a renewal decision attached, settle that first. Our lease renewal checklist covers how to decide and when to make the offer; this guide picks up once you know the tenant is leaving.

The end-of-lease notice

If you are ending the tenancy

Some places let owners decide not to renew at the end of a fixed term; others only allow it for specific reasons, or turn the lease into a month-to-month tenancy unless notice is given. Before you write anything, check four things where the property is: whether you may end the tenancy, whether the rules require a specific form or wording, how far ahead the notice must arrive, and how it must be delivered (in person, by mail, by a method the lease names). In the US, the notice is often called a notice to vacate, and the required period varies by state and by the kind of tenancy.

Where a form or wording is required, use it. Otherwise, a clear end-of-lease notice includes:

• The date of the notice, your name and how to reach you.
• The tenant's name and the property address, with the unit number.
• The lease's end date and the date the tenant must move out.
• The reason, only if local rules require one.
• A line saying a separate letter will follow with the details of the last day.

Keep the tone factual: if there's ever a dispute, a lawyer or a judge may read it. Keep a copy with the date and any proof of delivery the rules ask for.

If the tenant gave notice

When the tenant tells you they're leaving, answer in writing within a few days, even if the notice came by text. Confirm the move-out date you understood, say whether the notice meets what the lease requires and mention when they'll get the move-out letter. If the date doesn't match the lease, raise it now, while you both have time to sort it out.

The move-out letter: what to include

Send it three to four weeks before the last day, so the tenant can book movers, cleaners and utility transfers around it. Put everything in one message:

• Last day and time. The date and the hour by which the unit should be empty.
• Walkthrough. A proposed date and time for the move-out inspection, after the tenant's things are out, with both of you there. Some places require you to offer an earlier inspection before move-out, so the tenant has time to fix what you find. Check local rules and schedule that one separately.
• Keys. How many keys, remotes, fobs and access cards to return, and where and to whom.
• Condition and cleaning. What "clean" means for this unit, in plain words, and what stays (appliances, blinds, the spare light bulbs you supplied). Point to the move-in report as the reference.
• Utilities. Which accounts the tenant should close or transfer, and whether to take a meter reading or photo on the last day.
• Forwarding address. Where to send the deposit and any later mail.
• Showings. If you'll show the unit before they leave, how you'll agree on visit times.
• Questions. Who to contact, and how, if something changes.

An example, with made-up names and dates:

Hi Ana, thanks again for confirming your move-out from Apt 4B. Your last day is Mar 31, and the unit should be empty by 5 PM. Could we do the walkthrough together on Mar 31 at 3 PM? Please bring both keys and the garage remote. The move-in report is attached so we're working from the same list. Please arrange the electricity account change with the utility and send me a photo of the meter on Mar 31, before you hand back the keys. Could you also send the address where you'd like the deposit and any mail? If anything changes, text or call me at (555) 010-0142.

Reminders in the last week

About a week before, send a short reminder: the walkthrough time, the key return and the forwarding address if you don't have it yet. Ask whether anything in the plan has changed. The day before, one line is enough: "See you tomorrow at 3 PM at Apt 4B."

If the tenant asks for more time, answer in writing with what you agreed to and the new date. A vague "no problem, take a few more days" can turn into a disagreement about when the tenancy ended, and in some places it can change the tenant's rights. Check local rules before you agree to anything open-ended.

After the keys come back

On the last day, write down which keys came back and send the tenant a short note confirming it, with the date and time. Do the walkthrough with the move-in report beside you; our move-out inspection checklist shows how to compare the two room by room and tell normal wear from damage.

Then return any refundable deposit balance and send the itemized statement, with the reason for each deduction and any supporting documents, by the deadlines the rules where the property is set. Those deadlines may differ for the refund, the statement and the receipts. If a repair cost isn't final yet, check whether local rules allow an estimate and what follow-up they require. Tell the tenant in writing what you're still waiting for; that message doesn't move the deadline.

How RentalThread will make it easier

With RentalThread, each property will keep its lease and documents in one place. AI will read the lease and pull out the end date and the notice period, and you'll check what it found against the signed copy before it's saved. Lease renewal reminders will give you time to decide and send notices before the deadline.

The move-out inspection, with photos, will sit next to the move-in report for the same unit, so the walkthrough starts from the same record. See what's planned for owners.