How to get existing tenants to move along

[Leigh S.]

I could use some advice on how to delicately give notice to existing tenants that are a hold over from a property I just purchased.  They are month to month and I have a copy of the original lease. The original lease from 2010 states there will only be one occupant, but there are 3, one of whom is a registered sex offender (son of the lessee) with some recent offenses for disorderly conduct. They have 4 dogs and a bird in the house, the lease allows for one pet. In spite of all this, it's decently tidy and I know that the lessee has been in the neighborhood for over 20 years.  The first thing they said when I met them was that the hoped I would let them stay. I bought the duplex next door at the same time and told them that for now, that was my focus.

The house needs a lot of work and I can't do it while they are in there. Plus, I really don't want to have a violent sex offender as a tenant. My plan was to give them plenty of notice. I don't have the heart to tell them that they have to move during the holidays, so I was going to tell them that they had to be out by the end of February. Is this much notice risky?

The previous owner let their security deposit be used for rent about a year ago, so I don't have any leverage. Would I be better off waiving January's rent and telling them to be out by then?

Or, is there a better way? I want this to go well because they seem like the type that could be vindictive.