How to inform tenant lease will not be renewed

How to inform tenant lease will not be renewed

Rental Property Investor · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2019 · 39 posts · 21 votes

BP,

We have tenants paying about $400-500 under market value that we do not want to renew lease with in December.  They have only been in the home for 18 months but are constantly late with rent.  Each month the excuse is something COVID related, but at this point we are feeling taken advantage of.  We never charged them late fees or started the eviction process as we truly felt bad for them and they were telling the truth, and they were always able to catch up eventually.  Today we were told again that they'd be $400 short on the rent, and she's in the middle of finding a second job, short on work hours because of COVID, the list goes on.  We are willing to deal with it for now, but we definitely do not want to renew the lease in December for these reasons, not to mention we'd like to catch up to market rent.  This was the first and only two year lease we've ever signed and will not be doing it again.  We feel a little bad because they won't be able to find as nice of a home with current rental market, but at this point it is effecting our finances.  We were thinking of telling them now that we won't be renewing, and they should start looking for a new place.  What is the downside to this?  Any other advice?

thanks!

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Real Estate Broker · Rochester Hills, MI · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
5y

Look at your lease for the proper notice you are to give (should say in there, if not, time to update your lease) and simply call/send mail saying dear tenant, your lease expires on X date and we are contacting you to let you know it will not be renewed.  

You can add as much to it as you want, but simply letting them know the lease will not be renewed and what date they need to be out on (expire date).

Easy peasy.   

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  • Real Estate Broker · Rochester Hills, MI · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    Look at your lease for the proper notice you are to give (should say in there, if not, time to update your lease) and simply call/send mail saying dear tenant, your lease expires on X date and we are contacting you to let you know it will not be renewed.  

    You can add as much to it as you want, but simply letting them know the lease will not be renewed and what date they need to be out on (expire date).

    Easy peasy.   

  • Bjorn AhlbladPro Member
    Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    5y

    Depending on where you are located winter can be tough to find good renters. Why not put them on MTM lease and give them 30 day notice of non-renewal in March if you can stand them that long. In any event 30 day notice of non-renewal is the document. In a few states it is 60 days; so check.

  • Rental Property Investor · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2019 · 39 posts · 21 votes
    5y

    @Scott M.

    Thanks Scott. It says 30 days notice. Would you consider telling them now, 5 months early to help them and give them time to find another place, or do you think this puts in a bad position somehow?

  • Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 691 votes
    5y

    I agree with @Scott M.. You just need to give them enough notice. Since the moratorium is supposed to be ending soon, an eviction could be a final resort if it comes to that. 

  • Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    One good thing about letting them know now that their lease is not going to be renewed in December is that they may start looking, find another rental and ask if they can be let out of their lease early.

    Of course they would be breaking their lease early but look at it this way; you've got lousy tenants who don't pay on time in a rental that is $400-$500 below market value.  Much cheaper to get them out now than the cost of evicting them.

    Gail

  • Real Estate Broker · Rochester Hills, MI · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    By the sounds of it you want them out sooner V later right?  For you, rehabbing a home is easier and cheaper, depending on your location, in the summer as you don't need to heat the home.  For them moving is easier in the summer VS the potential snow covered roads.

    If your goal is getting them out letting them know early may help you achieve that goal

  • Rental Property Investor · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2019 · 39 posts · 21 votes
    5y

    Gail K. 

    That would be our goal, to get them to start looking now, letting them out early at no charge.  The rental market is hot and we would be able to place another renter in there immediately with little to no rehab.  

    Thanks for the feedback!

  • Rental Property Investor · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2019 · 39 posts · 21 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Scott M.:

    By the sounds of it you want them out sooner V later right?  For you, rehabbing a home is easier and cheaper, depending on your location, in the summer as you don't need to heat the home.  For them moving is easier in the summer VS the potential snow covered roads.

    If your goal is getting them out letting them know early may help you achieve that goal

  • Rental Property Investor · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2019 · 39 posts · 21 votes
    5y

    Thanks Scott!

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