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Lease Renewal Form - Is this a fair policy?

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willsro1

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Connecticut

I signed a 12 month lease back on 5/27/09 and it ends on 5/26/10. I received a rent renewal form from my management company and started reading the first paragraph. I had no intentions of renewing my lease because the place was extremely overpriced. I continued to read and found out they wanted to increase my rent if I renewed. So at that point I stopped reading the letter and tossed it in the trash.

Since my lease was set to expire on 5/26/10, I expected my bill for the month of May to show a proration because I did not owe for the full month of May, but only until the 26th. So I went to the leasing office on 5/8/10 to ask them to revise the last month's rent because I only owed until the 26th. Then they told me that the renewal letter they sent out in March said I needed to give them 30 days notice before I was moving out. Isn't the purpose of the lease I signed to let them know when I am leaving? The lease I signed would tell them 12 months in advance when I was leaving. I did not see this fine print on the renewal letter because I was not ever interested in renewing and did not get to the bottom of the letter. Nothing I signed said that I had to give them 30 days notice before I was planning on moving out. So now they are telling me I have to pay them full rent (the increased rent rate at that) for 30 days after I told them on the 8th of May that I was leaving. So now I am stuck paying rent for an extra 13 days than my lease had written.

I do not feel this is a fair policy. If I was doing a month-to-month lease, I would understand that they need 30 days notice before I was planning on leaving. But I signed a 12 month lease and only intended to stay there that long. That is the point of a 12 month lease, to stay for 12 months. Is this a just policy? I am thinking about taking it to Small Claims Court because I have never heard of such a policy. Please let me know if they can do this because it seems to me they are trying to trick their tenant into being stuck with extra rent.
 


Banned_Princess

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Connecticut

I signed a 12 month lease back on 5/27/09 and it ends on 5/26/10. I received a rent renewal form from my management company and started reading the first paragraph. I had no intentions of renewing my lease because the place was extremely overpriced. I continued to read and found out they wanted to increase my rent if I renewed. So at that point I stopped reading the letter and tossed it in the trash.

Since my lease was set to expire on 5/26/10, I expected my bill for the month of May to show a proration because I did not owe for the full month of May, but only until the 26th. So I went to the leasing office on 5/8/10 to ask them to revise the last month's rent because I only owed until the 26th. Then they told me that the renewal letter they sent out in March said I needed to give them 30 days notice before I was moving out. Isn't the purpose of the lease I signed to let them know when I am leaving? The lease I signed would tell them 12 months in advance when I was leaving. I did not see this fine print on the renewal letter because I was not ever interested in renewing and did not get to the bottom of the letter. Nothing I signed said that I had to give them 30 days notice before I was planning on moving out. So now they are telling me I have to pay them full rent (the increased rent rate at that) for 30 days after I told them on the 8th of May that I was leaving. So now I am stuck paying rent for an extra 13 days than my lease had written.

I do not feel this is a fair policy. If I was doing a month-to-month lease, I would understand that they need 30 days notice before I was planning on leaving. But I signed a 12 month lease and only intended to stay there that long. That is the point of a 12 month lease, to stay for 12 months. Is this a just policy? I am thinking about taking it to Small Claims Court because I have never heard of such a policy. Please let me know if they can do this because it seems to me they are trying to trick their tenant into being stuck with extra rent.
I read the first couple of words and stopped reading.

What does your lease say about notices to vacate.?

Just so you know, 30 day notice is standard and unless your lease specifically states the no notice needs to be given, then the state requires you to give notice of your intent to move out. and they give a time limit for your state.

I thought everybody knew that, how come you don't?
 

willsro1

Junior Member
My lease doesn't mention anything about giving a notice. I've lived in 5 different apartments over the last few years and I'be never had to give anyone 30 days notice for leaving. So I guess its a new policy to me. I just feel like tossing it on the bottom of a renewal form that maybe one wouldn't read if they didn't intend on staying is a bit sneaky.
 

Banned_Princess

Senior Member
My lease doesn't mention anything about giving a notice. I've lived in 5 different apartments over the last few years and I'be never had to give anyone 30 days notice for leaving. So I guess its a new policy to me. I just feel like tossing it on the bottom of a renewal form that maybe one wouldn't read if they didn't intend on staying is a bit sneaky.
Ok, so if your lease states that you dont have to give notice, then you dont have to give notice,

if your lease is scilent on the matter then by CT state LL Tennt law, you have to give notice. but it oes not specify how long of notice.

I would tell the apartment complex that since it is not in your lease that you have to give any notice, that you dont have to give notice, and you are moving, and you will fight them in court if they try to keep any of your deposit for that.
 

Who's Liable?

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Connecticut

I signed a 12 month lease back on 5/27/09 and it ends on 5/26/10. I received a rent renewal form from my management company and started reading the first paragraph. I had no intentions of renewing my lease because the place was extremely overpriced. I continued to read and found out they wanted to increase my rent if I renewed. So at that point I stopped reading the letter and tossed it in the trash.
According to the limited LL/T laws of CT, you cannot be forced to pay the increased amount if you have a written lease, and it has expired. You can continue to pay the amount stated in your lease, and they cannot evict you for non-payment of rent.

Since my lease was set to expire on 5/26/10, I expected my bill for the month of May to show a proration because I did not owe for the full month of May, but only until the 26th. So I went to the leasing office on 5/8/10 to ask them to revise the last month's rent because I only owed until the 26th. Then they told me that the renewal letter they sent out in March said I needed to give them 30 days notice before I was moving out.
Since the renewal letter is NOT actively binding, because it is NOT signed by you, you are NOT required to give 30-days notice.


Isn't the purpose of the lease I signed to let them know when I am leaving? The lease I signed would tell them 12 months in advance when I was leaving.
No, the purpose of the lease is to protect you and the LL, and to provide a written agreement between the tenant and LL which clearly sets the terms and conditions of a rental unit for a set period of time. It does not serve the purpose of notification.

I did not see this fine print on the renewal letter because I was not ever interested in renewing and did not get to the bottom of the letter.
It is irrelevant and unenforceable since it is a renewal form which you did not sign.

Nothing I signed said that I had to give them 30 days notice before I was planning on moving out.
Nothing I can find states you are not legally required to give them notice.

So now they are telling me I have to pay them full rent (the increased rent rate at that) for 30 days after I told them on the 8th of May that I was leaving. So now I am stuck paying rent for an extra 13 days than my lease had written.
Nothing I can find shows you are legally required to do this.


I do not feel this is a fair policy. If I was doing a month-to-month lease, I would understand that they need 30 days notice before I was planning on leaving. But I signed a 12 month lease and only intended to stay there that long. That is the point of a 12 month lease, to stay for 12 months. Is this a just policy? I am thinking about taking it to Small Claims Court because I have never heard of such a policy. Please let me know if they can do this because it seems to me they are trying to trick their tenant into being stuck with extra rent.
I would take them to small claims court.
 

atomizer

Senior Member
Carefully review your lease. If a 30 day notice is required, then you must give notice before you vacate. Your lease will vindicate you or bury you.
 

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