Early lease termination letter template
A tenant's request to end a lease early with the reason, the proposed move-out date and an offer to help find a new tenant or pay a fee.
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A general template, not legal advice
This is a general template, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, so check anything with legal consequences with a professional before you rely on it.
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Early Lease Termination Request
Jordan Lee
123 Main St, Apt 4, Austin, TX 78701
(555) 010-0000, jordan.lee@example.com
October 5, 2026
Taylor Kim, Northwind Property Management
800 Brazos St, Suite 300
Austin, TX 78701
RE: Request to end the lease early, 123 Main St, Apt 4, Austin, TX 78701
Dear Taylor Kim, Northwind Property Management:
I am writing to ask to end my lease for 123 Main St, Apt 4, Austin, TX 78701 before its end date. My lease runs from March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, and I would like to move out on November 30, 2026.
I have accepted a job in another city and need to relocate before the lease ends.
To limit the cost to you, I am willing to help find a qualified replacement tenant, keep the unit ready for showings and stay responsible for rent until a new lease starts or the date we agree on.
Please confirm in writing whether you accept this request and what I will owe, so we both have a record of the terms. I will leave the unit clean, return all keys on the move-out date, and I would welcome a move-out inspection with you before then. Thank you for considering this.
Sincerely,
ย
ย
Jordan Lee
Tenant
| Please note | Notice periods and deposit rules are set by your lease and state law. Check both before you send this. |
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How to use it
Type the lease dates and the day you want to be out, pick the reason that fits and what you are offering in return. The letter asks, rather than announces: ending a fixed-term lease early needs the landlord's agreement or a clause in the lease, and the paragraph about what you offer is what makes the landlord say yes.
Before you send it, read the lease for an early termination or buyout clause. If there is one, pick the fee option and the letter says you will follow it. If there is none, offering to find a replacement tenant is the most common way out, since in many states the landlord has to try to re-rent the unit anyway.
Things to watch
Do not move out before you have the landlord's answer in writing. Until the lease is ended or the unit is re-rented, rent keeps coming due, and an unpaid balance can turn into a collection and a mark on your rental history. Keep the tone plain and factual; a landlord is more likely to agree to a clear request than to a long story.
Calculators that go with this
Frequently asked questions
I have military orders. Is this the right letter?
You can use it to open the conversation, but the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act gives active duty members a right to end a lease after receiving orders for a permanent change of station or a deployment of 90 days or more. Deliver written notice with a copy of the orders, and the lease ends 30 days after the next rent due date. The landlord cannot charge an early termination fee in that case.
Can the landlord keep my whole deposit?
Only for what the lease and state law allow: unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and a termination fee if the lease has one. The landlord still has to send an itemized statement within your state's deadline. Ask for the walkthrough so the condition of the unit is agreed on the day you leave.
What happens after the landlord agrees?
Get the agreement in writing, with the end date and the amount you owe, and send the notice to vacate letter so the move-out date and your forwarding address are on record. Then use the move-in move-out checklist for the final inspection.
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