To Terminate Your Tenancy

Model Notices: Notify Your Landlord S/he is Not Complying with the Lease

                       Notify Your Landlord S/he Violated the Right to Enter Your 

                       Apartment

Sample Budget

This sample budget is designed to help you determine how much rent you can afford to pay, depending on the income you will have each month.  Fill in your estimated monthly expenses in the column on the right and follow this formula:

Monthly income - monthly expenses = money you can budget for rent

INITIAL EXPENSES                        YOUR PERSONAL FIGURES 

Security Deposit                                        $____________ 

Phone and Utilities Deposit                            $____________

Moving Expenses                                        $____________

Furniture and Household Items                          $____________

MONTHLY EXPENSES (1 person) 

Rent                                                   $____________ 

Food                                                   $____________

Utilities/Phone                                        $____________

Clothes                                                $____________

Medical                                                $____________

Entertainment                                          $____________

Transportation                                         $____________

Personal                                               $____________

Books and Supplies                                     $____________

Sample Release Form

  
(If you can get your landlord to sign this form after you move out, then s/he must return your security deposit to you and you will not be held responsible for any damages found in the apartment.)

I, __________________________________________, state that on __________________ I inspected apartment __________________________ and that the tenants of this apartment have left the premises in good condition in accordance with the law and the lease agreement.

I accordingly hold the tenants ________________________________ and _____________________________ harmless, and state that I have no claim against them for damages to this apartment.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Model Letter: Request Repairs

(This letter is for asking the landlord to make repairs on your apartment. You should always CALL the landlord first. If s/he does not make the repair you requested after a reasonable amount of time has passed, and after you have asked more than once, then you can send him/her this letter. If you do, then you will have official, legal proof that you asked the landlord to make repairs. Send the letter certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove s/he received the letter. Also, take pictures of the repairs that need to be made. You might need this evidence later if you have to prove your case in court.)  

___________Date

Tenant's Name 

Address

Landlord's Name

Address

This letter is to notify you of necessary repairs at my home (apartment number and address) that require correction. These conditions have arisen through no fault, abuse, or negligence on my part. The following items are in need of repair. Please direct your attention to correcting these items as soon as possible, but no later than (reasonable length of time) as they interfere with my ability to reasonably enjoy the premises. 

Please let me know if there is anything I might do to facilitate the repairs being made.

Tenant's Signature

Model Letter: Confirm A Verbal Agreement To Repair
  

(This letter is to confirm an agreement you made with the landlord over the phone to make a repair. You should always CALL the landlord first. If you are worried that s/he won't make the repairs s/he promised to make, then you can send him/her this letter to show you are keeping a written record of his/her mistakes. If you do send the letter, then you will have official, legal proof that you asked the landlord to make repairs. Send the letter certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove s/he received the letter. Also, take pictures of the repairs that need to be made. You might need this evidence later if you have to prove your case in court.)  

____________Date

Tenant's Name

Address

Landlord's Name

Address

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being so responsive and agreeing on (date of agreement) to make the repairs to the (list problems discussed). If, as you said, the repairs will be made by (promised completion date), there should be little inconvenience to us. Please let me know if there is anything we might be able to do to facilitate repairs being made.

Please contact me within five days of the date of this letter if this is not your understanding of our agreement.

Tenant's Signature

Model Letter: Confirm A Verbal Agreement

(This letter is to confirm any agreement that you made with the landlord over the phone. If you are worried that s/he won't keep promises that s/he made or that s/he'll forget about the verbal agreement, then you can send him/her this letter to show you are keeping a written record. If you do send the letter, then you will have official, legal proof that you made an agreement with the landlord. Send the letter certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove s/he received the letter. You might need this evidence later if you have to prove your case in court.) 

_____________Date

Tenant's Name

Address

Landlord's Name

Address

This letter is to confirm the agreement made with you (or your apartment manager) on (date of agreement). You (or your apartment manager) verbally agreed (explain the agreement clearly and in detail). I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being so responsive to my requests.

Please contact me within five days of the date of this letter if this is not your understanding of our agreement.

Tenant's Signature

Model Letter: Terminate Your Tenancy

(This letter is for telling your landlord that you are planning on moving out. The letter gives you written proof that you notified your landlord of your intentions to move out. Send the letter certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove s/he received the letter.) 

_______________Date

Tenant's Name

Address

Landlord's Name

Address

I live in apartment # located at (address including city and state). This letter is to notify you of my intent to terminate my tenancy on (end of rental period). I plan to move out of the apartment on (date of move) and will return the keys then.

My new address will be (new address). I expect the return of my deposit within (time period). If possible, I would like you to accompany me for an inspection of the apartment before I move out. Please notify me so that we can arrange a convenient time for both of us.

Tenant's Signature

Model Notice: Landlord Noncompliance

(This letter is for telling your landlord that s/he has done something that violates your rental agreement (for example, if s/he hasn't made repairs that s/he promised to make). You should always try to talk to the landlord in person or over the phone about the problems you are having with him/her. However, if your landlord continues to cause you problems, then you can send him/her this letter to show you are keeping a written record of his/her mistakes. If you do send the letter, then you will have official, legal proof that you notified the landlord of your problems. Send the letter certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove s/he received the letter. You might need this evidence later if you have to prove your case in court.)

________________Date

Tenant's Name

Address

Landlord's Name

Address

Please take notice that the following acts or omissions constitute a breach of your rental agreement with ________________________________.

1) _________________________________________________________________.

2) _________________________________________________________________.

3) _________________________________________________________________.

4)__________________________________________________________________.

5)__________________________________________________________________.

6)__________________________________________________________________.

Unless these defects are remedied in fourteen (14) days, your tenant has the right to terminate the rental agreement 30 days from the date of this notice.

Pursuant to the KRS 383.625, if you the landlord fail to comply with this notice, and cause the tenant to move, you the landlord must return all prepaid rent.

Tenant’s Signature

Model Notice: Violation Of Landlord Access

(This letter is for telling your landlord that s/he has entered your apartment illegally. Your landlord must give you at least 2 days notice before trying to enter your apartment (whether you are home or not). You should always try to talk to the landlord in person about violations like these. However, if you are too uncomfortable, then you can send him/her this letter to show you are keeping a written record of his/her mistakes. If you do send the letter, then you will have official, legal proof that you notified the landlord of the problem. Send the letter certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove s/he received the letter. You might need this evidence later if you have to prove your case in court.)

______________Date

Tenant's Name

Address

Landlord's Name

Address

Please be advised that KRS 383.615 limits a landlord’s access to the apartment of a tenant. Basically it requires a landlord to give a tenant 48 hours written notice of his/her intent to enter an apartment unless it is an emergency. A landlord can only enter the apartment for a good reason and at reasonable hours.

You have violated your right of access and if you do so again, I will use the authority given me by KRS 383.715 and hire an attorney to obtain injunctive relief and recover actual damages. In either case, I reserve the right to terminate my tenancy if violations continue.

This could be very expensive for you. I hope that you will comply with Kentucky law in the future and it will not be necessary for me to take these steps.

Sincerely,

Tenant’s Signature