Lease Renewal Letter Template
A lease renewal letter offers your tenant new terms before the current lease ends and asks for an answer by a set date. This free template puts the current and proposed terms side by side and gives the tenant three boxes to tick. Send it 60 to 90 days before the end date, then sign a renewal addendum or a fresh free lease agreement template.
By LandlordTested editorial teamLast reviewed
Lease Renewal Letter
Free to use and edit. To get a Word or Google Docs copy, print to PDF or copy the text into a new document.
Lease renewal offer
Date of this letter: ______________
To (all tenants named on the lease): ______________________________________________
Rental property address: ______________________________________________
Unit: __________
Dear ______________________________,
Your current lease ends on ______________. We would like to offer you a renewal on the terms below.
Renewal terms
| Term | Current lease | Renewal offer |
|---|---|---|
| Lease start date | ||
| Lease end date | ||
| Length of term | ||
| Monthly rent | $ | $ |
| Rent due date | ||
| Security deposit held | $ | $ |
| Pet rent or other monthly charges | $ | $ |
| Utilities paid by tenant |
Other changes to the lease (if none, write “None”):
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
All other terms of your current lease stay the same unless listed above.
Please reply by ______________
Check one box, sign and return this letter by the date above.
- Yes, I/we accept the renewal on the terms above. We will sign a renewal agreement or new lease before ______________.
- I/we would like to discuss the terms. Best phone or email: ______________________________
- No, I/we will not renew. We plan to move out on or before ______________ and will give any notice the lease and [STATE] law require.
If we do not hear from you by the reply date, [CHOOSE ONE AND DELETE THE OTHER: your lease will convert to a month-to-month tenancy at a monthly rent of $ __________ / your lease will end on its end date and you will need to move out by then], subject to [STATE] and local law.
Tenant signature: ______________________________ Date: ______________
Tenant signature: ______________________________ Date: ______________
Landlord
Thank you for being a tenant here. Please contact me with any questions.
Landlord or agent name: ______________________________________________
Signature: ______________________________ Date: ______________
Phone: ______________________ Email: ______________________________
Notes for the landlord (delete before sending)
- Send this at least [NUMBER OF DAYS] days before the lease ends. Some states and cities require 60 to 120 days’ notice of non-renewal or a rent increase, depending on how long the tenant has lived there.
- If the rent goes up, the increase must follow [STATE] and local notice rules and any rent cap.
- In some states and cities you need a legal reason (just cause) to decline to renew.
- An offer letter is not a signed lease. Get a signed renewal addendum or new lease.
This template is general information, not legal advice. Check your state’s rules before using it.
On this page
How to fill in the lease renewal letter
Date and parties
Date it the day you send it and address it to every adult on the current lease. If someone is moving out and another person is moving in, that’s a new lease and a new application, not a renewal.
Renewal terms table
Fill in both columns. The left side should match the current lease exactly; the right side is your offer. Spell out the new start and end dates, the term length (12 months, 6 months), the new rent and the due date.
If the rent is going up, the letter doubles as your rent increase notice, so the timing has to satisfy your state’s increase rules as well. On a $1,650 rent going to $1,715 (about 3.9%), that’s a $65 a month change; say so plainly.
If you’re increasing the deposit to match a higher rent, check your state’s cap first. New Jersey, for example, limits annual deposit increases to 10% of the current deposit.
Other changes
List new terms here: a new pet rule, a utility now billed to the tenant, a smoke-free policy. If nothing changes, write “None”.
Reply date and tenant boxes
Give a reply date at least two weeks before you’d need to start advertising. The three boxes cover the answers you’ll get: accept, talk it over, or move out.
What happens with no reply
Choose one of the two options in brackets and delete the other. Month-to-month is the gentler default. “The lease ends” is clearer if you need the unit back, but only if your state allows a no-cause non-renewal.
Landlord notes
Delete the notes section before you send it. It’s there to remind you of the traps below.
State rules for lease renewal and non-renewal
Notice periods. In New York, a landlord who won’t renew, or who raises the rent 5% or more, must give 30 days’ notice if the tenant has been there less than a year, 60 days for 1 to 2 years and 90 days for 2 years or more (RPL § 226-c). Chicago and Cook County use 60 and 120 days. Georgia and Maryland require 60 days’ notice to end a month-to-month tenancy.
Just cause. In these places you can’t decline to renew without a legal reason, at least for longer tenancies:
- California: after 12 months of occupancy, AB 1482 requires an at-fault or no-fault reason, and no-fault terminations require relocation assistance of one month’s rent.
- Oregon: after the first year, no-cause terminations are prohibited. Qualifying landlord reasons need 90 days’ notice and, unless you have 4 or fewer units, relocation assistance.
- Washington: no-cause terminations are prohibited. Owner move-in or sale needs 90 days’ notice.
- New Jersey: good cause is required even at lease end, except in owner-occupied buildings with 2 or fewer units.
- Colorado: after 12 months, you need for-cause grounds or a listed no-fault reason with 90 days’ notice.
- New York: the Good Cause Eviction Law applies in New York City and opt-in towns, but exempts landlords with 10 or fewer units.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending it too late. If you miss the notice window, the increase or non-renewal may not take effect when you planned.
- Treating the letter as the lease. Get a signed renewal addendum or new lease.
- Offering different terms to similar tenants for no clear reason. Keep your reasons in writing.
- Forgetting new lead information. For a pre-1978 building, a renewal doesn’t need a fresh federal lead disclosure if you gave one before and have nothing new. If you’ve had a lead inspection or found new hazards since, disclose them with the renewal.
Questions landlords ask
The questions we get most, each answered in a paragraph.
How far in advance should I send a lease renewal letter?
Sixty to ninety days before the lease ends works in most places. It gives the tenant time to decide and gives you time to list the unit if they leave. Some places require more. Chicago and Cook County require 60 days' notice for tenants of 6 months to 3 years and 120 days for 3 years or more, and New York requires up to 90 days.
What happens if the tenant doesn't respond?
That depends on what your letter and lease say, and on state law. In many states, if a fixed-term lease ends and you keep accepting rent, the tenancy becomes month-to-month. The template has a line where you choose what happens if there's no reply. Pick one, and follow up by phone before the reply date.
Is a signed renewal letter a lease?
No. The tenant's signature on the letter shows they accept your offer, but you should still sign a renewal addendum or a new lease that states the new term and rent. That document, signed by everyone on the lease, is what you'd rely on in court.
Can I refuse to renew a lease?
In most states, yes, as long as the reason isn't discriminatory or retaliatory and you give the required notice. Several places require a legal reason. California's AB 1482 applies just-cause rules after 12 months, Oregon bars no-cause terminations after the first year, Washington requires just cause, and New Jersey's Anti-Eviction Act requires good cause even when a lease ends.