30 days notice? (apartment, lease agreement, tenant, renters)

[SandyCo]

I'm on a month-to-month rental agreement now, and by law I have to notify my landlord that I'm going to vacate my apartment after 30 days. I have no problem with this, but so many ads on Craig's List and elsewhere say things like, "Move in this weekend, and get half a month free!" Since I can't afford to pay rent on two places, that still doesn't do me any favors.

I wouldn't want to give notice until I've signed a lease elsewhere. Yes, homelessness is one of my fears! However, I don't know of many prospective landlords who are willing to hold an apartment for a month, even with a deposit.

Landlords, how do you handle this - on both sides? Do you allow tenants to give you less than 30 days' notice? Are you willing to work with prospective tenants who have given notice at their present location?

[old_cold]

I admit it's a problem situation .
In a area such as ours, with a very small pool of applicants, even 30 days notice almost insures that I will have an empty apt for one month and more usually,two.
You can guess from that, that I won't take less .
For incoming, I assume I'll have to 'eat' the one month and often, the two.

Most LL's know current renters need to give 30 days so you looking, say on June 20th, wanting a Aug 1 move-in, wouldn't be unusual.
Your only problem would be competing with someone able to move immediately......not currently renting or one that took the chance and already gave notice or one willing to leave without notice,not paying the last month & letting their security cover it and hoping not to be sued for it.

[bc219]

Personally I let people give less than 30 days notice but I make them pay for the whole month for breaking the lease. (In your case it's month to month though so I can't comment there.)

You may contact some of these listings (maybe not the "move in this weekend ones") because sometimes LL's might post a posting before the house is ready to be rented just to get people calling, such as myself, and the house might not even be ready for a month. Or there might be some other reason why you could get approved and not move in for a month.

It's worth a shot to talk to your current LL and call future ones...

[Teebyrd86]

I am also on a month to month lease (after a one year full lease agreement). My landlord requires a 60 day notice. Unless I am relocated with my job. I guess I can understand her reasoning but.. 60 days is a little crazy to me.

[pitt_transplant]

Since you are on month to month why not just stay a little longer to save $$$ and save to overlap the first/last month?

[Ultrarunner]

It's not unusual for a tenant to give 30 Days notice and then hold over.

Is it recommended... no, but that's the reality of the situation because the Owner's only alternative to file an Unlawful Detainer Action and in Alameda County it takes 4 weeks minimum and more like 6 before Sheriff Deputy enforcement.

Is there a significant Security Deposit at Stake? If management knows a higher rent is possible from a new tenant, they may be motivated to work with you?

[HappySpring]

I do rentals in NY. What happens here is if you find an apartment you want, you pay the landlord 1 month security, if dealing with a broker, you have to pay them too. Then on the day you are planning to move in you then pay the 1st months rent.

By paying the security, that takes the apartment off the market. However, if you decide that you don't want the apartment, the Landlord can keep your security deposit.

Lets say today is Jan 15...you find an apartment you love and the rent is $1,000 per month. You give them $1,000 for security.....give your current landlord 30 days notice and on Feb 15 pay your first months rent at your new place and move in.

I never have a problem with a landlord waiting 30 days for the new tenant. Because when it comes time for the tenant to move again, the new landlord would appreciate the notice himself.

[bentlebee]

Most of the time you will have an overlap...or do you want to get, on let's say the 31st and sleep outside and move in with your stuff on the 1st?

[SandyCo]

I'm reviving this thread, because it suddenly applies to me for real this time. I'm grateful to have found what seems to be a decent apartment, and for a reasonable price (by L.A. standards, anyway!), but now I'm stuck again figuring out the particulars of 30 days notice.

If my credit check goes through tomorrow (and I'm certain it will), then if I give notice, 30 days away would be May 27th. My new landlord certainly isn't going to hold the new apartment that long, even though I put a "holding" deposit on it today. I can move in about two weeks, and pay rent on two places for 16 days (which is expensive, no matter how you look at it), I can plead for mercy from the current owner (I may get it, I may not), or wait to move and probably lose the new apartment. Any other suggestions? I don't expect to see my $725 security deposit ever again, so that's not even an issue.

And I wanted to also give a very belated "thank you" to everyone who answered my query back in January.

[Ultrarunner]

It happens a lot...

I've seen some creative word arounds... both parties agree to a slightly higher rent of $20 a month on the new place so you won't be out a ton of cash at one time...

Any chance there are similar units and you can get the next one?

Paying rent simultaneously always works, but it get real expensive especially when you add the cost of moving and setting up all utilities...

How long will they hold the unit?