Lease Termination Clarification Needed (Arlington: apartment complex, month-to-month, landlords)

[Txleegr]

I have a friend that signed a year's lease on an apartment in Arlington for her niece to live in. The intention was at the end of the lease the niece would be back on her feet and put the lease in her name. She sent certified notification to the apartment complex 30 days prior to the lease ending date stating that she wanted her name off the lease at it's end. The niece could not qualify for a lease under her name as she does not have a job. She is using her child support money to pay the rent. Today my friend finds out that the apartment complex has the month-to-month "lease" still in her name and tells her that she has to give 60 days notice to get it cancelled. As she legally notified them 30 days prior to the end of the lease previously, is this legal? I think they might have her on a technicality due to the fact that she didn't state she wanted to terminate the lease.

[OpenD]

It all depends on the wording of the original lease. What is catching people off guard is that a lot of landlords have recently switched from 30 days notice to 60 days notice in their terms, and people are agreeing to it (signing it) without realizing that there has been a change.