Tips to Write A Notice to Quit Letter

Suppose you are a property owner or a caretaker in charge of the property and wish to provide a notice to quit letter to your tenants. I am sure this post is for you as it contains tips to help you craft a well-documented eviction letter.

First, we will explore the meaning of a notice to quit letter, its purpose, and its elements before providing tips on writing one. As a bonus, we will look at an example and provide recommendations on where you can get several templates you can use to build your write-ups. 

Also, check out How To Write a Guarantor Letter.

What is a notice to quit letter?

A notice to quit letter is a special letter that informs a tenant of the landlord or property manager’s decision to terminate the tenancy agreement. 

Furthermore, the issuance of an eviction letter comes as a result of the following conditions 

• Tenant breaches the tenancy agreement, such as misuse of property.
• The tenant is inconsistent with the payment of the rent.
• The property owner has other uses in mind for the building.
• The Landlord wishes to renovate the building.
• The sale of the property or space by the Landlord.
• Property used as collateral.

Difference between a Notice to quit and an eviction letter

Many people have difficulty with what a notice letter and eviction letter entail. They find it hard to spot the difference between them. For this sake, I will explore the difference between the two letters in this section.

A notice to quit letter differs from an eviction letter in all ramifications. It is a letter used by a property manager to specifically inform the occupants of a property or space of violations and give them a time frame to reprimand the situation or face eviction. In essence, a notice to quit letter precedes an eviction letter. 

With this, one can understand that a notice to quit letter does not necessarily translate that the tenants have to move from the house, while an eviction letter suggests otherwise. Furthermore, an eviction letter usually has legal backing, which makes it a legal document. 

Also, notice to quit letters are issued before the tenants’ tenancy expires, or it will be invalid. 

The Elements of Notice to Quit Letter

There is no definite way to write a notice to quit. However, understanding the elements of a notice to quit letter helps us develop how we wish to write our eviction letter. 

First, you need to understand that eviction is not an informal letter which makes it free from including unnecessary pleasantries in the body of the letter. It is direct and concise.

The elements of an eviction letter include:

The Address

The address should be where the property is located, as it is the place that ties the property owner and the tenants. 

There are two addresses in such a case. A legal team is in charge of serving the letter. Otherwise, it is not entirely required. 

Heading 

Not much effort is required here as the heading is done the same way as in any other formal letter.  It is preferable to use block and bold letters as the heading.  

Body

The following are the necessary contents of the body 

Demands

The set of instructions the property owner wants the tenant to comply with. It can be either of the following

• Payment of arrears of rent
• Putting a stop to an unlawful or unpermitted habit
• Request to vacate
• Repair of damaged properties

Also, check out How to Write the Best Application Letter.

Penalty 

This is the action meted out at the expiration of the specified period should the conditions not be fulfilled by the tenant.

Tips for writing a notice to quit letter

It would help if you considered the following tips, as they will guide you on how best to craft your notice to quit letter.

#1: Use a formal tone

As stated earlier, a notice to quit letter is not an informal letter, and as such, the tone of the language used in the letter must be consistent with a professional tone.

#2: Hit the nail on the head

A notice to quit letter needs not excessively many words. At most, you have three paragraphs in the letter. Go straight into the main details of the letter, and remember brevity is key. 

#3: Do not sound aggressive or threatening.

Your words should not convey any aggressiveness or threatening messages to the recipient. It is unacceptable and may backfire in such a way that the tenants can sue for this. 

#4: Date it 

This is important because it can be used as a reference should there be a dispute in the future.

#5: State the reason for the notice 

A notice to quit is no letter if the reason for serving it is not stated in the letter. The reasons must be explicitly stated in the letter. Also, the conditions/penalties that follow if such an agreement is not fulfilled should be stated in the letter except in the cases where the landlord wishes to sell or use the property for another purpose.

Templates for notice to quit letters

The internet is your best friend as there is an abundance of options available for you to choose from on the internet. Some templates are free to use, while some are paid to get access to them. Irrespective of your choice, templates can be used as a guide to help you draft your letter. 

You can make use of the following platforms to get templates. 

• Writeexpress.com
• Jotform.com
• Template.net
• Wonder. legal
• Eforms.org
• Pinterest
• Adobe.com

Sample of notice to quit letter

[Property Address]

THIRTY (30) DAY NOTICE TO QUIT 

This letter is addressed to [Tenant’s Name] occupying [Address of Property] to notify you of the thirty days notice to vacate the property above

Please understand that by your lease, your leasehold interest is thus terminated, said date being at least thirty days from the date hereof (30) days after this notice has been served on you.

You are advised to leave the premises immediately after which the period of the notice elapses and give up ownership of the leased property by the deadline

Failure to adhere to this may attract the pursuant of legal actions on the part of the Landlord.

Signature

————–

Final Notes on  

Property Managers, landlords, and solicitors are more familiar with notice-to-quit letters than others. As explained, notice to quit letters is the first document a tenant will receive in the case of violations of the tenancy agreement before the eviction letter is served.

The article is informative and recommended for anyone who wishes to understand what a notice to quit letter is, and one can craft an excellent one.

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