When you leave a rented apartment or home, your landlord’s goal is to fill it with a new tenant ASAP. That’s why you’re required to give them a heads-up – or a notice of intent to vacate – in plenty of time. The first thing you should do if you’ve decided to move out is check the lease agreement that you signed when you moved in. Your landlord should have detailed exactly when you need to provide a notice of intent to vacate, and how far in advance of your move-out date they need to have received it. Some landlords only require a notice when the lease is broken; others need one regardless of the situation. Some landlords need a reason; others just need the facts. Review your lease to see if a notice of intent to vacate is required in your situation, and then learn how to write one!