Dear Landlord: EAT IT!!!! Mwahahaha! Love, Polter "see ya!" Cow.

That's pretty much what my uncle is suggesting I do, but I can't make myself do it. I'm not that kind of person. And I would hate to have something like that hanging over me forever, like I could never tell anyone I lived at that address because they might find out.

Here's what I have:

I have been a tenant with [realtor] for nearly two years. Recently, however, I had the good fortune to be offered an out-of-state position in my chosen field.

On February 27, I notified Deb of my need to move by mid-April, as my employers required me on urgent business. She suggested I advertise for a sublettor, and I did so, both on the UM housing site and Craigslist. While I received some initial interest, all parties chose other opportunities instead. Deb spoke to the future fall tenants, who did not express interest in moving in early.

I believe I gave sufficient notice of my situation, and I believe both Deb and I have done our best to secure a tenant for the four months remaining on my lease. I cannot afford to pay rent both here and in my new location, however. I am requesting that I be let out of my lease early, and I am willing to forfeit my security deposit for this privilege. Thank you.

That sounds very reasonable P-C.

(FTR, I would never tell my landlord to EAT IT either. Well, unless they were total bastiges.)

I believe I gave sufficient notice of my situation

Sufficient notice for what? If you signed a lease which means you have to pay until the end of the lease, there's no official definition of "sufficient." In that absence, you should define it in the letter.

If you signed a lease which means you have to pay until the end of the lease, there's no official definition of "sufficient." In that absence, you should define it in the letter.

Thanks. There's a "Limited Cancellation" clause that specifies sixty days (and, dammit, I really should have sent an e-mail on that day) for two ridiculous situations (you have to go to a convalescent home or a doctor says you can't live alone anymore), so I can kind of fudge around that.

Happy Birthday Princess Tickybox!

P-C, excellent letter. Regarding ita's point:

Sufficient notice for what? If you signed a lease which means you have to pay until the end of the lease, there's no official definition of "sufficient." In that absence, you should define it in the letter.

How about changing this:

I believe I gave sufficient notice of my situation, and I believe both Deb and I have done our best to secure a tenant for the four months remaining on my lease. I cannot afford to pay rent both here and in my new location, however. I am requesting that I be let out of my lease early, and I am willing to forfeit my security deposit for this privilege. Thank you.

To something like this:

In light of the fact that I gave [state how much time will it be--two months?] notice of my need and reasons for vacating, and because the realtor selected new tenants who were not available to enter a lease when the apartment becomes vacant, and I am requesting that you let me out of the lease, effective [whatever date]. I will, of course, pay my rent through [whenever it is], and am willing to forfeit my security deposit for this privilege. Thank you.

Oh, that's nice, Cindy; thank you.

It's not two months yet, per se, but it will be on April 27, and I've paid through April, so it's effectively two months before they need to fill the spot.

I left an extraneous "and" here:

vacant, and I am requesting

I think as long as it is two months between when you gave notice, and when you'd like to stop paying, it is clear enough to refer to the time period as two months.

I left an extraneous "and" here:

I caught it. I kind of get paid for that kind of thing now!