60 day notice

[Renee Fulcer]

Hi everyone! Just rented a house to a tenant whose current landlord requires 60 days notice instead of 30. Does anyone know the logic behind it? I see it now on the Standard WI Residential Lease as well if I'm reading it right. Not crazy about the house sitting empty for an extra month when it's clean and ready to go now, and 30 days out from now would be July 1, but I'm getting the lease ready for Aug 1, with option to move in sooner.

[Jon Holdman]

I don't know why the old landlord is asking about this.  And I don't care.  Its not my problem.  If they want to find a place and then give notice, they're fooling themselves.  They need to give notice, then find a place.

You say you "just rented a house to...".  Its not clear if you have a tenant right now or not.  If I had a vacancy, there is absolutely no way I'd rent to someone now who wasn't going to move in until August 1.  But our market is very hot, and a vacancy won't last more than a day or two.  If I had a vacancy, and I found a good applicant today and they were willing to move in today, I'd give them them end of May for free.  If they wanted to move in on June 1, I would probably agree to hold the unit for them with a non-refundable holding deposit.  If they sign the lease on June 1, that becomes their deposit.  If not, I keep it.

If they wanted to move in July 1, I would not take a deposit.  Instead I would tell them I would give them the right of first refusal if I found someone who wanted to move in earlier.  If I found such an applicant (and here and now I certainly would), I would contact the first applicant and offer them the unit if they are willing to move in on the earlier date.  If not, the second applicant gets it.

Lease signing, them giving me money (first months rent and full deposit in cash or equivalent), and me giving them the keys all happens at the same time. The lease starts at that time, too.  If they're getting a few free days, I note that on the lease.