Month to month blackout dates

[Akeim Fin]

Hello all,

What is your experience with “blackout dates” in a month to month lease? For example some verbiage in a lease saying you will be charged x fee if you move out between Nov-Feb or you can’t move out between Nov-Feb . I have always used 1 year leases to avoid winter move out but ever lawyer I’ve come across strongly recommends moth to month. I see these blackout dates as a sort of middle ground. Does anyone have any experience with this. This will be for proprieties in Rhode Island but any feedback is welcomed. 

I know I know You are not a lawyer/can’t give legal advice. I’m just asking what’s your experience. Have you seen it, have you used it, how did it work?

[Anthony Thompson]

@Akeim Fin I haven't done it, though I've seen leases for only part of the year of course, especially in student situations.

My thought is, sure you can try to put such fees in, but collecting on them if the tenants didn't pay those would be a different matter entirely.

I think if you did this in an A or maybe B area, you might stand a chance of having people pay those fees, but I wouldn't count on them.

And as you said, it's a legal question in general, and involves doing something in a lease which is uncommon, so I think it's one best posed to your attorney anyway.