Lease dictionary
Abandonment
When a tenant leaves a rental for good without telling the landlord, which can let the landlord retake the unit under state rules.
Abandonment is judged by facts: moving out belongings, unpaid rent, utilities turned off, keys returned. Many states require the landlord to follow notice steps before treating a unit as abandoned.
How a landlord must handle belongings left behind is its own set of rules. Informal assumptions can expose a landlord to liability, and tenants who leave without notice can still owe rent.
Watch out
If you're away for a long trip, tell your landlord in writing and keep paying rent, so absence isn't mistaken for abandonment.
See it in action
The Move-out kit puts this term to work for you.