# So two months notice wasn't enough? (long and lame) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 27, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859 "2006-01-27T16:34:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![M.Meursault](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@M.Meursault](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/M.Meursault)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/21 "2006-01-27T19:32:42Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months really isn’t much time to give someone to find a new place to live after seven years in one place. I wouldn’t call that a “generous” amount of notice regardless of legal requirements. It would still be a huge pain in the ass to be blindsided like that and suddenly have to uproot a family, find a new place and move within the space of a few weeks. > > I’ve never heard of a renter having to transfer utilities either. > > The OP sounds kind of cold to me. Two months notice is plenty of time to give someone to find a new place when they chose to live month-by-month. If the hassle of finding a place after settling somewhere for seven years bothers the tenants, they should have found something more permanent with less likelihood of being given only a month’s notice to vacate. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/22 "2006-01-27T19:36:49Z")
Two months notice is just about perfect, in my experience. More notice would do them no good; how would potential landlords know what would be available that far ahead? Anyone who can’t get themselves moved in two months just isn’t working hard enough at it. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/23 "2006-01-27T19:36:53Z")
I certainly don’t think the OP did anything wrong, and I can understand the idea that giving two months was generous. It was, as has been stated, twice the amount of time required by law, so it was nice of her to be thoughtful and offer additional time, knowing the strain having to move can put on a family. A the same time, having been a renter for my entire adult life, there is no amount of time, especially living in a home (as opposed to an apartment), that feels generous enough. Having to unexpectedly relocate is an incredibly stressful experience for anyone, particularly if they were perfectly happy where they were. Still, I think your tenant was wrong to call you “insensitive.” I don’t think they need to come crawling to you out of gratitude, but they should certainly be understanding of your situation, and they should have been fully aware of the fact that this could happen to them at any time. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/24 "2006-01-27T19:59:50Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > She gave twice the required amount. How is that cold? I’d be glad of two months’ notice. Suddenly being told you have two months to get out of your home of seven years is not exactly a gift and is not what I would call “generous,” regardless of what the law requires. I said the OP was cold not because I think she _had_ to give more notice but because she seemed rather unsympathetic about what the renters had to go through and was making (what initially seemed to be) a petty complaint about something that was her own responisbility. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/25 "2006-01-27T20:36:50Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > This is a perfect example of why I think that one person should not have the control over another person’s home and shelter; it is unethical at best. Would you rather it be an entity, like say, a national Government that decided such things? :dubious: What DO you mean by that? ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/26 "2006-01-27T20:45:32Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Suddenly being told you have two months to get out of your home of seven years is not exactly a gift and is not what I would call “generous,” regardless of what the law requires. > > I said the OP was cold not because I think she _had_ to give more notice but because she seemed rather unsympathetic about **what the renters had to go through and was making (what initially seemed to be) a petty complaint about something that was her own responisbility**. (Bolding mine) I work for a property managment company in Indiana. There is no way that having the utilities disconnected and the end of the lease term is the landlord’s responsibility if the utilities have been in the tenant’s name. We had a phone call from the gas company just today because someone didn’t get their gas turned off when they moved out, and they’re trying to get their bill reduced. Besides, what about the **eenerms** ’ living situation? She was living in an apartment as well, and she had plenty of time to get her things out of her apartment and get the utilities turned off. Do you know how easy it is to turn utilities off? Call the utilities and say, “I’m moving out on January 31. Please have service taken out of my name at the end of business/the next business day.” They’ll ask you for an address of where to send the final bill, and you’re done. They certainly don’t like it when you call and try to get service in someone else’s name turned _off_, unless you can show proof that you’re the property owner and that the previous tenants have vacated. As far as “suddenly” being told you have two months to move, that was certainly very generous. Two months is plenty of time to find a place and get packed up. Sounds to me like the tenants are being passive-aggressive about it. Don’t want your housing situation to be dependent on someone else? Then buy, don’t rent! **eenerms** , I sure as hell hope you’re keeping a record of how much cleaning you’re having to do, because that should come out of their security deposit. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/27 "2006-01-27T21:02:33Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Suddenly being told you have two months to get out of your home of seven years is not exactly a gift and is not what I would call “generous,” regardless of what the law requires. “Suddenly” would be “We’re moving back into town. We want the house. You have a week to get out.” If the tenant wanted more stability, they shouldn’t have agreed to a month-to-month lease. Two months was more than fair. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/28 "2006-01-27T21:05:17Z")
In her OP she didn’t say they didn’t turn the utilities off, she said they didn’t “transfer” them into her own name. That’s not a tenant’s responsibility and that’s not what I’m referring to. > [@](#): > > I sure as hell hope you’re keeping a record of how much cleaning you’re having to do, because that should come out of their security deposit. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/29 "2006-01-27T21:08:42Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > “Suddenly” would be “We’re moving back into town. We want the house. You have a week to get out.” If the tenant wanted more stability, they shouldn’t have agreed to a month-to-month lease. Two months was more than fair. Two months is bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/30 "2006-01-27T21:29:30Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is bullshit. On which planet is this? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/31 "2006-01-27T21:30:42Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > (Bolding mine) > > **eenerms** , I sure as hell hope you’re keeping a record of how much cleaning you’re having to do, because that should come out of their security deposit. Uh, no it shouldn’t. From the state of Georgia Q/A: > [@](#): > > As a landlord what can I deduct from a tenant’s security deposit? > > All or part of the security deposit may be retained by the landlord to compensate for physical damage caused to the premises by the tenant or members of the tenant’s household, pets or guests. A landlord cannot retain a security deposit to cover normal wear and tear. A landlord can also deduct from the security deposit unpaid rent, late charges, unpaid utilities which the tenant is responsible for under the terms of the lease or for actual damages caused by the tenant’s breach of the lease or rental agreement. Now, I realize that things may be different in Nevada, but I was under the impression that most states require a separate cleaning deposit if that kind of thing is warranted. And 2 months is not “bullshit” on a month-to-month lease. Duration of stay has nothing to do with the matter. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/32 "2006-01-27T21:32:48Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is bullshit. So what would constitute a reasonable time for you, exactly? Two months is plenty to move, regardless if you’ve been living there 7 months or 7 years. If you live month-to-month (as I did for several years in Budapest), you have to accept that at any moment something may come up and the landlord may terminate your lease. I was always prepared to move out should that situation arise. That’s always been a part of the agreement. That’s the whole point of a month-to-month. Sure, it would have inconvenienced me and thrown a spanner into the works, but two months is more than plenty time to get relocated. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/33 "2006-01-27T21:37:17Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is bullshit. nope more than enough time if it isn’t–what is. You were asked that before–but all you can state is that 2 months is bullshit. So if I was renting your house and you wanted to move back in–how much time would you give me? And what would you base it on? your comment is bullshit see the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/34 "2006-01-27T21:40:02Z")
Two months is not “plenty” of time to move after being blindsided with an eviction. I’m not saying the OP had an obligation to give more time, I’m saying should have been mpre understanding about how stressful and disruptive that is for the people who have to leave. I know, everybody here would just be overjoyed to get a phone call today telling them they have two months to get out of their home. I’m the only one who thinks it would be a hassle. I’m an asshole. Yada yada. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/35 "2006-01-27T21:42:05Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is not “plenty” of time to move after being blindsided with an eviction. I’m not saying the OP had an obligation to give more time, I’m saying should have been mpre understanding about how stressful and disruptive that is for the people who have to leave. > > I know, everybody here would just be overjoyed to get a phone call today telling them they have two months to get out of their home. I’m the only one who thinks it would be a hassle. I’m an asshole. Yada yada. Who said it wouldn’t be a hassle? Hell, moving after 12 months notice is a friggin hassle. I just said it wasn’t bullshit. Define "plenty, byt the way. Would you prefer the word “ample”? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/36 "2006-01-27T21:43:25Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is not “plenty” of time to move after being blindsided with an eviction. I’m not saying the OP had an obligation to give more time, I’m saying should have been mpre understanding about how stressful and disruptive that is for the people who have to leave. > > I know, everybody here would just be overjoyed to get a phone call today telling them they have two months to get out of their home. I’m the only one who thinks it would be a hassle. I’m an asshole. Yada yada. It would be a hassle. But it’s plenty of time. How do you blindside someone that’s on a month-to-month lease anyway? They had to know it could come at anytime. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/37 "2006-01-27T21:52:06Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I know, everybody here would just be overjoyed to get a phone call today telling them they have two months to get out of their home. I’m the only one who thinks it would be a hassle. I’m an asshole. Yada yada. Yep, that’s exactly what we’re saying. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/38 "2006-01-27T21:59:50Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is not “plenty” of time to move after being blindsided with an eviction. It’s not an eviction, it’s a termination of the lease. The renter could have secured a year lease if they wanted to avoid this situation, but instead chose to go month to month. That gives them the ability to move out quickly if they want to, but it also means that they have no long term agreement to live there. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/39 "2006-01-27T22:18:34Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is bullshit. Not on a month to month lease. An eviction is a three day notice. This was a termination of lease. Besides, if the tenant had a problem with two months they could have said something. As the OP said, they were good tenants for seven years. If two months was not enough time I’m sure **eenerms** would have worked with them. I don’t know Nevada law, but I’ve owned rental property in SC and in Florida and 30 days is standard notice for a month to month lease. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859/40 "2006-01-27T23:35:53Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Two months is not “plenty” of time to move after being blindsided with an eviction. I’m not saying the OP had an obligation to give more time, I’m saying should have been mpre understanding about how stressful and disruptive that is for the people who have to leave. > > I know, everybody here would just be overjoyed to get a phone call today telling them they have two months to get out of their home. I’m the only one who thinks it would be a hassle. I’m an asshole. Yada yada. We’re disagreeing with you because you’re just plain wrong, not because you’re an asshole. That’s a completely different issue. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-two-months-notice-wasnt-enough-long-and-lame/341859.md?page=3)