Leaving a Lease Early, and Ending a Month to Month
Ala. Code § 35-9A-441 — 30 days' written notice for a month to month, and a landlord who tries to rent it again
| Tenancy | Written notice to end it |
|---|---|
| TenancyWeek to week | Written notice to end itAt least seven days before the end date |
| TenancyMonth to month | Written notice to end itAt least 30 days before the rental date named |
Who handles this in Alabama: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Alabama directory.
When a tenant abandons the unit, the landlord makes reasonable efforts to rent it at a fair rent, though that need not come before renting other vacant units. A new tenancy that starts before the old lease would have ended ends the old one as of that date.
A tenant who stays on willfully and not in good faith after the lease ends can owe up to three months' periodic rent or the landlord's actual damages, whichever is greater, and attorney's fees.
After a fire or casualty. When a fire or casualty the tenant did not cause substantially impairs the unit, the tenant may move out at once and give written notice within 14 days to end the lease, or, where it is lawful to stay, stop using the damaged part and pay less rent in proportion.
Sources for this section (3)
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-441 — Periodic Tenancy; Holdover Remedies
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-423 — Remedies for Absence, Nonuse, and Abandonment
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-406 — Fire or Casualty Damage
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Alabama attorney.