Lease renewals: when to start, what to offer, and a timeline
Start a lease renewal about 120 days before the lease ends and send the written offer no later than 90 days before, because several states require 60 to 90 days' notice of a rent increase and you want time to re-let if the tenant says no. Offer a clear rent, a term and a reply date. Oregon, Washington and New York all set notice periods that decide your real deadline, and the math usually favors a fair renewal over a vacancy.
State notice rules set your real deadline
Your calendar starts from the longest notice period that applies to you. Three examples show how much they differ:
| State | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 90 days' written notice of any increase after the first year; no increase in the first year; once per 12 months; capped at the lesser of 10% or 7% plus CPI (the cap does not apply where the first certificate of occupancy was issued less than 15 years before the notice) | ORS 90.323 and 90.324 |
| Washington | 90 days' written notice of a rent increase (30 days for rent based on the tenant's income); the increase cannot take effect before the lease term ends; a new rule of tenancy needs 30 days' notice | RCW 59.18.140 |
| New York | Written notice if you will not renew or will raise rent by 5% or more: 30 days for under a year of occupancy, 60 days for one to two years, 90 days for two years or more | RPL 226-c |
Oregon publishes the yearly cap each September, so look up the current percentage before you price a renewal. New York's notice must also carry the good cause eviction information that law requires where it applies. Rent control or local rules can be stricter still, so check your city.
A 120-day renewal timeline
| Days before lease end | What to do |
|---|---|
| 120 | Review the tenancy: payment history, maintenance requests, any lease issues. Check current market rent for the unit. |
| 100 | Decide the offer: rent, term (for example 12 or 6 months) and any change to rules or fees. |
| 90 | Send the written renewal offer with a reply-by date. This meets the 90-day rules above. |
| 60 | Follow up with anyone who has not replied. Ask what would make them stay. |
| 45 | Reply deadline. A signed renewal, or a decision to move out. |
| 30 | If the tenant is leaving: schedule the move-out inspection, plan the turn, prepare the listing. |
What to offer
- A specific new rent and its start date, never a range.
- A choice of term if you can manage it, such as 12 months at one rent or a shorter term at a slightly higher one.
- Any change to rules, fees or utilities spelled out line by line.
- A small thing that matters to the tenant: a carpet clean, a new faucet, a fixed date for a repair they have asked about.
- A reply-by date and how to sign.
Keep the offer consistent across similar tenants. Different increases for similar units should have a reason you can write down, such as a lease that started at a different market rent.
Worked example: renewal versus turnover
Example a made-up 18 unit building has a unit renting for $1,500 with the lease ending June 30. Similar units now list for $1,575. Option A: renew at 3 percent, or $1,545, and collect 12 times $1,545, or $18,540, over the next year. Option B: let the tenant go and re-let at $1,575. The unit sits empty in July, then earns $1,575 for 11 months, or $17,325, and the owner pays $1,200 for paint and cleaning plus $150 for listing, leaving $15,975. Option A comes out $2,565 ahead in year one.
Run the same math with your own vacancy time and turn costs. The numbers above are made up; the shape usually holds, because one empty month costs more than a year of a small increase.
When you do not want to renew
Ending a tenancy at the end of a lease is a legal step with its own rules, and several states and cities limit it to listed causes. In New York, the RPL 226-c notice periods above apply to non-renewals as well as increases of 5 percent or more. Talk to your own attorney before sending a non-renewal, and keep the reason consistent with how you treat other tenants.
Renewals with DoorKeeping
With DoorKeeping, you run each building by asking Claude or ChatGPT, and anything involving money or a legal step, like a rent change, waits for your one-tap approval. Each property keeps its own books, so the rent history behind the renewal math is in one place. Renewal offers go out for e-signature from DoorKeeping. DoorKeeping gives no legal advice, so check your state's notice rules before you send an offer.
Sources
- Oregon Revised Statutes 90.323 and 90.324, read Oct 29, 2026
- Washington RCW 59.18.140, read Oct 29, 2026
- New York Real Property Law 226-c, read Oct 29, 2026
Questions
- How early should I send a lease renewal?
- At least 90 days before the lease ends in most cases. Oregon and Washington require 90 days' notice of a rent increase, and New York requires up to 90 days for longer tenancies.
- Can I raise rent at renewal by any amount?
- Not everywhere. Oregon caps increases at the lesser of 10% or 7% plus CPI for most units, and some cities have rent control. Check your state and city first.
- What if the tenant does not answer the renewal offer?
- Follow up in writing before your reply date, then treat silence according to your lease and state law. Some leases roll to month-to-month; ask your attorney what yours does.