The 8 Terms You Need to Understand Before Ending a Lease (So You Don’t Get Screwed)

Let’s clear up the confusion. Real estate is full of lingo, and a lot of it gets used wrong—especially when it comes to ending a lease. I see landlords and tenants alike throwing around terms like eviction, lease termination, notice to quit, and half the time they don’t actually know what they mean. And that’s fine… until it costs you money or lands you in court.

I’m PM Jen, and I’ve spent over 22 years in the trenches helping investors like you make their rental businesses actually work. I’m here to clear the fog on the eight key terms you need to understand before you try to end a lease, remove a tenant, or get your property back.

So here are the eight terms that really matter when you’re ending a lease. Understand these and you’ll save yourself a lot of drama, delays, and court dates.

1. Month-to-Month Lease
   A month-to-month lease means the rental agreement just keeps rolling without a set end date. Either the landlord or the tenant can give notice (usually 30, 60, or 90 days depending on the lease or local laws) to end it. It doesn’t literally mean “30 days”—read your lease and check your local rules.

Here’s the kicker. A lot of folks assume that when a fixed lease ends, it automatically turns into a month-to-month. That’s only true if your lease says so. If everyone keeps acting like the lease is still in place—rent’s paid, repairs get done, no one blinks—then some courts could say the lease renewed through continued performance. Don’t guess. Read the lease and talk to a lawyer if needed.

2. Notice to Vacate
   This is what a tenant gives when they’re telling you they plan to move out. It should be in writing. That’s not a suggestion, that’s a rule for anyone who wants to protect their own backside. If you start prepping the property for a new tenant based on a verbal heads-up, and they don’t move out, you’ve got a problem.

As a landlord, never make decisions without a written notice to vacate in hand. Ever.

3. Lease Termination or Non-Renewal
   This is when the landlord decides not to renew the lease. Maybe you don’t like how they treat the property, maybe you’re remodeling, or maybe you’re just done. In Pennsylvania, you don’t even have to give a reason. You just have to give the proper notice and follow your agreement.

Leases aren’t forever. They’re short-term rental contracts. If it’s time to part ways, that’s your right.

4. Lease Violation
   When a tenant breaks any rule in the lease—whether it’s letting the grass grow into a jungle or sneaking in a pet—it’s a lease violation. It’s smart to give that notice in writing and explain what needs to be fixed. Doesn’t mean it has to come with a fine or a threat, just clear communication that something’s off and needs correcting.

Don’t ignore this stuff. If small violations pile up or go unaddressed, they can grow into bigger problems and bigger risks.

5. Notice to Quit
   Now we’re in legal territory. A notice to quit is a formal document you give a tenant when you’re starting the process of eviction. It tells them they’ve violated the lease and they have a set amount of time to fix it or move out.

In Pennsylvania, we typically use a 10-day or 30-day notice depending on the lease type and reason for eviction. And yes, the law says you have to post it face-up on the door—no envelopes, no mailing, no sneaky stuff. It’s old-school and official.

6. Material vs. Immaterial Breach
   A material breach is something big—usually money-related. No rent, major damage, something that seriously violates the lease. Immaterial breaches are smaller or subjective—too many people living there, minor pet issues, messy living.

If you’re headed to court, material breaches are way easier to prove and win on. Judges want to see clear evidence. Immaterial breaches are still violations, but they’re harder to argue. Know what kind of issue you’re dealing with before you take the next step.

7. Judgment
   This is what you’re hoping for at a landlord-tenant hearing. It’s the court’s official decision—what you’re owed, what happens next. Could be unpaid rent, fees, court costs. This isn’t the eviction yet. It’s the step before. It’s the piece of paper that says, yep, you won. You now have something to enforce if the tenant still doesn’t fix the issue.

8. Eviction
   This is the final move. The legal system has ruled in your favor. You got a judgment. The tenant didn’t fix the problem. So you go back to court, file for an order of possession, and a constable shows up to physically remove the tenant and return the property to you.

That’s an eviction. Nothing before that—termination, judgment, violation notices—counts as an eviction. It only happens when law enforcement gets involved and removes the person from the property. It’s the end of the line, and it has to follow every step that came before.

The Bottom Line

Ending a lease doesn’t have to be complicated—but it becomes a nightmare when you don’t understand the language. These eight terms are the difference between running a business and running into court unprepared.

If you want more of this kind of no-fluff real estate education, head over to holditwithpmjen.com and grab your free 2025 Playbook. It’s full of market-specific info for North Central PA and will save you from making rookie mistakes.