I was the one on the opposite side of that just last summer. Had been in the same apartment complex for 5 years, but was finally ready to move out and buy a house. I told my property manager I was giving early notice that I wouldn't be renewing my lease.All this reminds me of when I moved to Indiana 4 years ago.
I found a place in Brownsburg (apt) that I was going to move to. After going back and forth for almost 4 months their manager said they had a place and all the paperwork was good and sent me an email confirming that. In the email it had my move in date and all the particulars for move in day. It gave me my new address info so I could start the process; the heading on the email said "welcome home".
Finally finding a place I decided my next step was to break my lease where I was staying; which was $2500, then turn in my resignation at work. I did both on a Friday, about 30 days before my move in date for the new place.
The following Tuesday I received a phone call from the property manager that I could not move because the previous renters decided not to move! They did not have a place....this was after I resigned my job and paid to break my lease!
I was hot, very hot. Spoke to many people that just passed me from one to another with their "so sorry".
Then I jumped into the hottest housing market of the last three generations and came up empty on my house hunt, despite having made six offers to buy various homes. I was outbid on every one.
I came back to the property manager about 45 days before the lease was up and told them I hadn't been able to find a place, was there any chance I could renew the lease. They said, "sorry, we've already got new tenants lined up. You're out of luck."
I didn't complain or stomp my feet. I scrambled and managed to find a house to rent a few miles away and moved in sight unseen. I had to put up a full security deposit and hire movers. My rent is also about 20% higher here than at the last place. It cut into my house down payment fund pretty significantly to have to do all that. But I consider it a stupid tax. I did something dumb by planning to move without a new place lined up. I won't be making that mistake again.