A letter of intent to rent (LOI) is a document that outlines the basic terms on which a tenant agrees to rent residential premises from a landlord. The primary goal of the letter is to make sure the tenant and the landlord agree on those terms before they sign a formal lease.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Even when a letter of intent to rent is not meant to be a legally binding contract, it should include the type of property that will be leased and the price the tenant will pay at a certain frequency.
The letter also includes the following information:
A letter might be considered binding if parties decide that it outlines all of the important details of their agreement, or non-binding if they create a LOI as a basis for the further contract. However, most of the time, parties choose to make a letter of intent to purchase real estate not legally binding.
Follow the steps below to build your letter in a clear order. Keep the tenant’s and the landlord’s details, the property address, the rent and the key dates in front of you, and cover each point in a few plain sentences. You can also use our document builder and let it guide you through the same points.
The letter should start with the name and address of the tenant, and beneath it, include the same information about the landlord. It should also include the effective date of the letter.
The next information that should be included in the LOI is the address of the leased premises.
The letter is a chance for the parties to agree on the base rent – the amount of money the tenant will be paying to the landlord on a week-to-week, month-to-month, or year-to-year basis. The date when the rent is due should be mentioned in the letter as well.
The letter should also specify what happens to the tenant who fails to pay rent after it is due (the amount of late fee).
The next thing to specify is the amount of deposit the landlord expects from the tenant.
If pets are allowed in the rental premises, the landlord should specify what animals can live in the rental unit and what the pet deposit is, if any.
The letter should also outline whether or not the tenant is allowed to sublet the rental premises. The letter might also specify that in case the tenant wants to sublet the residential premises, they first need to obtain a written consent from the landlord.
Another thing the landlord might mention in the LOI to rent is whether or not the price for the parking spot is included in the rent price.
This section is meant to list any furnishing the landlord provides the tenant with. The appliances that the landlord is ready to provide for their use should be mentioned here as well.
The landlord should tell in the letter how many days in advance they should get a notice of termination of the lease if the tenant decides to terminate the agreement before the end date. This term cannot be less than the state-specified term.
The important information to include in the letter is the law that will be governing for both parties. Usually, it is the state where the rental property is located.
The letter should explicitly tell what is considered an acceptance of the terms outlined in it.
The signatures of both parties should be put at the end of the LOI. Commonly, the landlord sends a signed letter to the tenant, and the latter returns the signed duplicate copy to the landlord.
Before you send the letter, run through this short checklist:
Our document builder can create the letter for you. Answer a few questions, and you get a ready-made document without writing it from scratch.
This sample letter is written by a tenant who wants to rent an apartment. It introduces the sender, explains why the apartment is a good fit and lists what is attached. Use it as a model for your own wording.
From: Laura Hopkins
23 Lakeview Lane
Austin, TX 78745
Phone number: +1556778995
Email: laura.h@gmail.com
April 4, 2021
To: Greg Tolkien
236 South Buckingham Drive
Waco, TX 76706
Dear Greg Tolkien,
My name is Laura Hopkins, and I have a strong interest in renting the apartment you have available at 236 South Buckingham Drive Waco, TX 76706.
I currently live at 23 Lakeview Lane Austin, TX 78745, and have lived there for a year. I am looking for a new place to live after getting a nursing job at a clinic in your neighborhood. The commute from my current residence takes me more than two hours one way, so I would want to reduce this time by finding a home close to my work.
I also find your community very peaceful and nice with the abundance of greenery there. About the studio you offer, I find it really appealing with its minimalistic interior design, smart kitchen, and cozy balcony.
I believe I’d be a wonderful addition to your rental community. I have been working in the nursing field for three years, two of which I spent at my previous workplace. My new job offers better financial opportunities, so I believe I can be a diligent tenant who always pays rent on time.
In my spare time, I enjoy cycling, hiking, and any other outdoor activities. I also have a dog named Friend, who is currently living with my parents. Considering your apartment is pet-friendly, being able to unite with my friend is another important reason I would cherish living in your rental property.
I am quiet, friendly, clean and I hope you will consider me a suitable tenant for your rental premises. Along with this letter, I have attached my renter’s resume and two recommendation letters from my neighbor and co-worker. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email me at the contacts provided at the top-left corner of this letter.
Thank you very much for considering my rental application. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Laura Hopkins
What makes this sample easy to follow:
It is a short letter that lists the basic terms of a residential lease, such as the rent, the lease term and the move-in date. People use it to confirm the main points before they work on the full lease agreement.
Either side can start it. A tenant often writes one to show interest in a home, and a landlord can send one to confirm the terms on offer. The sample above comes from a tenant.
One or two pages is plenty for most rentals. Give each term its own short paragraph, and keep the wording simple so both sides read it the same way.
Keep a signed copy for your records and check these points:
Then use the same terms when you prepare the full lease agreement.
Click Create My Document at the top of the page to open the template, answer a few questions and save your progress. You can download and print the finished letter on any device.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
