Almost got auto-renewed into another year without realizing it. Read your renewal notice.

I found the clause buried in section 14, subsection C of my lease. I had read sections 1 through 13 carefully when I signed. Section 14 was titled "Miscellaneous Provisions" and I had skimmed it. Mistake.

The clause said: "Unless Tenant provides written notice of intent to vacate no less than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the initial term, this lease shall automatically renew for a term equal to the original lease term at the then-prevailing market rate."

Sixty days prior to the end of my 12-month lease. My lease ended May 31st. That meant I needed to give notice by April 1st. I found the clause on March 25th, six days before the deadline, when I was reading the renewal notice they'd sent me.

Here's what bothered me most: management sent me a "friendly reminder" about the upcoming renewal on March 28th. Four days before the auto-renewal deadline. A professional email with a renewal rate offer and a note that I should "reach out with any questions." If they had a system tracking this deadline closely enough to send a reminder four days before it, they knew exactly what they were doing.

I gave notice on March 30th, two days before the deadline. It was close. I can't prove intent on their part. What I can say is: the 60-day notice requirement combined with a late reminder email is a pattern that benefits exactly one party in this transaction. Read your entire lease, including the miscellaneous provisions section. Put the notice deadline in your calendar the day you sign.