Prompt Library for Tenant Communication and Notices

I manage a 140-unit portfolio across four properties. Before I started using AI for written communication, I had a folder with maybe 15 template letters that I’d been copy-pasting and editing since 2019. They worked, but they were clunky and the tone was inconsistent — some read like legal notices, some read like passive-aggressive neighbor letters.

The difference AI made wasn’t speed, exactly. It was tone. Tenant communication is one of those jobs where the same information delivered differently can mean a resident who calls you versus a resident who files a complaint. A late payment notice that reads like a threat produces a defensive response. The same notice written with a specific amount, a clear deadline, and an offer to discuss a payment plan produces a call where someone actually tells you what’s going on.

What I’ve found after about 14 months of using ChatGPT GPT-4o for tenant correspondence: AI is good at producing clear, professional first drafts. It’s bad at knowing local law, knowing your tenant’s history, or knowing when a situation needs a phone call instead of a letter. Every draft requires a read-through. None of them should go out without one.

The prompts below are what I’ve actually used and refined. I’ve included what the output looks like, how I customize them, and where each one falls short.

The Prompts

Prompt 1: Late Rent Notice (First Contact)

When to use it: Rent was due on the 1st. It’s the 5th or 6th and you haven’t received payment and there’s been no communication from the tenant. This is the first contact, not an escalation.

The prompt:

Write a late rent notice for Greenfield Property Management. Tenant: [TENANT NAME]. Unit: [UNIT NUMBER]. Property: [PROPERTY NAME]. Rent due date: [DATE]. Amount past due: $[AMOUNT].

Tone: Professional and firm, but not aggressive. This is first contact — assume the tenant may have forgotten or is experiencing a temporary issue.

Include:
1. The specific amount owed and original due date
2. Any applicable late fee that now applies (late fee amount: $[LATE FEE])
3. Total amount now owed
4. A clear deadline to pay or contact the office (use [DEADLINE DATE])
5. One sentence offering to discuss a payment arrangement if needed
6. Contact information: [PHONE NUMBER], [EMAIL]

Do NOT include any eviction language. Do not threaten legal action. This is a payment reminder.
Length: Under 200 words. Letter format with date and signature line.

What the output looks like: A clean letter with the exact amounts, a clear deadline, and a brief offer to discuss the situation. The “no eviction language” instruction matters — without it, AI sometimes inserts phrases like “failure to pay may result in legal proceedings,” which is accurate but creates a tone that turns first-contact letters into adversarial documents.

Grade: Strong. This is one of the higher-consistency prompt types I use.

Prompt 2: Maintenance Entry Notice

When to use it: You need to send advance notice of a scheduled maintenance entry. Most states require 24 to 48 hours notice. This covers standard maintenance — HVAC filter change, annual smoke detector test, plumbing inspection.

The prompt:

Write a maintenance entry notice for Greenfield Property Management. Tenant: [TENANT NAME]. Unit: [UNIT NUMBER]. Property: [PROPERTY NAME].

Details:
- Purpose of entry: [MAINTENANCE TYPE, e.g., annual HVAC filter replacement and smoke detector inspection]
- Scheduled date: [DATE]
- Scheduled time window: [TIME RANGE, e.g., 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM]
- Who will enter: [MAINTENANCE STAFF NAME OR VENDOR NAME]
- Required action from tenant: None — they do not need to be present

Include standard language that:
1. States the right of entry under the lease agreement
2. Notes the tenant does not need to be home
3. Asks tenant to secure any pets before the scheduled time
4. Provides contact number to reschedule if this time is problematic: [PHONE NUMBER]

State: [STATE] — include any required advance notice statement if applicable.
Length: Under 150 words. Professional notice format.

What the output looks like: A short, direct notice with the date, time window, staff name, and the pet note. The reschedule offer reduces complaints significantly — tenants who can’t be home feel more at ease when they know they can call to move the window.

Customization tip: Add the specific vendor company name when a third-party contractor is entering. Tenants are more comfortable when they know “ABC Plumbing” is coming versus just “a vendor.”

Grade: Consistent and reliable. Very low editing needed.

Prompt 3: Lease Renewal Offer

When to use it: 90 to 120 days before a tenant’s lease end date, when you’re offering renewal at the same or adjusted rent. This is not a negotiation letter — it’s a formal renewal offer with terms and a response deadline.

The prompt:

Write a lease renewal offer letter for Greenfield Property Management. Tenant: [TENANT NAME]. Unit: [UNIT NUMBER]. Current lease end date: [DATE].

Renewal terms:
- New lease term: [LENGTH, e.g., 12 months]
- New rent amount: $[AMOUNT] per month (current rent: $[CURRENT AMOUNT])
- Increase percentage: [X]%
- New lease start date: [DATE]
- Response deadline for tenant to accept or decline: [DATE]

Tone: Appreciate the tenancy, state the new terms clearly, explain what happens if they don't respond by the deadline (lease converts to month-to-month at [MONTH-TO-MONTH RATE]).

Include contact information to return the signed renewal or ask questions: [PHONE], [EMAIL].
Do not negotiate in this letter. This is the offer, not an opening bid.
Length: Under 250 words.

What the output looks like: A letter that starts by acknowledging the tenant’s current tenancy, states the new monthly amount with the increase percentage, gives a response deadline, and explains the month-to-month fallback. The “don’t negotiate in this letter” instruction is important — AI sometimes adds softening language that implies the rate is flexible when you haven’t decided that.

Grade: Good. Review the rent increase disclosure requirements for your state, which may require specific wording.

Prompt 4: Lease Violation Warning (Non-Payment)

When to use it: After an initial late rent notice produced no payment or contact. This is a formal written warning, often required before a notice to quit can be filed in most jurisdictions.

The prompt:

Write a lease violation warning letter for Greenfield Property Management. This is a formal written notice, not a first-contact reminder.

Tenant: [TENANT NAME]. Unit: [UNIT NUMBER]. Lease start date: [DATE].

Violation: Nonpayment of rent.
Amount owed: $[TOTAL AMOUNT INCLUDING FEES]
Original due date: [DATE]
Previous notice sent: [DATE OF PRIOR NOTICE]
No payment or contact received as of [CURRENT DATE].

Include:
1. Reference to the specific lease clause covering rent payment obligations (Lease Section [X])
2. The total amount owed including accumulated late fees
3. A final deadline to pay or contact the office before further action is taken: [DEADLINE DATE]
4. A statement that continued nonpayment may result in legal proceedings to recover possession of the unit
5. Contact information for payment or questions: [PHONE], [EMAIL]

Tone: Formal. This is a legal notice. Not aggressive, but direct.
State: [STATE] — ensure language aligns with [STATE] notice requirements.
Length: Under 250 words.

What the output looks like: A formal notice with the violation reference, total balance, and deadline language. Note that in most states, this letter is not a legal substitute for a formal Pay or Quit notice — check your state’s required form and timeline before using any AI-generated letter as a formal legal notice.

Grade: Useful as a draft. Always have your attorney or local legal aid office review the final form against your state’s eviction notice requirements.

Prompt 5: Move-Out Instructions Letter

When to use it: 30 to 60 days before a tenant’s scheduled move-out date, to set expectations about cleaning requirements, key return, and the security deposit process.

The prompt:

Write a move-out instructions letter for Greenfield Property Management. Tenant: [TENANT NAME]. Unit: [UNIT NUMBER]. Move-out date: [DATE].

Include the following instructions:
1. Cleaning requirements: [LIST SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS, e.g., oven cleaned, carpets professionally cleaned or steam-cleaned, all personal items removed]
2. Key and access device return: all keys, fobs, garage remotes returned to the office by [DATE] or [LOCATION]
3. Forwarding address: tenant must provide a forwarding address for security deposit mailing
4. Security deposit timeline: we will mail the itemized accounting and any refund within [X] days of move-out per [STATE] law
5. Final utility responsibility: tenant is responsible for utilities through [MOVE-OUT DATE]
6. Damage assessment: we will conduct a walk-through on [DATE] — tenant may be present if they choose

Contact for questions: [PHONE], [EMAIL].
Tone: Helpful and clear. The goal is to set the tenant up for a smooth deposit return.
Length: Under 300 words.

What the output looks like: A numbered checklist-style letter covering each of the inputs you provided. It reads more like a helpful guide than a legal notice, which is what you want at this stage — you’re trying to get the unit back in good condition, not antagonize a departing tenant.

Customization tip: Include the specific cleaning standard you actually enforce. “Carpets professionally cleaned” is clear. “Clean carpets” leads to disputes when a tenant vacuums and considers that sufficient.

Grade: High consistency. One of the more useful prompts in this set for reducing deposit disputes.

Prompt 6: Noise Complaint Notice to Tenant

When to use it: After you’ve received at least one documented complaint from another resident about noise — late-night parties, loud music, foot traffic. This is the first written notice.

The prompt:

Write a noise complaint notice for Greenfield Property Management. Tenant: [TENANT NAME]. Unit: [UNIT NUMBER].

Situation: We have received a complaint regarding excessive noise from your unit on [DATE(S)] between approximately [TIMES]. The complaint(s) described: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION, e.g., loud music and voices after 11 PM on a weeknight].

Include:
1. Reference to the lease clause on quiet enjoyment obligations (Lease Section [X] or "per your lease agreement")
2. The specific date(s) and nature of the complaint — no need to identify the complainant
3. A request that noise levels comply with community quiet hours ([QUIET HOURS, e.g., 10 PM – 8 AM on weeknights])
4. A note that repeated complaints may result in a formal lease violation notice
5. An invitation to contact the office if there's a different side to the situation

Tone: Neutral and factual. Do not imply the tenant is a bad person. We don't know the full context yet.
Length: Under 200 words.

What the output looks like: A notice that describes the complaint factually, references the lease, and invites a response. The “invite contact if there’s another side” line was something I added after a situation where a noise complaint was actually about a resident with a medical device that ran at night. The first version I sent without that line created a dispute that took two weeks to resolve.

Grade: Good. The neutral tone instruction is important — AI defaults to slightly accusatory phrasing without it.

Prompt 7: Renewal Decline (Non-Renewal Notice to Tenant)

When to use it: You’ve decided not to renew a tenant’s lease, and you need to provide written notice within the required advance notice period (typically 30, 60, or 90 days depending on your state and lease length).

The prompt:

Write a non-renewal notice for Greenfield Property Management. Tenant: [TENANT NAME]. Unit: [UNIT NUMBER]. Lease end date: [DATE].

We are not renewing this lease. The tenant must vacate the unit by [VACATE DATE].

Include:
1. Clear statement that the lease will not be renewed beyond [END DATE]
2. Required vacate date
3. Move-out procedures reference (full instructions will be sent separately)
4. Contact information for questions or to schedule move-out walk-through

Do NOT include reasons for non-renewal unless required by local law. If I need to add a reason, I'll add it manually.
State: [STATE] — note any required advance notice period language.
Tone: Professional and neutral. This is a business decision, not a personal one.
Length: Under 200 words.

What the output looks like: A clean non-renewal notice with the required dates and a reference to the separate move-out instructions. The instruction to omit reasons is intentional — in most jurisdictions, you’re not required to give a reason for non-renewal (unless you’re in a jurisdiction with just-cause eviction requirements), and stating reasons you don’t need to state creates legal exposure.

Grade: Solid, but requires state-law review before use. Just-cause eviction jurisdictions change this letter significantly.

Common Prompt Mistakes in Tenant Communication

Leaving out the specific amounts. A late rent notice that says “your rent balance” instead of “$1,247 due as of November 1st, plus a $75 late fee” creates confusion and gives the tenant room to dispute what they owe. Numbers go in the prompt, not the editing stage.

Not telling AI the state. Landlord-tenant law varies significantly by state and even city. Advance notice periods for entry, required eviction notice formats, and security deposit timelines are all state-specific. Always include your state and verify the output against your local statute.

Using AI-generated reasons for non-renewal. AI sometimes volunteers reasons when none were requested, producing language like “due to lease violations” or “based on performance as a tenant.” If you didn’t include a reason, review the output carefully and delete any that appeared.

Letting AI write your formal eviction notices. The prompts in this library produce communication letters, not legal notices. A Pay or Quit notice, an Unconditional Quit notice, or a Notice to Cure are court documents in most states. Use a local attorney-drafted template for those.

Skipping the read-through before sending. AI doesn’t know this tenant’s history, your prior conversations, or the specific situation. A letter that’s technically correct can still be wrong for the situation. Every letter needs eyes on it before it leaves your office.

Customizing These Prompts for Your Portfolio

The variables that make the most difference:

• Property management software you’re using — AppFolio, Buildium, and Rent Manager all have tenant communication modules. These prompts are useful when those templates don’t fit the situation, or when you need something custom that isn’t in the template library.
• Portfolio size and staffing — If you have a leasing agent or property manager handling communication, tailor the contact instructions and signature blocks to match whoever is actually responding to calls.
• Local lease addenda — If your lease has specific clause numbers for quiet hours, late fees, or entry rights, include those clause references in your prompts. It makes the output more legally grounded and easier to review.
• Rent-stabilized or just-cause jurisdictions — If you operate in San Francisco, New York, Portland, or other cities with just-cause eviction requirements, the non-renewal and lease violation prompts need additional legal review before use.

One consistent improvement across all communication types: telling AI the purpose and audience of the letter. A move-out instructions letter going to a long-term tenant of 7 years reads differently than one going to a tenant you’re not renewing due to repeated issues. The same information, different framing — and that framing is something AI handles well when you tell it what matters.