A notification date is a date that is identified in many different types of contractual agreements. This type of notification specifies the final date that the contractee can inform the contractor of his or her intent to either withdraw or not renew the agreement. A date of this type is common in many long-term business agreements, such as leases, telecommunication contracts, and various types of marketing contracts.
The use of a notification date is considered common with any type of contract where there is an option to renew the agreement for another term. For example, landlords who lease apartments often include this type of date along with the expiration date of the contract. If the tenant wishes to renew the lease agreement, he or she makes that wish known to the landlord prior to the notification date specified in the agreement. As a result, the tenant remains in residence, and the landlord can look forward to continuing income from the rental of the space.
Even in situations where the lease agreement allows for automatic renewal, there is still a good chance that a notification date is included in the provisions of the contract. Depending on any laws or regulations that may apply in the area where the property is located, the landlord may be required to confirm the renewal with the tenant before it is considered valid. If the intent of the tenant is to vacate the premises at the end of the current lease, this type of advance notice provides time for the landlord to begin screening potential tenants who are interested in the apartment.
Vendors who extend contracts to high volume customers also often employ a notification date. Including the date can help the vendor make preparations to replace the lost revenue if the client chooses to not renew the contract. At other times, this date can also serve the purpose of notifying the current vendor of the customer’s intention to send out a request for proposal rather than renew the present agreement. Depending on the nature of the business relationship, the current vendor may or may not be invited to submit a proposal.
Both parties may invoke the notification date and end the business relationship. For example, a landlord may determine that not renewing a tenant’s lease would be in the best interests of his or her business. The date provides the tenant with a window of time to find new living arrangements. A supplier may also choose to utilize the date to end a relationship with a customer that is generating less income that the expenses associated with maintaining that relationship.
