The minimum rental term commits a new tenant to stay for a set number of months. Use it if you want, say, a three-month minimum with exceptions case by case.
Who this article is for
Changing rental policies requires Owner or Manager access. Without it, ask the account owner to make the change.
Before you start
The setting starts at "No minimum."
Until you choose one yourself, no minimum term applies. A tenant can then leave as soon as your notice period allows.
Each facility is set separately.
If you run more than one facility, the setting does not copy across. Check each one.
The change only affects new leases.
Your current tenants keep the terms that applied when they rented. So decide on the term before you start renting.
This is not the notice period.
The Minimum cancellation period sits just above it on the same screen and keeps applying separately. The two combine at move-out.
Set the minimum term
Step 1.
Open Settings, then in the navigation column, under the Billing group, click Rental policies.
Step 2.
Find the Minimum Rental Term field.
Step 3.
Choose the term: No minimum, 1, 2, 3, 6 or 12 months.
Step 4.
Click Save policies.
Choose the term under Settings > Rental policies, then save.
The other settings on this screen are covered in Facility settings (overview).
What happens automatically
At rental time — the term is carried into the online checkout order summary and into the terms the tenant accepts before confirming. It only appears from 2 months up: a one-month minimum still applies, but is not shown to the tenant.
At move-out — the last day billed is pushed to the end of the committed term. If your notice period runs later, the later of the two dates applies.
In the customer portal — a tenant scheduling their own move-out sees the adjusted date and a note about the minimum term. They cannot waive it.
Imported tenants — tenants brought over from another system during a migration are not subject to the minimum term, even though their rental was created in Stortech on the day of the transfer. They were already renting from you before.
Make an exception
You can waive the minimum term for one specific move-out, without changing your policy.
Step 1.
From Rentals, open the tenant's record, then click Schedule move-out.
Step 2.
Choose the Move-out date, the physical one.
Step 3.
Turn on Waive minimum rental term. The toggle only appears when waiving it actually changes the last day billed.
Step 4.
Check the Last day billed shown in the preview, then confirm.
The toggle moves the last day billed from the committed term back to the normal notice.
The rest of the move-out flow is covered in Schedule a move-out.
The available options
Setting | Effect on new leases |
No minimum | No commitment. Only notice applies. |
1 month | One-month commitment, not shown to the tenant. |
2 to 12 months | Commitment shown to the tenant before they confirm. |
Common problems
A tenant left earlier than your minimum.
What to check: is the minimum term actually set on this facility, and not only on another one? Each facility is configured separately.
Also check: did the lease start before you set the term? Existing leases are not affected by a change.
Finally check: is this a rental imported during a migration? Those are never subject to the minimum term.
The last day billed runs later than expected.
What to check: the later of the two dates applies — the end of the notice period, or the end of the committed term.
What to do: if you want to make an exception, turn on "Waive minimum rental term" when you process the move-out.
The "Waive minimum rental term" toggle does not appear.
What to check: does the minimum term actually change the last day billed for this move-out? If the notice period already runs later, or the term has already elapsed, the toggle stays hidden because it would change nothing.
Common questions
Does changing the term affect my current tenants? No. The change only applies to leases created afterwards.
Does the tenant see the commitment before renting? From 2 months up, yes: the term is shown in the order summary and in the terms they accept at online checkout. A one-month minimum applies without being shown.
Can a tenant waive the term themselves? No. Only you can make the exception, when you process the move-out.
I have several facilities, do I set each one? Yes. The setting belongs to the facility and does not copy from one to another.
What about tenants imported from another system? They are not subject to the minimum term.
Is this the same as the notice period? No. Notice ("Minimum cancellation period") counts from the day the move-out is requested; the minimum term counts from the start of the lease. At move-out, the later of the two dates wins.