From what you're telling us, the tenant neither sought nor received your approval to extend the lease. Your language does not suggest automatic extension of the lease into a month-to-month tenancy in the absence of your approval. Under that language they cannot automatically extend the lease - the most they can do is ask. The lease ends unless you act.
Yes, it would appear that they intended to move at the end of the initial lease term, but for some reason didn't want you to know. You, being (no offense) a rookie landlord started to act appropriately but got cold feet about inspecting the unit even when you had pretty much figured out what was going on. And as you never approved a lease renewal, they can point to the lease language if you try to claim that the lease automatically renewed or that they had to give notice that they were leaving at the end of the fixed term.Quoting Nana in PHX
Are we talking about an extreme amount of damage that your contractors can't reasonably get fixed within a week or two, or are we talking about damage that could be fixed quickly but took longer than it otherwise would have because you live far away from the rental and/or chose to do the repairs yourself?
Yes, that's wrong.Quoting Nana in PHX
From what you've told us so far, they had the right to leave at the end of the original lease term.Quoting Nana in PHX
It applies to their last month of tenancy which, from what you've told us, is the last month of the original lease term.Quoting Nana in PHX

