Legal Question in Consumer Law in California

What the landlord told you is the law. A lease can be for 30 days/one month, 6 months, a year or any period of time. A month to month tenancy automatically renews every month until either party gives 30 days written notice [60 days to the tenant if they have lived there a year or more]. So you have to give thirty days written notice; you can give it any time and not just at the end of the month. So notice given 4/10 means you can move out 5/9 and not owe for more rent. To show the place, th landlord has to give reasonable written notice, with 24 hours being defined as presumably reasonable. The landlord has the right to show the place so that it can be rented out as soon as you leave; if unreasonably prevent the landlord from showing it, then you might be responsible for the rent until the landlord can rent it out.