If you are a landlord and have property to rent, it's important
to have a written lease or rental agreement. If you and your tenant have a
legal dispute, having a written agreement increases your chances of a
favourable outcome. Your lease or rental agreement should include the following
items;
1. 1. Tenants and occupants information
2. Information about the
rental property
3. Length of the lease
4. Rent payments
5. Security deposit and other
charges
6. Rules and policies
7. Contact information
8. repair and
maintenance
Tenants
and occupants information
It
should be mandatory for anyone over the age of 18 to sign and be listed as a
tenant on the lease or rental agreement. So, the tenants are legally obligated
to pay their rent and to use the property in accordance with all terms and
conditions set forth in the lease. Therefore, if the other tenants fail to pay,
you can legally demand their entire rent from one of them, and if any tenant
violates an important term
of the agreement, you can terminate tenancy for the entire group of
tenants.
Information about
the rental property
Include
the full address of the property, including the building and unit number. Also
include If there are any specific parking areas. Be sure to include the
assigned parking number, for example, if the rental includes it. If the tenants
are not be allowed to access certain areas just include it in the agreement.
Length
of the Lease
There
are short-term tenancies (typically on a monthly basis) created by rental
agreements that automatically renew until the landlord or tenants end them
(depending on the agreement type) While leases create tenancies that expire
after a specific period of time (usually a year). Please note the start and end
dates regardless of which method you choose.
Rent
payments
Specify
when and how to pay rent, such as via mail to your office, in your
contract. To avoid misunderstandings, include specifics such as, acceptable
methods of payment (for example, personal check only, bank deposit only), what
the late rent fee is (if applicable), how much it is (if applicable), and the
grace period (if applicable).
Security deposits
and other charges
There
are several things you should be clear about if you want to avoid some of the
most common conflicts between landlords and tenants: what you could use the
deposit for (for example, covering any unpaid rent or repairing damage the
tenant causes) and what you won't accept it as payment of last month's rent. To
find out when and how you will refund the deposit and account for any
deductions, check your state's laws on returning security deposits when the
tenants vacate the premises.
Repair
and Maintenance Policies
A
clear lease or
rental agreement that outlines both the landlord's and the tenant's
responsibilities for maintenance will help you avoid rent-withholding issues
and other problems (especially with security deposits). As a tenant, you are
responsible for keeping the rental property clean and you are also responsible
for paying for any damage caused by your abuse or negligence. The tenant must
notify you if there is a defect or hazard in the rental property, with
specifics on how you will handle complaints and repair requests
Landlord's
Right to Enter Rental Property
It
is important that your lease or rental agreement spells out exactly when the
landlord have the legal
right to enter the property, such as when making repairs, and how much
notice you will give the tenant in advance. As a landlord its always important to
give at least a notice of 24 hours before entering into a tenant's house.
Rules and
Policies
Do
not forget to include any rules or regulations that are so important to you
that you'd be willing to kick out a tenant who broke them. It is possible to write
other, less important rules in a separate document. These terms and conditions
are included in most rental agreements:
Illegal
activity: As a way to limit your potential liability and to help prevent
injury to others and your property, the contract should include a clause
prohibiting illegal or disruptive behaviour, such as drug dealing or excessive
noise.
Smoking: If
you don't allow smoking, remember that the ban covers all types of smoking. If
you limit smoking, make a list of where and when tenants are allowed to do so.
Pets: If
your rental allows pets, include the following policies: Specify the number of
pets a tenant is permitted to have, as well as the types, breeds, and sizes of
animals that are permitted. Note whether pets must be leashed outside the unit
and whether tenants are responsible for cleaning up pet waste in common areas.
Contact
Information
Encourage
tenants to contact you in writing if they have questions or concerns about
certain issues. The use of text messages and instant messaging may be
appropriate in some situations, but it is important that you keep an accurate
record of all communications with your tenants, which you can print out in the
event you need to show a judge. Let your tenants write or give their notice
inform of writing.
Bottom
Line
These
clauses in your rental agreement will protect you if your tenant turns out to
be someone you don't want to rent to anymore. Rental agreements make it simple
to evict tenants who refuse to leave the premises. If you are a landlord and
you need help in writing the Lease or rental agreement leave a comment, we will
keep in touch with you.
Is
there term you think is important? Let us know in the comments section.
Writing
out a landlord-tenant contract can be tedious and time-consuming. While you
could use boilerplate language you find on the internet, why take the risk? We
can support you to draft a lease agreement for you or
houses you manage. Contact us on 0726982982 and we shall give you a
carefully drafted agreement for free.
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