Rental Agreement Format

Your agreement should clearly specify that the rental unit is the residence of only the tenants who have signed the lease and their minor children. This guarantees your right to determine who lives in your property — ideally, people whom you have screened and approved — and to limit the number of occupants.

To avoid trouble among your tenants and limit your exposure to lawsuits from residents and neighbors, you should include an explicit lease or rental agreement clause prohibiting disruptive behavior, such as excessive noise, and illegal activity, such as drug dealing.

Your best defense against rent-withholding hassles and other problems (especially over security deposits) is to clearly set out your and the tenant’s responsibilities for repair and maintenance in your lease or rental agreement.

Be sure your lease or rental agreement complies with all relevant laws including rent control ordinances, health and safety codes, occupancy rules, and anti-discrimination laws. State laws are especially key, setting security deposit limits, notice requirements for entering rental property, tenants’ rights to sublet or bring in additional roommates, rules for changing or ending a tenancy. Your lease or rental agreement should specify the amount of rent, when it is due (typically, the first of the month), and how it’s to be paid. Your lease or rental agreement should specify the amount of rent, when it is due (typically, the first of the month), and how it’s to be paid.