Residential Lease Agreement Instructions
Opening Paragraph: Enter the date that this Lease will be signed, entered it as day, month and year-example: 6th day of March, 2022. Next enter the Landlord’s name and address and then the Tenant’s (or if multiple tenants) full legal name(s).
If there is a guarantor, enter the guarantor’s name and address on the line indicated for guarantor. If there is no guarantor, enter not applicable.
Paragraph 1-Property: Enter the premises type that is being leased. For example: is it a house, apartment, basement, walk-in apartment, condo, duplex, mobile home, room, townhouse, etc.….
Next, enter the address of the premises being lease, ensure to include an apartment number if applicable, include the number of bedrooms and bathrooms that the premises has.
Paragraph 2-Term: Is the length of the lease will it be for a fixed term? Meaning for example for one or two years, or six months-with specific start and end dates. Or is it month-to month term.
On the first blank enter either the term amount, such as one year, two years, or six months etc.…, or enter month-to-month.
Next, enter the start date and end date of the lease.
Then enter the state where the property is located.
Paragraph 3- Rent: Enter the monthly rent amount and the day on which it will be due, such as the 1st day of each month or the 15th day of each month.
Next enter the Landlord’s address where the tenant should send the rent payments to. If you allow the Tenant to pay by electronic transfer, wire, PayPal, check etc.…state that next and the specific directions you want-state how the tenant may pay the monthly rent and any specific information needed to do so here.
Paragraph 4-Initial Payment: Enter the amount of the first month’s rent, at times that amount may be prorated if the tenant moves in after the first of the month.
Paragraph 5-Security Deposit: Enter the amount of the security deposit. Ensure to check your state laws as to the maximum amount allowed to be charged for security deposit. Some states only allow one month’s rent, others allow 1.5 months or 2 months rent.
Next enter the address to which the Landlord will return the security deposit at the end of the lease term. The Landlord must return the security deposit to the Tenant in accordance with the state laws.
Paragraph 6-Late Payments: Enter the number of days of the grace period that Tenant has to pay the rent by. Any rent paid after that amount of days will be considered late, next enter the fee amount for late payments.
Paragraph 7-Insuffiencent Funds: Enter the fee amount for any tenant checks returned for non-sufficient funds.
Paragraph 9-Use of Property: Enter the names of all occupants, including any children. Use full, legal names.
Paragraph 10- Guests: Enter the maximum number of continuous days the Tenant may have a guest stay at the Premises.
Paragraph 13-Move-In Inspection: Circle will or will not for whether there will be a move-in inspection done. Keep in mind that certain states require a move-in inspection checklist, those states include: Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
This is mainly done so that at the end of the tenancy, the Tenant does not have any amount deducted from the security deposit wrongfully for damages not caused by the tenant.
Paragraph 16- Lease Termination or Renewal: If the lease will be terminated at the end of a fixed term, enter 60 days for the number of days needed for notice of termination. If the Lease is a month-to-month lease then 30 days notice is required.
Paragraph 19- Lead-Based Paint: If the premises being rented was built prior to 1978, ensure to include the Lead-Based Paint Exhibit included at the end of the Lease Agreement.
Paragraph 20-Notice of Prior Flooding: Indicate by checking or circling whether there has been or has not been prior flooding of the Property.
Paragraph 22-Utilites: Enter any and all utilities and services that the Tenant will be responsible for. Next enter any utilities and services that are the responsibility of the Landlord.
If either do not apply enter none on the line provided.
Utilities and services may include, but is not limited to: electricity, heat, water/sewer, natural gas, heating oil, telephone, internet, cable, trash, security, grass….
Paragraph 24- Parking: Indicate whether or not the Landlord is providing parking on the Property by circling is or is not entitle to parking in the parking. If the Tenant is entitled to parking enter how many parking spaces the Tenant will be provided with and what the monthly fee will be for that, if no fee is associated enter zero (0). If no parking is being provided enter zero (0) by spaces and not applicable (N/A) in the space for the fee.
Paragraph 25(b)- Vaping: Select whether vaping is allowed or not by checking off and having both the Landlord and Tenant initial the applicable option.
Paragraph 27(b)- Enter the number of calendar days applicable here. You should check your laws or consult with an attorney to see if your state has any minimum or maximum days of notice required. Typically, three days
Paragraph 32-Appliances and Furnishings: Indicate on the applicable lines if any appliances and furnishings are being provided and by whom. If any are not applicable, enter so on the line.
Paragraph 35-Option to Purchase: If the Tenant does NOT have the option to purchase the property place a check mark or an X and initial by that option, subsection a.
If the Tenant DOES have an option to purchase the property during the terms of the lease-then check off or place an X and initial that option, subsection b. Next enter the purchase price and the option fee and option deposit amount in the appropriate lines as indicated. In the following paragraph the expiration date of this option to purchase. Next enter the address to which Tenant should send notice of this
Paragraph 38- Governing Law: Enter the name of the State that the Property is located in.
Paragraph 45-Notice: Enter each party’s contact information, including address, phone number and email address to which any notices should be sent to.
Paragraph 52-Additional Terms: Enter any additional terms that you would like included in this Lease. Use clear and concise sentences and identify the parties by their titles- Tenant, Landlord and Guarantor. The leased premises can be referred to as Property or Premises.
Signatures: Each party must sign this Lease, including the Guarantor if there is one. Tenant then signs additional acknowledgement of receipt of signed copy of the lease and enters date it received the signed copy, as well as the guarantor if there is one.
Asbestos Disclosure: fill out and include with the Lease. Select the applicable options by placing the Landlord’s initial. Then Date and sign. Have Tenant sign the acknowledgment of receipt of the asbestos disclosure.
Lead-Based Paint Disclosure: fill out and include with the Lease. Select the applicable options by placing the Landlord’s initial. Then Date and sign. Have Tenant sign the acknowledgment of receipt of the disclosure.