A specific, detailed lease may mitigate disputes and misunderstandings as well as provide clarity when questions arise. In select locations, you can create a customizable online lease with Zillow Rental Manager. Simply log in to your Zillow Rental Manager account, enter the address for the property then select Leases.
If you already have properties in your account, select the Leases tab for the property you want to create a lease for.
Every state has landlord-tenant laws which can regulate rent-related issues, lease renewals, addenda and notices to help you manage your rental property. These laws spell out your rights and obligations as a landlord as well as the rights and obligations of the tenant.
Here is a look at some state-by-state regulations from our landlord-tenant laws guide :. Depending on your situation, you may choose to create one of these lease types :. Fixed-term lease. This lease has a set end date, which is commonly between six months and one year. Month-to-month lease. This lease will automatically renew each month until either the landlord or tenant chooses to terminate the agreement. You can easily select your lease type and set start and end dates when you create a lease using Zillow Rental Manager.
Some items that might be attached to your rental lease include:. If you decide to collect a security deposit , include the required amount when you make a lease.
Laws around how much you can collect and how you should store security deposits vary by state. Unused security deposit funds must be returned to the tenant within a certain period of time, which varies by location. Follow these 13 steps to create a lease online using Zillow Rental Manager. The first step to creating a lease agreement is to fill out your name, phone number, email address and physical address for receiving important notices in your lease.
Any additional occupants who are not paying rent, such as children or elderly relatives, should also be documented to ensure you have a record of who is living in the rental property. Some states may also have maximum occupancy standards that need to be met. The next step when creating the residential lease agreement is to detail the information about your property. There are two main types of rental properties:. Single-family homes are your standard house or townhome.
As a result, each renter is legally liable for all terms, including the entire rent and appropriate property utilization. The majority of rental agreements are month-to-month and auto-renew until the landlord or tenant terminates them. The duration of leases is usually one year. Your decision will depend on how long you want the tenants to live and how versatile you wish the rental contract to be present.
To eliminate rental complaints of improper access or privacy invasion, your lease or rental agreement should layout the constitutional level of entry to the property for repairs and how much prior notice you will provide the landlord. You should add a specific provision forbidding disruptive conduct, such as excessive noise and illegal activities, like drug selling, to minimize conflict among your renters, prevent property damage, and reduce your exposure to claims from residents and neighbors.
If you accept pets, include a list of any specific requirements, such as size or number limit or a demand that the renter maintains the yard clear of animal waste. Make that your lease or rental agreement follows all applicable regulations, such as rent control ordinances, health, and safety requirements, occupancy rules, and anti-discrimination legislation. Any legal restrictions, such as limitations on the sort of company a renter can operate from home, should be stated in the lease or rental agreement.
The lease or rental agreement should include essential rules and restrictions regarding parking and the usage of shared spaces. A lessor and a lessee are involved in both lease and rent arrangements.
A lease agreement gets formed when the lessor allows the lessee to use a property for a specified length of time in exchange for a one-time payment once the lessee signs the contract. The Tenant will maintain the Rental Property in clean and sanitary condition inside the residence.
Furthermore, the Tenant will promptly notify the Landlord of any problem, malfunction, or damages to the Rental Property, appliances, and landscaping, in writing, so that the Landlord can take reasonable corrective actions. If the problem was caused by Tenants, or their guests or invitees, and not reasonable wear and tear on the Property, The Landlord reserves the right to require the Tenant to bear the costs of repair.
The Tenant is not permitted to paint, or otherwise modify or materially alter the Rental Property without the prior written consent of the Landlord. The Tenant is not permitted to make any copies of or have any other keys made for the Rental Property without the prior consent of the Landlord.
If replacement keys are needed, the Tenant can obtain them from the Landlord for a reasonable replacement cost. All keys will be returned to the Landlord upon the termination of this lease. Tenant agrees to only make reasonable use of all such utilities and not engage in wasteful practices such as leaving lights or appliances on all day. The Rental Property is to be used for residential use only, and the Tenant will be respectful of the neighbors and community where the Premises are located.
The cost is usually paid for by the tenant. A background check shows if the applicant has a prior criminal history, and a credit check confirms whether the applicant has good or bad credit. Bad credit may be a sign of poor financial planning, which could result in missed rent payments. Many states have strict guidelines on tenant discrimination. Refusing tenancy because of minor criminal offenses or bad credit may be justifiably considered a violation of federal anti-discrimination law.
Next, you need to check the references that the tenant included in their rental application form mentioned in step 2 above. You make a lease agreement by writing it yourself from scratch, filling in a blank lease agreement template that includes all the necessary clauses, or using a lease agreement builder to create a lease specific to your property.
You may need to calculate prorated rent depending on when the tenant moves in. Once the lease agreement is completed and signed, give the tenant the keys so they can move in to the property. To finish the process, a final walkthrough of the unit should be done alongside the tenant. Bring a rental inspection checklist with you, and document the condition of the property before the tenant moves in.
Because each rental property is different and laws vary by state, your lease agreement may require additional disclosures and addendums.
These documents, attached separately to your lease agreement, inform new or current tenants about issues with your property and their rights. Federal law recognizes that landlords and tenants have individual legal rights and obligations.
Find out what the law in your state says about your rights using the table below, or check the following specific laws for your property:. Tenants have the right to privacy when they rent a property. However, there may be situations when a landlord needs to access the property, such as for maintenance or inspections. Nearly every state requires a landlord to give advance notice to their tenants before they access a rental unit. Use the table below to check how much notice you need to give in your state, and check the relevant law:.
Each state regulates the maximum amount of money a landlord can collect from a tenant as a security deposit. Some states also require landlords to return security deposits to their tenants within a certain amount of time potentially with interest.
Use the table below to see the maximum security deposit limit in your state, whether it needs to be held in a separate account, and how much time you have to refund it after the lease ends:. If a tenant is causing problems or not paying rent, the landlord can evict them from the property using an eviction notice.
Here are some useful definitions for the legal language commonly used in lease and rental agreement forms:. Your responsibilities as a landlord include the following: Repairing and maintaining the normal wear and tear of appliances like the air conditioner or heater. For example, not making unnecessary visits to the property, and dealing with problems that cause noise such as dogs barking.
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