California Landlord Forms & Tenant Forms

Landlord Tenant forms available for Landlords and Tenants!

All types of landlord and tenant forms for Commercial or Residential use, including free law summaries.  USLF is the only site that offers you high quality State specific forms for all States.  Download in Word format for easy use.  Review important laws and announcements with our Free Information and FAQ including California Landlord Tenant Laws.

Packages

Residential Tenancies - People purchasing a Residential Lease also purchased the forms listed below. To purchase all the forms as a group, please see the complete package above.

Other Landlord & Tenant Forms

Letters and Notices

Use this section to locate letters and notices commonly used between landlords and tenants.

View all California Landlord Tenant Forms

Information and FAQ

Landlord tenant laws vary from State to State.  You will find here principles that apply to all States and State specific information applicable only to your State.  You should consult an attorney if you have questions.

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Landlord tenant laws deal with many areas of the landlord tenant relationship.  Generally, some of the areas covered, depending on your State include:

1. Requirement that a lease be in writing.
2. Rules regarding how a security deposit must be handled.
3. Legal duties of the Landlord regardless of the terms of the lease.
4. Legal duties of the tenant regardless of the terms of the lease.
5. Specific procedural requirements for terminating a lease.
6. Specific procedures for evicting a tenant.
7. Rent increase procedures.
8. How abandoned personal property must be handled.
9. Access to the premises by the Landlord.
10. Subleasing laws.
11. Rent control ordinances.
12. Discrimination in renting.
13. Terms prohibited in rental agreements or unenforceable.
14. Care of the Premises by the tenant.
15. Many others.

Some of the areas can be governed or changed by the rental agreement, while others cannot be changed by the agreement.  Overall, the landlord tenant relationship is controlled by the 1) lease agreement, 2) State laws, 3) Federal Laws and 4) Local laws.

Termination of the lease agreement and notices between the landlord and tenant must comply with requirements of your State.

Many of the forms available have Law Summaries connected to each form search providing law provisions that govern the requirements of the form.

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Basic responsibilities of the landlord and tenant in most States are:

Landlords' Responsibilities

1. Landlords must ensure that the premises are maintained in a decent, safe, sanitary condition.
2. Landlords must ensure that each dwelling unit has an adequate heating system and complies with all applicable codes.
3. Landlords must allow tenants the full use and enjoyment of the dwelling unit and comply with the rental agreement and the law regarding landlord access to the rental unit.
4. Landlords cannot use a lease which takes away any of the tenant's basic rights under the law.
5. Before ending the rental agreement, the landlord must give proper notice to the tenant and, in the case of an eviction, follow proper legal procedures.

Tenants' Responsibilities

1. Rent must be paid at the time and place agreed upon by both parties under the rental agreement.
2. Tenants must keep their dwelling units safe and clean, take care not to cause damage beyond normal wear and tear, and notify the landlord of all problems.
3. Tenants and their guests must conduct themselves in a manner that will not disturb other tenants' peaceful enjoyment of the premises.
4. Before ending the rental agreement, the tenant must give proper notice to the landlord.

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