Lease and Rental Agreement




Top Benefits of the Right Rental Agreement

If you're a landlord looking to rent to a new tenant, you may have heard stories of bad tenant experiences, or even have some stories of your own. You'd be surprised at how many of these stories could have been avoided by using the proper landlord tenant forms. Tenant screening is important, using forms like a consent to criminal background check or credit check to verify employment and character. However, once you select wisely, you must maintain the relationship, and having the right terms written into a rental agreement can avoid some major problems down the road.


Some landlords think it's not necessary to have a written lease to rent a room or house unless they own an apartment building. However, even if the rental property is your own home, a written housing lease is needed to ensure the parties have a clear understanding of what's expected to prevent misunderstandings and possible litigation in the future. Sometimes, in order to rent a room lease agreements can be even more necessary because it's typically easier for a tenant to relocate without an apartment full of furnishings.

Here are just some of the headaches you can avoid by using a written rental agreement:

  • If you need to terminate the lease quickly for whatever reason, having a written leasing will override the requirements of state law governing a notice of termination of lease, which often require a month's notice. This way, you can get out of the deal if you find a buyer who wants to move in right away or have another reason to want the current tenant to leave asap.

  • Putting a lease and rental agreement in writing can avoid housing court by minimizing disagreements by promoting a clear understanding of the written terms. Relying on memory of an oral agreement can be an invitation for a future dispute. Even if one party makes a mistake or misunderstands, the rental agreement can be used as a reference to clear things up.