It is possible to draft your own lease agreement, but you are leaving yourself open to issues.
While notarization can enhance a lease's security by adding authenticity and preventing fraud, many states do not mandate it for standard residential leases. For example, California does not require lease notarization, while other states like Ohio may have different requirements.
Answer: As a general rule, the answer is yes. Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a verbal rental agreement concerning the use and occupancy of a dwelling unit is just as enforceable as a written rental agreement (or lease) is (A.R.S. 33-1310(13)).
No, lease agreements don't have to be notarized in Arizona. A lease can be notarized if the tenant and landlord want it to be. It is not, however, required by law for the rental agreement to be legally binding.
A. At the beginning of the tenancy, a signed, written rental agreement must be executed by the landlord or designated agent and a tenant. The rental agreement shall be executed in good faith by both parties and shall not provide for the waiver of any rights given to either party by other provisions of this chapter.
State laws on leases and rental agreements can vary, but a landlord or property management company should provide you with a copy of your signed lease upon request. You should make your request in writing, so you have proof if there is a dispute later.
A verbal agreement is also considered a valid contract and, while much harder to enforce, can constitute a lease agreement. If you're comfortable writing your own lease agreement, you can sit down at your computer and type out everything you want your tenant to agree to. You can even hand-write it if you want.
Lease agreements are a contract. But you don't necessarily need to hire a lawyer to write good lease agreements, you can do it yourself. But you're a first-time landlord or simply don't have the time to write a lease, you can hire a property management company to do it for you.
Here's a list of standard fields that you should include in your lease agreement: Tenant information. Include each tenant's full name and contact information. Rental property description. Security deposit. Monthly rent amount. Utilities. Lease term. Policies. Late fees.
Handwritten contracts are legally binding if they meet the necessary conditions that apply to all contracts: mutual agreement, capacity, consideration, and legal validity. There are no legal differences between typed and handwritten agreements when it comes to enforceability.