Lease
Residential Lease Agreement
A full residential lease covering rent, deposit, maintenance, pets, entry, and everything landlords and tenants actually argue about later.
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When to use this document
- Renting out a house, apartment, condo, or room
- Replacing a handshake arrangement with written terms
- A tenancy with a guarantor, multiple tenants, or a sublet
- Renewing with revised terms rather than rolling over silently
Information you will need
- Landlord and tenant details, plus any guarantor and permitted occupants
- The premises, including parking, storage, and any included areas
- Term, rent amount, payment method, and late fee terms
- Security deposit amount and how it is held
- Which utilities each side pays, and appliances included
- Pet terms, maintenance responsibilities, and entry notice
- Renters insurance requirements and the governing state
What you receive
- A comprehensive Residential Lease Agreement
- Appliance and fixtures inventory
- Signature blocks for landlord, tenants, and any guarantor
- Completion and signing instructions
- PDF and editable DOCX export
Special situations
- Housing built before the applicable federal period may require separate lead-based paint disclosures and a prescribed pamphlet. This lease records that the review happened; it does not reproduce the federal disclosure form, which has its own required wording.
- Assistance animals are not pets. They are handled under fair housing law, are not subject to pet fees or pet deposits, and a no-pets policy does not by itself justify refusing one.
- Security deposit caps, where the deposit must be held, interest requirements, and the deadline to return it with an itemised statement are all set by state and sometimes city law. This lease states no figure or deadline.
- Late fee limits, entry notice periods, and the grounds and notice required to end a tenancy are similarly local, and several cities impose rules stricter than their state's.
- Rent-controlled or rent-stabilised units, subsidised housing, and short-term rentals each carry additional rules this general lease does not address.
Jurisdiction
Residential tenancy is governed by state law and frequently by city ordinance, and the two can differ. Deposit handling, notice periods, entry rights, habitability standards, late fees, retaliation protections, and eviction procedure all vary. This lease deliberately states no cap, period, or limit, and directs both parties to confirm what applies where the property is located.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I charge for a security deposit?
That depends entirely on where the property is. Many states cap deposits at a multiple of monthly rent, some require the deposit held in a separate or interest-bearing account, and most set a deadline to return it with an itemised statement of deductions. This lease records what you agreed and does not state a figure, because any number printed here would be wrong for most readers.
Do I have to allow pets if the tenant has a service animal?
Assistance animals are not pets and are handled under fair housing law rather than the pet clause. They are not subject to pet fees or pet deposits, and a no-pets policy does not by itself justify refusing one. Whether a particular accommodation is required depends on the facts, which this lease does not decide.
What is the lead paint disclosure and do I need it?
For housing built before the applicable federal period, landlords generally must give tenants a specific disclosure and an approved pamphlet. The lease records that the review happened but does not reproduce the federal form, which has its own prescribed wording and must be provided separately.
How much notice do I have to give before entering?
Set by state and sometimes city law, commonly measured in hours and usually with exceptions for genuine emergencies. The lease has an entry and access article for recording what you have agreed, within whatever your jurisdiction requires.
What does joint and several liability mean for roommates?
Each tenant is responsible for the whole rent, not just their share. If one roommate stops paying, the landlord can pursue any of the others for the full amount. It is one of the most consequential clauses in the lease and one of the least understood, which is why it has its own article.
Can I change the terms once it is signed?
Only by written agreement between the parties, and some changes may be restricted mid-term depending on your jurisdiction. For a renewal with different terms, the term and renewal article is where that is handled rather than by informal agreement.
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Last reviewed July 29, 2026.