Every landlord understands that in order to have a successful property management business, they need access to a rental or lease agreement form that protects their interests. But what really makes up a rental/lease agreement?

Below we will briefly outline what you can expect to find in a typical rental lease agreement.

• The purpose of a residential lease agreement is to create a legally binding document that outlines the relationship between those that offer property for rent (the landlord) and those that rent the property to live in (the tenant). Therefore, a rental contract must gather the basics – what property is for rent, who is occupying the residence, who is the landlord, how long is the rental period, how much the monthly rental amount is, and so forth.
• Beyond the basics, there are sections of the landlord and tenant lease agreement that address specific issues, such as if pets are allowed, who is going to take care of the pool or landscaping, how much notice a landlord must give before entering the residence, who pays for utilities, etc. There will be different sections, or clauses, depending on what type of property is being rented (an apartment rental lease is used to lease apartments, a house rental agreement for renting houses, etc). and what type of a rental it is (annual lease, month to month rental, etc).
• There are state-specific items that a typical residential rental lease needs to address. Every state has laws governing the rental of residential properties and therefore the rental agreement needs to address state specific issues. You will want to consider using a state-specific agreement to address these regulations. For example, in California you would use a California rental agreement form.
• A house rental agreement form has to include any required disclosure forms that you need to supply your tenants. The state your property resides in will require you, as the landlord, to supply your tenants with documents that address certain issues, such as a lead paint disclosure form. To follow the letter of the law, you need to make sure the necessary disclosure forms are included.

A residential rental agreement can be a fairly in-depth document, as it needs to address enough issues related to property rental to mitigate any potential issues that may come up during the rental period. A great way to ensure your rental and lease agreements cover all of the necessary issues is to use an online legal documentation service. Such a service is able to supply you with a customized rental or lease agreement that fits your needs and satisfies the requirements of your state.