Leases & Rental Agreements

By Marcia Stewart and Attorneys Ralph Warner & Janet Portman, Nolo Press

Venue:

National - All States

Description:

Rent your property now with this quick and easy handbook.

Here's a quick way for landlords to create the key documents necessary for owning or managing rental property, including a legally valid lease or rental agreement.

With this bestselling guide, you'll learn how to:

• prepare a rental agreement or lease 
• tailor your documents to meet your needs
• make required disclosures
• comply with you state's laws on security deposits, privacy rules, discrimination and more
• check tenant references and credit
• do a final inspection when a tenant moves out 
• and more

Table of Contents

1. Being a Successful Landlord

2. Preparing a Lease or Rental Agreement

1. Which Is Better, a Lease or a Rental Agreement?
2. Completing the Lease or Rental Agreement Form
3. Signing the Lease or Rental Agreement

3. Choosing Tenants: Your Most Important Decision

1. How to Advertise Rental Property
2. Renting Property That's Still Occupied
3. Accepting Rental Applications
4. Checking References, Credit History, and More
5. Avoiding Illegal Discrimination
6. Choosing-and Rejecting-an Applicant
7. Choosing a Tenant-Manager
8. Property Management Companies

4. Getting the Tenant Moved In

1. Inspect and Photograph the Unit
2. Send New Tenants a Move-In Letter
3. Cash Rent and Security Deposit Checks
4. Organize Your Tenant Records
5. Organize Income and Expenses for Schedule E

5. Changing or Ending a Tenancy

1. How to Modify Signed Rental Agreements and Leases
2. Ending a Month-to-Month Tenancy
3. How Fixed-Term Leases End
4. Returning Security Deposits When a Tenancy Ends

Appendixes

1. State Landlord-Tenant Law Charts

• State Landlord-Tenant Statutes
• Notice Required to Change or Terminate a Month-to-Month Tenancy
• State Rent Rules
• State Security Deposit Rules
• States That Require Landlords to Maintain a Separate Account for Security Deposits
• States That Require Landlords to Pay Interest on Deposits
• Attachment to Florida Leases and Rental Agreements (Security Deposits)
• State Laws on Landlord's Access to Rental Property

2. Tear-Out Forms

• Month-to-Month Residential Rental Agreement
• Month-to-Month Residential Rental Agreement (Spanish version)
• Fixed-Term Residential Lease
• Fixed-Term Residential Lease (Spanish version)
• Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint or Lead-Based Paint Hazards
• Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint or Lead-Based Paint Hazards (Spanish version)
• Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home Pamphlet
• Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home Pamphlet (Spanish version)
• Rental Application
  Consent to Background and Reference Check
• Tenant References
• Notice of Denial Based on Credit Report Information
• Landlord-Tenant Checklist
• Move-In Letter
• Tenant's Notice of Intent to Move Out
• Move-Out Letter

Index