What Should You Include In A Rental Lease Agreement?

Are you planning to let out a property on rent? In that case, you must have a rental lease agreement in California in place. These are some important things that you need to include in such a contract.

1. Rent

The rent is the amount of money paid to the landlord for the use of the property. In some cases, the tenant may pay a security deposit to secure the rental space. The rent is generally due at the beginning of each month and includes any utilities that have been provided by the landlord. If the tenant does not want to pay rent, they need to notify the landlord immediately. The landlord can then take legal action to evict the tenant if necessary.

2. Utilities

Utilities are services that are provided by the landlord to the tenant. These could include electricity, water, gas, internet, cable TV, etc. Most landlords provide these services free of charge. However, if the tenant wants to add additional services, they would need to negotiate with the landlord before adding them.

3. Maintenance policy

Maintenance is the work done by the landlord to keep the rental property in good condition. This could include cleaning the apartment, fixing broken appliances, replacing damaged furniture, etc. Landlords often do this work themselves or hire contractors to perform maintenance tasks. You can refer to a free rental lease agreement template online for this purpose.

4. Insurance

Insurance is a type of protection plan that covers damages to the property caused by fire, theft, vandalism, natural disasters, etc. The insurance company pays out funds to cover losses incurred by the damage.

5. Security Deposit

A security deposit is a sum of money given to the landlord by the tenant to ensure that the tenant will leave the rental property clean and undamaged. The security deposit is held by the landlord until the end of the tenancy period. At the end of the tenancy, the landlord will return the security deposit to the tenant.

6. Cleaning Fee

Cleaning fees are charged by the landlord to the tenants for cleaning the rental property after the tenant vacates the premises. The fee is usually based on how much time the landlord spends cleaning the property.