Lease Agreement: Definition, Types, Top Terms

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What Is a Lease Agreement?

A lease agreement is a legal document outlining the rental terms for either a commercial or residential property between the property owner, also known as the landlord or lessor, and the renter, also known as the tenant or lessee. These documents may also be called apartment leases or lease forms, though the lease agreements are not limited to apartments.

Creating a thorough and effective lease agreement is very important as it protects all parties involved throughout the length of the lease. While many landlords begin with boilerplate lease agreements, the language and terms are negotiable by all parties until signed, at which point the lease agreement becomes a legally binding document.

Types of Leases

People can lease all manner of property, including items like cars and boats. Most frequently, however, lease agreements are used for real estate, both residential and commercial. A few of the most common types of leases include:

Elements of a Lease Agreement

Lease agreement terms can differ greatly depending on the type of lease and the specific needs of the renter and landlord. However, basic elements include:

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Addendum, Disclosures, and Notices

Some leases require additional documentation in the form of addenda, disclosures, and notices. Usually, disclosures are included with the initial lease, while addenda and notices can be added to the lease later.

Lease Agreement End Dates

Leases generally have two possible end dates — either fixed term or automatic renewal. Fixed-term end dates provide a specific time frame in which the lease is active. At the end of the lease, both parties must agree to renew and either include an addendum to the lease extending its length or write up a new lease. An automatic renewal continues indefinitely unless either the landlord or the renter provides notice dissolving the lease.

Lease agreement

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Lease Agreement vs. Rental Agreement

Often, the terms "lease agreement" and "rental agreement" are used interchangeably. However, some people do use them to mean specific things, so it's essential that you clarify with the other parties involved in a lease agreement what the terms of the contract are.

Generally, lease agreements refer to long-term property contracts, usually over 30 days. Lease agreements also tend to have fixed-term end dates. Rental agreements, by contrast, refer to short-term property contracts, usually under 30 days. A new agreement is generally required to renew.

What Is a Rent-to-Own Lease Agreement?

Rent-to-own lease agreements, also called option-to-purchase or lease-to-own agreements, give the renter the option to buy the property at a predetermined price or the option to apply a portion of the rent towards the purchase price if the tenant decides to buy the property in the future. In most cases, the renter pays an option fee to the landlord for the right to purchase the property later. If the renter decides not to go through with the purchase, then the landlord keeps the option fee.

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Lease Agreement Laws

Every state in the country has its own laws and regulations regarding leasing and renting property. If you're a landlord, it's vital you understand the laws for your state to ensure your lease agreement properly accounts for all the legal necessities for you and your tenants. Most states have laws outlining:

How to Create a Lease Agreement

Landlords have a couple of options when writing a lease agreement. You can create your own by using a standard template and adjusting it to meet the needs of your tenants. However, if you're not well-versed in the landlord and tenant laws that govern your state, you may not adequately cover all the necessary terms in your lease. It's often better to consult a contract attorney who can help you draft a lease agreement that protects both you and your tenant while meeting all state legal obligations.

Important Terms

When writing or reviewing a lease, you'll probably come across some industry terms. These are the most common and important to understand:

Lease agreements are legally binding agreements, so the language within the lease must be clear and comprehensive. Consider using the expertise of a contract lawyer to help you craft an effective lease agreement that protects everyone involved.

ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.

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Managing Attorney Free Consultation 31 Yrs Experience Licensed in CA, FL, TX University of Minnesota

Rinky S. Parwani began her career practicing law in Beverly Hills, California handling high profile complex litigation and entertainment law matters. Later, her practice turned transactional to Lake Tahoe, California with a focus on business startups, trademarks, real estate resort development and government law. After leaving California, she also served as in-house counsel for a major lending corporation headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa as well as a Senior Vice President of Compliance for a fortune 500 mortgage operation in Dallas, Texas prior to opening Parwani Law, P.A. in Tampa, Florida. She has represented various sophisticated individual, government and corporate clients and counseled in a variety of litigation and corporate matters throughout her career. Ms. Parwani also has prior experience with state and federal consumer lending laws for unsecured credit cards, revolving credit, secured loans, retail credit, sales finance and mortgage loans. She also has served as a special magistrate and legal counsel for numerous Florida County Value Adjustment Boards. Her practice varies significantly from unique federal and state litigation cases to transactional matters. Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Ms. Parwani worked in private accounting for several years prior to law school. Her background includes a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certificate from Iowa (currently the license is inactive) and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation (currently the designation is inactive). Ms. Parwani or the firm is currently a member of the following organizations: Hillsborough County Bar Association, American Bar Association, Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She is a Fellow of the American Bar Association. Ms. Parwani is a frequent volunteer for Fox Channel 13 Tampa Bay Ask-A-Lawyer. She has published an article entitled "Advising Your Client in Foreclosure" in the Stetson Law Review, Volume 41, No. 3, Spring 2012 Foreclosure Symposium Edition. She is a frequent continuing legal education speaker and has also taught bankruptcy seminars for the American Bar Association and Amstar Litigation. She was commissioned by the Governor of Kentucky as a Kentucky Colonel. In addition, she teaches Immigration Law, Bankruptcy Law and Legal Research and Writing as an adjunct faculty instructor at the Hillsborough Community College Ybor campus in the paralegal studies program.