An apartment lease form is a legal document used to document a lease between two parties, the owner and the tenant, which sets forth certain agreements between the two parties prior to occupancy of the premises. An apartment lease form should include details about the apartment, the tenant, the owner, and mutually agreed items. In all cases, the form or document must be signed by both parties, and possibly by a witness, before it can be legally binding. Different states and countries have different laws regarding various aspects or finer details of the leasing process. However, most forms have universal basic information requirements that must be met. Therefore, creating such a form from scratch can be a very simple task, as described below.
For starters, anyone looking at an apartment lease form should be able to identify the apartment by its listed address. It must include the owner, that is, the owner of the house and the name of the tenant, since they are the two parties that enter into a contract, with spaces for their signatures. Do not forget to mention the period for which the premises are leased. This must be indicated on the form along with the start date of the lease and the expiration date. It is always good to agree on the amount of the rent, its method of payment, the due date of the payment, whether monthly, quarterly or annual, etc. Most landlords require a security deposit at the beginning of the lease period; this should also be mentioned here, if any are required. Information about utilities and their bills should be mentioned, including who will be responsible for their payment, as well as the right of entry if the owner needs it.
In the event of a future rent increase, the percentage increase may be set to be effective after a certain period of time or upon expiration of the lease and must be included on the form. Similarly, the rules on noise pollution, cleaning, pet keeping, etc., should be worked out in detail. The landlord may or may not allow roommates or sublet, so ask ahead of time. Finally, remember that an apartment lease is a valuable legal document that can be filed in court by either party. So before you sign one, be sure to read it carefully and understand your rights and obligations.