Sample Rental Unit Lease Agreement
(This lease is only an example meant to give students a general idea of what to expect in a real lease and is not an official legally binding contract.)
The Property detailed within shall be made available to all with no regard to race, color, creed, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, familial status, handicap, or elderliness in compliance with federal, state, and local fair housing laws This agreement is made on _________________ (dd/mm/yyyy) between _______________________________________(landlord), address:__________________________________ __________________________________ phone: __________________________________ _______________________________________(tenant) address:__________________________________ __________________________________ phone: __________________________________ through: _______________________________(listing broker), and _______________________________________(leasing broker). I. Terms of Agreement Summary Address of property to be leased: ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Lease term begins:____________________ ends:________________________ Length of term: ______________________________________ (months) Total rent payment for full term: ______________________________________ Rent to be paid by month on the ______________ day of the month at location _________________________________________________________________ Monthly payment: _________________________________________________ Payment accepted includes: check credit card cash In the event that monthly payments are not made by the designated date, a late charge will be assessed of $_____________ per ____________ (length of time). Property description: ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Includes: (furniture and/or appliances)__________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
Co-tenants: 1)_________________________________________________ 2)_________________________________________________ 3)_________________________________________________ Obligations of co-tenants Tenants will pay rent (check one): _________ individually _________ severally/jointly and in the event of late rent: tenants will be held accountable individually/jointly (circle one). Utilities shall be paid as followed: LANDLORD TENANT Electricity: ________________________________________ Gas: ________________________________________ Water: ________________________________________ Trash: ________________________________________ Heat: ________________________________________ Other: ________________________________________ Monies received from Tenant(s) as follows: Security Deposit (deposited with Landlord/Agent (circle one) ) ________ Pet Deposit of __________ ________ First Month’s Rent ________ Pro-rated Rent ________ Pet Rent (if applicable) ________ Other Charges: specify: ___________________________ ________ TOTAL: _________ Parking: Number of Parking Spaces provided within lease: ____________ Price per month: $___________ II. Virginia Law This landlord tenant relationship is /is not (circle one) within legal agreement with the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act (Chapter 13.2 of Title 55 of the Code of Virginia- 1950- as amended). III. Realtor Landlord appoints the following realtor to engage in defined aspects of management of the premises and to act for the Landlord in defined aspects relating to this lease agreement. REALTOR: _______________________________________________________ Defined Aspects of Management: ______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ IV. Security Deposit The landlord must have a specified period of time after the term of the lease in which to return a deposit or give tenant(s) a WRITTEN statement of why all/part of the money is being withheld. Certain guidelines should be defined within this section of the rental agreement: -kind of fee landlord is collecting ( see OCSL website for types) -where deposit will be held -information about interest -SPECIFIC conditions regarding refunding the deposit -statement stating that funds from deposit will NOT be withheld due to normal wear and tear that results from ordinary use of rental unit (A) security deposit defined Under Virginia Law, if Tenant(s) do not follow with any provision detailed in the Lease Agreement, Landlord may terminate the Lease Agreement and may apply part/all of the security deposit to the payment of accumulated rent in addition to the amount of any damages, which includes but is not limited to: physical damages, appropriate charges to Tenant not previously paid to Landlord, actual damages for default of Lease Agreement, and attorney’s fees. Funds from security deposit will not be withheld from tenant due to normal wear and tear resulting from ordinary use of premises. The Landlord will apply security deposits to non-rent items before applying the security deposit to any unpaid rent. Within ______ days after term of the lease (the tenancy and return of possession of the premises by the tenant to the landlord), Landlord must provide Tenant(s) with (1) itemized listing of all deductions from security deposit and (2) payment of any amount due Tenant(s). If damages exceed amount of security deposit, a third-party contractor may be needed to intervene. The tenant must be made aware of this by the Landlord within a 30 day period after the term of the lease. If notice is given, Landlord shall have an additional 15 days to provide detailed description of damages and cost of repairs. If Tenant complies with all regulations outlined within Lease Agreement and Virginia Law, Landlord has 30 days after tenancy to return the security deposit along with any accrued interest. Any interest accrued exceeding that outlined by Virginia Law will be given to Realtor to cover administrative costs. (B) forwarding address: Prior to vacating premises, Tenant(s) must provide Landlord with written notice of forwarding address in order to receive safety deposit. If no written address is provided, Tenant will first send security deposit statement to previously known address but will not send security deposit
refund until Tenant provides a new written address to which refund may be sent. (C) multiple tenant(s): Under the circumstances that more than one tenant signs the lease agreement, deduction made from the security deposit will be joint. Landlord is not held liable for any understanding held among Tenants as to who pays what portion of the security deposit. Landlord will send 1 check written jointly to the tenants and forward to 1 forwarding address provided. (D) check-out inspection: In accordance with applicable Virginia Law, Landlord must make reasonable efforts to give Tenant notice of right to be present at the time of check-out inspections. Tenant must then make a written request to Landlord to be present at inspection. Landlord must then notify tenant within 72 hours of tenancy expiration of the hours during which inspection will occur. If tenant makes no written request or fails to schedule inspection, landlord will perform check-out inspection without presence of tenant. (E) setoff: Tenant may/may not (circle one) deduct security deposit from final month’s rent payment. (F) Landlord’s Successor: If ownership of premises is in any way transferred, no one (new or old ownership) is required to return the security deposit to the tenant. (G) Location of deposit: __________________________________________ V. Inspection Condition Checklist The lease should provide for an opportunity for Tenant and Landlord to inspect and agree upon the condition of the premises (including walls, floors, carpeting, curtain, doors, furniture, appliances, landscape, etc.). The checklist serves as a record from which to judge the return of the security deposit after the termination of tenancy. The checklist in itself does not obligate Landlord to make any repairs; this must be arranged separately. Landlord has five days after signing of lease to provide Tenant with a complete inspection condition checklist. Tenant then has five additional days to inspect the premises and agree upon/disagree with Landlord’s checklist. If Tenant does not agree, Tenant shall discuss checklist with Landlord and arrange new conditions. After revised checklist is formed by Landlord, Tenant has five days to sign and return to the Landlord. If Tenant and Landlord are able to arrange a time when both can be present on the premises to agree upon inspection conditions, a checklist can be formed by both parties and signed that day. VI. Duty for Repairs
(A) Landlord’s duty: Landlord is responsible for maintaining cleanliness and maintenance of common areas in concordance with state and local law. Tenant should report damages to common areas to Landlord right away. Landlord will complete the following needed repairs by ________ (date): ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ (B) Tenant’s duty: Tenant is responsible for keeping the premises clean and sanitary in concordance with state and local law. Tenant will be held liable for any damages caused (including not only Tenant but also family members and guests) to the premises that are not normal wear and tear. At termination of the lease the tenant must restore the premises to their condition at the beginning of the tenancy. VII. Property Alterations (A) There should be no substantial property alterations, including additions and improvement, without the prior written consent of the landlord. VIII. Subletting or assignment (A) Tenants are not to assign this agreement or sublet the property without prior written consent from the landlord. IX. Pets (A) The landlord will decide whether pets are allowed or not. X. Storage (A) Tenants will be allowed to store items on the property during the term of the rental agreement. The landlord is not liable for the loss or damage of stored items. Keys (A) The landlord will determine the number of keys given out, the cost of lost keys, and the cost of reentering the property if the tenant is locked out. Inspection Condition Checklist (A) The lease should provide for an opportunity for Tenant and Landlord to inspect and agree upon the condition of the premises (including walls, floors, carpeting, curtain, doors, furniture, appliances, landscape, etc.). The checklist serves as a record from which to judge the return of the security deposit after the termination of tenancy. The checklist in itself does not obligate Landlord to make any repairs; this must be arranged separately. Landlord has five days after signing of lease to provide Tenant with a complete inspection condition checklist. Tenant then has
XI.
XII.
five additional days to inspect the premises and agree upon/disagree with Landlord's checklist. If Tenant does not agree, Tenant shall discuss checklist with Landlord and arrange new conditions. After revised checklist is formed by Landlord, Tenant has five days to sign and return to the Landlord. If Tenant and Landlord are able to arrange a time when both can be present on the premises to agree upon inspection conditions, a checklist can be formed by both parties and signed that day. XIII. Notice for entry XIV. Repairs (A) The lease will include the form of notice required when something needs to be repaired XV. Destruction of premises (A) In the event the property is partially or completely destroyed, either party may terminate this agreement upon a time specified in the lease of written notice.
XVI. Use and quiet enjoyment (A) The landlord will try to the best of his/her abilities to provide maintenance and overall quiet premises. The tenant(s) agree(s) to use the premises in a quiet, peaceable, lawful and residential manner. XVII. Notice of termination (A) The method for terminating a lease varies by the amount of time the lease is for. XVIII. Vacating the Premises (A) In the case of a termination of the lease, the tenant is to vacate the premises, return all keys, remove all personal property, and leave the property in its pre-rental condition, except for normal wear and tear. Check for move-out obligations. XIX. Additional terms (A) The landlord may add in some additional terms, which must be agreed to prior to the signing of the lease. XX. Amendments to the lease (A) This lease may be amended in writing, with the written approval of all parties obligated by this agreement.
XXI. Signatures (A) All parties must sign and date the lease.