National Apartment Association Lease Agreement: Fill & Download for Free

As others have mentioned, you need to tailor your lease to your local laws to ensure your provisions are legal and enforceable. If you are in the US, there are several ways to get a rental lease agreement template already tailored to your state or local market.Check with a local Realtor - Your local Realtor will have a very detailed and very local rental lease agreement but of course they don't just publish them. They use them for their clients. You may be able to find one willing to write one for you in exchange for future business.Join a Landlord Association - American Apartment Owners Association (AAOA) or the National Apartment Association (NAA) offer many forms with membership or you can buy them without joining.Use an Online Form - There are a number of online real estate form services. I prefer EZLandlord forms (This is an affiliate link but there is no extra cost to you). Not only do they remind you when your lease is up, but their forms are fully editable so you can add important provisions and they are designed by legal professionals. They also have a number of free forms and resources available to anyone.Step 1 - Create a New AccountStep 2 - Create a New LeaseStep 3 - Follow the prompts from the Advanced Lease WizardNote - Never use a free form you downloaded from the internet without having it reviewed by a legal professional! You need to ensure you are legally protected. Spend the extra few dollars!Be sure to add smart lease provisions not found on most lease agreement forms. See Landlord Tip #17 here. Always include a provision regarding pets whether you allow them or not. See my Landlord’s Ultimate Guide to Pets for more information.Note that I am not a lawyer and this is not meant to replace legal advice. You should always seek local expert advice when drafting legal documents.Good Luck!Domenick | AccidentalRental

I’m a property manager and rental owner and I use electronic or digital signatures all the time on lease agreements. There are many inexpensive or free software programs available for this. Also, our National Apartment Association Bluemoon leases have their own digital signature feature.Having said that I always pick up the phone and review lease agreements with a new resident and at least ask them if they have any questions. Not reading your lease agreement or understanding what is expected from both sides for this legally binding contract doesn’t excuse lease violations. I like to point out the main points of contention in the lease agreement so no one is surprised that they can’t have a “guest” for more than 7 days without our explicit permission, paint the walls turquoise, bolt a satellite dish to the owner’s new roof, or get a puppy, for example. There are important clauses to understand regarding late fees, paying for damages or repairs, move out procedures, subletting, smoking, entering, maintenance, etc. Be sure you read it thoroughly, get all your questions answered, and ask for a copy after it’s signed.

Not sure what the exact corcumstances are, geographically there may be certain laws that apply and unsure if you have some sort of written agreement or lease agreement signed or the length of time she has been living with you- all of these factors can add legal complications. However, I will advise how I would handle this situation here in California( which has strict guidelines in favor of tenants.)I would prepare a 60 day notice and serve it to her (have 2 copies one for you and one for her. You can find forms at Mr.Landlord.com or the National Apartment Association. But have the conversation that things aren't working out .(if you must have justification you can say you have a cousin ( or some other family member/ coworker /etc that will be coming to stay in 60 /90days(depending on your local laws or if she's lived there for over a year.) I would write out the final day that she must be out by and that she is required to pay rent until her final day . Mention that you will not hold her liable for rent if she moves out prior . After the 60/90 days time period has lapsed you have the right to change the locks and she then must coordinate a mutually convenient time to collect any of her belongings she may have left behind. She will have a specified time period ( usually 18 days depending on local laws.) if after that waiting period she has abandoned her belongings you are free to dispose of them. I would handle this as a business transaction and leave your emotions out of it. This is not a fun situation and I wish you the best possible outcome.:)