Lease agreements — what the paper can and can't do for you.

A lease doesn't win a dispute; good behavior, good records, and good law do. But a well-written lease narrows the number of disputes that can happen in the first place and sets the defaults for the ones that do. This page is not a template — your state has too many quirks for a generic form — but it is a checklist of the clauses that matter and the ones we'd push back on if we saw them in a lease.

Section oneThe clauses that matter most

Names of all adult occupants; the property address and any included parking or storage; the term (fixed-term vs. month-to-month); the rent amount, due date, grace period, and late fee; the security deposit amount and handling; pet policy; utility responsibility; and the notice required to terminate or not renew. These are the clauses that actually show up in disputes. Everything else is preference or filler, and filler can cut against you if it's poorly drafted.

Section twoClauses that are often unenforceable

Blanket waivers of tenant rights, clauses that charge for ordinary wear and tear against the security deposit, "landlord may enter at any time" language, and mandatory automatic renewal without notice. Most state statutes override these on their face, regardless of whether the tenant signed. Including them makes the entire lease look adversarial — some judges read one unenforceable clause as reason to scrutinize every other clause. Keep the lease clean.

A clean, enforceable lease is shorter than a bad one — the filler is what creates ambiguity.

Section threeSecurity deposit rules vary wildly

Some states cap deposits at one month's rent; others allow up to three. Some require interest-bearing escrow; others don't. All of them have strict timelines for returning the deposit or providing an itemized deduction list — usually 14 to 30 days, sometimes with statutory penalties (up to 3× the deposit) if you miss the deadline. This is the single most-litigated clause in landlord-tenant law. Look up your state's rule specifically, write it into the lease, and calendar the return date the day the tenant moves out.

Section fourRules and addenda

Attach house rules, pet addenda, and any HOA rules as separate documents that reference the lease. If you need to change rules mid-tenancy, you can typically amend an addendum without re-signing the full lease — provided the lease itself says the addendum can be modified with notice. Keeping rules out of the body of the lease also keeps the lease short, which tenants actually read.

Section fiveSignatures, dates, and storage

Have every adult occupant sign, not just the lead tenant — this matters for joint-and-several liability if the relationship breaks up. Sign and date every page or use a system like DocuSign that timestamps each initialing. Keep the executed lease in at least two places: a cloud folder and a physical printout. If there's an amendment mid-tenancy, it needs to be signed and stored with the original.