A simple (1-page) lease agreement is a straightforward contract used by a landlord when renting residential property. It legally binds the tenant to the rental amount through the term of the lease.

This is the bare minimum for being an effective lease, foregoing many of the clauses that protect both landlords and tenants found in a standard lease.

Simple vs Standard Lease

A simple lease includes only what is necessary to bind the parties while a standard residential lease covers every aspect of the landlord-tenant relationship.

What’s Included?

The following must be included (at a minimum) in order to have a binding lease:

• Parties’ names: The names of the landlord and tenant(s).
• Property Description: The property and address of the rental unit being leased.
• Rent Amount ($): The amount of money the tenant has to pay on a regular basis.
• Term (length: The start and end date of the rental arrangement.
• Signature area: All parties must sign in order for this form to be legally binding.

Importance of Screening the Tenant

Because this agreement is a bare-bones version of the standard residential lease, it doesn’t contain all of the clauses that would normally be included. These provisions can help add structure to the agreement, which ensures both parties understand their rights and what they can and cannot do. A potential consequence of having an agreement that is too broad and simple is that the tenant can “act out” and then claim they didn’t see their action as against the rules of the lease.

To help offset the risk of an unruly tenant, landlords can make use of rental applications, paid background checks, references, and so on. With a rental application, the landlord obtains an overview of how applicants behaved during previous renting experiences. If there are any warning signs, the landlord should make an decision as to whether the tenant should be permitted to rent or not.

Sample

Download – PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument

How to Write

Download – PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument

Step 1 – Parties

The first section is used for establishing who will be bound by the agreement. This includes the date of the agreement, the name and address of the landlord/property manager, and the name(s) of the tenant(s).

Step 2 – The Property Address & Type

Write the full address of the rental property. If there is a unit number (#), this should be included as well. Then, check the box corresponding to the type of property.

Step 3 – Term Length

The “term” is the length of the agreement. Residential leases can be made to have any term, although terms of one (1) year are the most common. To complete, enter both a beginning and end date.

Step 4 – Rent ($)

Enter the amount ($) of rent the tenant is required to pay on a monthly basis. Then, enter the day of the month that the tenant has to pay the rent by (typically the first of the month). The landlord should include a brief set of instructions on how the tenant should go about paying the rent. This can include requiring payment via check, online transfer, or an ACH deposit.

Step 5 – Security Deposit

A security deposit is a reimbursable deposit made by a tenant that is used to cover any damage caused to the rental during the lease term. Deductions cannot be made to the deposit for fixing normal wear and tear. If the landlord intends on charging a deposit, the first box should be checked. Then, the amount ($) of the deposit should be entered (typically equal to one (1) month of rent) and the landlord should enter the number of days they have to return the deposit to the tenant. If the landlord doesn’t require a deposit, the lower (second) box should be checked.

Step 6 – Signatures

To make the document officially binding, the parties will need to inscribe their signatures, print their names, and enter the signing date.