Every landlord and tenant should know his or her rental agreement by heart. This piece of contract dictates how the landlord-tenant relationship should go about. Following the conditions dictated in the rental agreement prevents conflicts and misunderstandings in the future. It also helps promote equality in any rental transaction.

Contents of Rental Agreement

This kind of agreement will govern tenancy on a month-to-month basis. Any condition stated in this document could be altered or changed, provided the landlord has given notice of usually 30 days ahead of time.

But what are the things that should be contained by rental agreements. The following are:

1. Clauses that declare who the landlord and the tenant are, or simply the "parties to the agreement".
2. A description of the property that the tenant can occupy including the address and other items in the house that the tenant can freely use.
3. Any limitations imposed to renting the property. This includes the number of person that can occupy the dwelling, provisions for raising pets and any other alterations to the property deemed as unacceptable by the landlord.
4. A clause that declares the commencement of rental and the acceptable number of days before a tenant or a landlord could terminate the tenancy.
5. The amount of rent to be paid monthly, the date on when it should be paid and the legal tender to be used. Any pro-ration at the beginning of the rental period should also be clearly specified.
6. A clause that declares the right of the landlord to charge a penalty in case of late payments.
7. There should also be provisions that indicate the amount of security deposit the tenant should pay and on how landlords should treat it.
8. There should be a provision as to what utilities will be paid by the landlord. The frequency of maintenance and request of repairs should also be indicated.
9. The roles and responsibilities of the tenant and the landlord should also be clearly indicated.
10. Other special conditions that the parties have agreed upon verbally should also be reflected, as well as the consequences upon the violation of the said terms.

Tips for Landlords and Tenants as to Rental Agreements

Every landlord and tenant should agree to the rental agreement to make it legally binding. If any of the conditions stated are vague or seemingly inappropriate, landlords should be able to provide a clear explanation on what it is all about. If you find it unsuitable, you may request the landlord to make changes. However, if they refuse the changes, then it should be safer find another rental property. After which, every party should be able to keep a copy of the agreement.

Landlords should follow the standard forms set by their corresponding state. If you must make your own, you have to make sure that you take into consideration the federal laws that govern your place. There are other things to be careful about in making rental agreements. The number one thing to watch out for is discrimination. Any landlord should be familiar with all standard laws as these things could be mean legal consequences in the future, if it were violated.