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Leases and Rental Agreements
Some
of the important issues set forth in a lease are:
- the length
of the tenancy
- the amount
of rent and deposits the tenant must pay
- the
number of people who can live on the rental property · who
pays for utilities
- whether
the tenant may have pets
- whether
the tenant may sublet the property
- the landlord's
access to the rental property, and
- who pays
attorney fees if there is a lawsuit.
Leases
and rental agreements should always be in writing. If the
lease extends beyond one year, most states require that it
be in writing. An oral lease has the disadvantage of future
misunderstandings over terms of the agreement.
The
written lease gives a tenant the right to occupy a rental
unit for a set term if the tenant pays the rent and complies
with other lease provisions.
With
a fixed-term lease, the landlord cannot raise the rent or
change other terms of the tenancy during the lease, unless
the changes are specifically provided for in the lease,or
the tenant agrees.
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