What lease addendums have saved you from disaster?

[Noah Bacon]

When I was house hacking in my first rental property, I was not aware of how many potential issues could arise without additional addendums added to my residential lease!

For example, a tenant was mad that I wouldn’t let them terminate their 6 month lease at month 2. Long story short, I now have an early termination clause that clearly outlines potential fees the landlord is entitled to if the tenant leaves early.

The benefit of having a strong lease will save you hours of those "what if" thoughts when an inevitable situation arises at one of your properties. I am not a lawyer or offering any legal advice. I am a landlord and former property manager that has learned a few lessons the hard way!

What addendums have saved you from a disaster in the past?

What addendums have you included to your lease AFTER you had a situation arise?

[Tim Miller]

Pest and rodent clause! We ensure that the unit is pest and rodent free before anyone moves in. The tenant is responsible for paying for an exterminator if any issue arise. We've had 3 tenants bring in bedbugs! One tenant got the city involved but she initialed by the paragraph stating she read it. This saved us thousand of dollars.