Lease Agreement signed by a Living Trust vs. my actual name?

[Leah K.]

Is a landlord required to be the legal homeowner? If a rental home is held in a Trust, could the landlord sign Lease Agreements under the landlord's actual name? Is there any disadvantages to doing this (e.g. technically the legal owner is the Trust, so would a Lease Agreement in the landlord's actual name be somehow unenforceable)? 

Is it mandatory to make rent checks payable to the name of the Trust?