Can I add someone to an existing lease? (relative or non relative

[Mary Jay]

Hi guys,

So I spoke to an attorney and his suggestion is to have every adult person on the lease agreement.

So lets say if I come to inspect a unit and someone else lives there in addition to the person who signed a lease, can I add this person to the existing lease? Or should I have them sign a separate new lease? 

Sorry, I dont explain well, so I will just give couple of scenarios:

1) Lets say I go into a unit and a guy signed  the lease but now his girlfriend/mother/relative moved in with him. I think I could just add this person to the existing lease agreement and have them sign today, right? Even though the original lease agreement was signed long time ago by the guy? Can I add his girlfriend now? The guy's lease expires in December

2) Lets say I go in and its somebody without the lease and who is a non relative, sort of like a roommate... Lets say they agree to be added to the lease. Should I add them to the existing lease or should I sign a new lease with them and rent just a room?

It has happened to me when a guy moved in his girlfriend after he moved in but he was s higher grade tenant, paid on time, I did not anticipate any issues with nonpayment/evictions. So I did nothing... However, I am dealing with low income tenants now so I feel like I need to add them to the existing lease or have them sign a new lease

What are your thoughts?

Thank you 

[Joe Abughazaleh]

Hi @Mary Jay I would just create an addendum to the existing contract adding that new person. There's no need to create a new lease since the terms are staying the same. I personally would take it a step further and have them fill out an application and credit/background check. You want to know who is living in your rental home.   

Hope that helps.

-Joe