I've got a rental unit in San Diego, CA with great tenants who are approaching the end of their current lease. They have told me that they are interested in renewing the lease, and I'm happy to have them stay.
I am preparing for the renewal and wondering if I can use the AMENDMENT OF EXISTING AGREEMENT form by the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R. Form AEA, 12/17) for this. Can I use one of these amendment forms to refer to the original lease and simply make adjustments on the monthly rent amount and the lease termination date?
Is there any risk in using the amendment form this way?
Investor · Poway, CA · Member since 2015 · 7k+ posts · 8k+ votes
5y
If this is a SFR (versus duplex ti apartment building), you may be better served to have the lease expire in which it goes month to month.
My experience is that no one wants a tenant that is going to move out shortly after move-in. This is the initial benefit to the LL. However, if a tenant has to break the lease they can and can only be charged the cost incurred to get a replacement tenant. However, the LL cannot break the lease.
The freedom of having a tenant on month-to-month lease is hard to beat.
Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes
5y
I don’t know if California has special rules but in NV and MN I’ve used a one paragraph form that says effective this date the lease will be changed in the following ways. New rent amount is X (rents are probably up more than you know, 10-20% easy in Vegas.), new expiration date is Y, all other terms stay the same. (Unless they don’t, in which case also state them.)
Pus a spot for tenants to sign bottom first, when they return it signed you can sign and return to them.