A lease should be in English!

I never understand why some landlords I meet say that they don’t have a written lease. While a verbal lease is something you can do (at least in Maryland), how does that protect you, or the tenant? It seems to open for a “he said, she said” argument. For the most part, a lease should reiterate your county’s and state’s landlord/tenant laws. Sometimes, you can find these laws online so there’s not always an absolute requirement for a lawyer. But you also add in your own rules such as your stance on pets and smoking.

And if you do have a lawyer write it, request that they write the lease in plain English. Just because a lease is used as a legal document doesn’t mean it needs to be written in a style that is difficult to understand. Expectations, rules, and laws should be spelled out clearly so there is little to no room for each person’s own interpretation.

Take the time to go over your lease with a new tenant on signing day. And the biggest rule, do not allow them to sign the lease or have the keys until you have your first month’s rent and security deposit paid in full in your hand! Do not accept personal checks for this first payment; it should always be in cash, money order, or any other certified form of payment. A personal check can bounce and then you’ve moved in a tenant who is already not paying rent.

Finally, besides making your lease easy to understand, also make it easy to read. Break it up into clearly defined sections. This makes reading the lease faster and it also makes it easier to refer back to when there is a question.

What tips or advice have you learned about your leases?