A residential lease is the written agreement that sets rent, term, and responsibilities between a landlord and a tenant. Below is the field-by-field checklist every lease should cover, the mistakes that cause disputes later, and how to get it signed.
These are the fields and clauses a residential lease needs. Leaving one out doesn’t necessarily void the lease, but each gap is a spot where a landlord and tenant can end up disagreeing about what they actually agreed to.
Landlord & tenant names. Every adult who will live in the unit and be responsible for rent should be named as a tenant — not just the person who signed up to view it. Use full legal names, not nicknames.
Property address. The full address, including unit number, and — for shared or partially furnished properties — a note on what’s included (parking spot, storage unit, appliances).
Lease term & start/end dates. State whether it’s a fixed term (e.g., 12 months) or month-to-month, and exactly what happens at the end: automatic renewal, conversion to month-to-month, or hard end date requiring a new agreement.
Monthly rent & due date. The amount, the day it’s due each month, accepted payment methods, and what counts as “on time” if the due date falls on a weekend or holiday.
Security deposit amount. How much, where it’s held, and the conditions for return — many jurisdictions cap the amount and set a legal deadline for returning it after move-out, so check local limits before setting this figure.
Late fee terms. The grace period (if any), the flat fee or percentage charged after it, and any cap — some states limit how much a landlord can charge for late rent.
Utilities responsibility. Which utilities are included in rent and which the tenant sets up and pays directly — electricity, gas, water, trash, internet.
Pet policy. Whether pets are allowed at all, any breed or size restrictions, and any pet deposit or monthly pet rent — stated separately from the general security deposit.
Maintenance responsibilities. What the landlord is responsible for repairing (structural, plumbing, appliances) versus what falls to the tenant (lightbulbs, lawn care, minor upkeep), and how to report an issue.
Signatures & date. Every named tenant and the landlord (or their authorized agent) signs and dates the lease. An unsigned lease is just a draft — it isn’t a binding agreement until every party has signed it.
Build these fields onto your own lease PDF and send it to your tenant for signature with a free Evenseal account — 3 documents a month, no card required. Only need your own copy signed? Self-sign for free with no account at /sign-pdf.
Not legal advice — for anything unusual or in a jurisdiction with strict tenant protections, have a local attorney review your lease.