State Specific Lease?
Must I use a state specific lease or can I use the lease/rental agreement in the big yellow "Landlording" book with my modifications? Thanks in advance for your replies!
Must I use a state specific lease or can I use the lease/rental agreement in the big yellow "Landlording" book with my modifications? Thanks in advance for your replies!
State specific documents are usually better in the eyes of a court or attorney, if only because they're more familiar with them, and they address state-specific issues and laws. They don' t necessarily favor the landlord though. And since most docs don't end up in court, and the important thing is you cover all the bases you want to cover.
Few tenants/lessors read the fine print anyway, and if they decide to flake on you, there isn't much you can point out to them that's in there that will make a difference. There are some terribly written homemade leases out there that never get challenged in court, and some formal, extensive ones that cost a bundle and may or may not be worth it. Neither replaces your own homework, credit checks, etc. when screening tenants.
Either way as long as you know the laws in your state. Your state may allow something more rigid than the generic agreement allows (or vice versa). Also, if it gets challenged and it doesn't match up with state laws, you are out of luck.
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