{"id":75350,"date":"2018-02-03T11:00:54","date_gmt":"2018-02-03T18:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/renewsblog\/?p=75350"},"modified":"2021-03-16T11:46:54","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T17:46:54","slug":"2015-10-17-38-addendums-battle-ready-lease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/2015-10-17-38-addendums-battle-ready-lease","title":{"rendered":"38 Addendums Every Landlord Needs for a Battle-Ready Lease"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Note:\u00a0<\/em>I am not a lawyer or offering any legal advice. I am simply a battle hardened landlord providing her thoughts on lessons learned the hard way. Every area is different so it is important\u00a0check you local and state laws. Good luck on your landlording adventure! Click here to check out state-specific, landlord-reviewed landlord forms from BiggerPockets!<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n

My battle-ready lease is\u00a0one of the best tools I have created to make me a successful, self-managing landlord. Over the years I have made many mistakes and have had many ulcer-inducing moments. One of the\u00a0biggest mistakes I made was not having a strong lease that provided a great backbone for success–one I could refer to when the times were challenging or when I needed that written agreement, since everyone’s memories were differing.<\/p>\n

Over the years of learning the ropes of self-management, I have found that the biggest tool in my arsenal was\u00a0my lease. Having a tight lease has been a huge reason for my success, as it prevents “let’s talk about it” or “that’s not what we discussed” or “I didn’t agree to that.” I have a 16+ page\u00a0lease that\u00a0is very extensive and is added to as things come up. I review the lease ahead of time with the tenant. Once it is ratified by both parties, I no longer renegotiate. The lease become a binding agreement between me and the tenant.<\/p>\n

The Benefits of a Strong Lease<\/h2>\n

In the beginning I was worried that a strong lease\u00a0would make my life harder. In reality it has done the exact opposite. It has dramatically reduced most of my ulcer-inducing moments. In fact I find that my tenants respect me more\u00a0because I hold their feet to the fire. It’s\u00a0human nature\u00a0to try to talk our way out of a situation. That’s why no ones “likes” it when you\u00a0hold their feet to the fire. At the same time, since it is a written contract that everyone has agreed to, I am no longer the “bad guy.” It keeps feelings out of the business deal.<\/p>\n

I have learned early on that there is no such thing as a “perfect” tenant until after they move out and everything has been completed. Therefore, this detailed “rule book” allows me to not think about the situation or inadvertently give anyone a break. Not only is the ulcer-inducing moments reduction amazing, but it also keeps me out of trouble with Fair Housing. Remember, business is business. It is YOUR job as the landlord to protect house and leave your emotions out of the transaction.<\/p>\n

I have found that the standard leases I have seen\u00a0available to just\u00a0downloaded isn’t specific enough. While none of this information is legal advice (since I am nothing other than a jaded landlord of 10 properties), I personally have found (as always, most of the time the hard way) that if it doesn’t specifically state in the lease or the law and it happens, you are out of luck. For example, a problem child was mad that I wouldn’t let her terminate her three-year lease at month 13. So when they were three months from being able to move out, they moved out of the place, still paying rent because it was cheaper than breaking the lease contract. So now I have a termination agreement.<\/p>\n

Related:<\/strong> 5 Legitimate Reasons to Allow a Tenant to Break Their Lease<\/a>
\n<\/em>
\nYes, there is a fine line between being too specific and having people split hairs, but being generic has burned me too. So over the years, these 38 addendums have been what I’ve come up with. Yes, it is always growing because there is always a new problem children, but this has helped extremely.<\/p>\n

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38 Addendums Every Landlord Needs for a Battle-Ready Lease<\/h2>\n

These are the 38 (and growing) addendums that I have in my lease:<\/p>\n

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  1. Appliances Included With the Rental<\/li>\n
  2. Month to Month<\/li>\n
  3. Direct Deposit<\/li>\n
  4. Pet Fees<\/li>\n
  5. Utilities Assignment<\/li>\n
  6. Subletting<\/li>\n
  7. No Smoking<\/li>\n
  8. Maintenance<\/li>\n
  9. Entry by Landlord<\/li>\n
  10. Extended Absence by Tenant<\/li>\n
  11. Termination on Sale of Premises<\/li>\n
  12. Lease Termination Provision for Military Personnel<\/li>\n
  13. Tenant Assumes Responsibility for Maintenance<\/li>\n
  14. Battery Operated Device(s)<\/li>\n
  15. Filters<\/li>\n
  16. Steam Cleaning Carpets<\/li>\n
  17. Professional Cleaning<\/li>\n
  18. Landscaping<\/li>\n
  19. HOA<\/li>\n
  20. Keys, Garages\/Gates<\/li>\n
  21. Damages<\/li>\n
  22. Renter\u2019s Insurance<\/li>\n
  23. Break Lease Option (Buy Out)<\/li>\n
  24. Alterations<\/li>\n
  25. Pest Control<\/li>\n
  26. Home Businesses<\/li>\n
  27. Attic Storage<\/li>\n
  28. Renting Site Unseen<\/li>\n
  29. Appliance Maintenance<\/li>\n
  30. Fees\/Violations<\/li>\n
  31. Duct Cleaning<\/li>\n
  32. Plumbing<\/li>\n
  33. Changing Locks<\/li>\n
  34. Play Structures, Trampoline, Pools and Other Large Outdoor Equipment<\/li>\n
  35. Roommate<\/li>\n
  36. As-Is Appliances<\/li>\n
  37. Abandonment<\/li>\n
  38. Fireplace<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Over the years I have heard many comments from my friends and other investors regarding my lease, including:<\/p>\n