Lease Agreement - Prorated Rent

[Tony Castronovo]

What is the proper way to structure a lease agreement to handle prorated rent?  If I have someone moving in on 9/23, should I make the lease commencement date 9/23/16 through 9/30/17 (slightly more than 12 months) and just prorate the rent?  Or is it best to structure the lease precisely at 12 months and add a proration clause.  I am thinking the former since the terms of the lease should apply on the move-in date.  But just didn't know if there was some taboo on lease terms being slightly more/less than a standard 6/12/24 month arrangement.

[Michele Fischer]

Agree that it is goodwill to allow a few days free at the start of an agreement.  Cover yourself with a clause like this:

For the period from Tenant's move-in date, enter date through the end of the month, prorated rent will not be collected. All provisions and rules of the agreement are in effect when the Tenant moves in.

If it is more than a few days, collect prorated rent or discounted rent.  A clause like this can be used:

Prorated first month's rent. For the period from Tenant's move-in date, enter date through the end of the month, prorated rent will be enter amount.