Residential Lease Agreement Checklist Before Signing

A residential lease is the written record of who can occupy the home, what each party pays, and how the tenancy works. Read the agreement and its attachments together before signing. If something agreed in conversation affects the tenancy, put it in writing and have both parties review the change.

Check the parties, property and term

• Match the legal names of the landlord and tenants, the street address and unit number.
• List included parking, storage, furnishings or other spaces. Clarify any separate rules or charges.
• For a fixed term, confirm the start and end dates. Check what the lease says about renewal, notice and what happens after the term ends. If the agreement continues month to month, review the month-to-month lease guide.
• Confirm who can receive rent, maintenance requests and formal notices. For example, Arizona law requires written disclosure at or before the start of tenancy of the manager and owner or authorized recipient specified by the statute. A.R.S. § 33-1322

Reconcile the move-in costs

Write down the monthly rent, when it is due and how it can be paid. List the security deposit, prepaid rent and any fees separately. Check which amounts are refundable, what the property can legally charge and which utilities are included. Compare the lease against any move-in invoice before payment.

Read the rules you will use during the tenancy

Find the sections on repairs, pets, guests, entry and move-out. Check where to report an urgent maintenance issue and how notices must be sent. If a pet, assigned parking space or other exception was agreed, make sure the signed agreement or addendum records it.

Attach required disclosures before signing

Check federal, state and local requirements for the property. For most pre-1978 housing covered by the federal lead disclosure rule, the landlord must provide the required pamphlet, disclose known lead-based paint or hazards and available records, and include the required disclosure language before the tenant is obligated under the lease. Review the EPA's coverage and exceptions. EPA lead disclosure requirements

Review the final version with all addenda attached. Give both parties a copy and keep the move-in inspection report with it so the starting condition is documented.