Lease Agreement Checklist

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

Review a residential lease agreement for completeness before signing
Ensure all essential terms, disclosures, and addenda are included
Identify missing clauses that could create problems during the tenancy
Create a standardized checklist for consistent lease preparation

DO NOT use this skill for drafting lease agreements from scratch, commercial lease review, or legal advice. This is a completeness checklist — always consult an attorney for legal review.

Core Principle

A COMPLETE LEASE PROTECTS BOTH LANDLORD AND TENANT — EVERY MISSING CLAUSE IS A POTENTIAL DISPUTE WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Phase 1: Lease Context

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Role	"Are you the landlord or tenant reviewing this lease?"	Landlord
State	"What state is the property in?"	No default — state law affects requirements
Property type	"Single-family, apartment, condo, duplex?"	Single-family
Lease term	"Fixed-term or month-to-month?"	12-month fixed
Special circumstances	"Any unusual terms — furnished, utilities included, roommates, pets?"	Standard unfurnished

GATE: Confirm role and jurisdiction before applying the checklist.

Phase 2: Essential Terms Checklist

Party & Property Information

Full legal names of all tenants (adults)
Landlord/management company legal name and contact
Complete property address including unit number
Lease start date and end date
Move-in date (if different from lease start)

Financial Terms

Monthly rent amount
Rent due date (typically 1st of the month)
Accepted payment methods
Grace period specified (number of days)
Late fee amount and when it applies
Security deposit amount
Security deposit return timeline and conditions
Any non-refundable fees (application, cleaning, admin)
Prorated rent for partial first/last month (if applicable)
Rent increase terms and notice requirements

Occupancy & Use

Maximum number of occupants
Guest policy and limitations
Permitted use (residential only)
Restrictions on home businesses
Subletting and assignment policy
Quiet hours or noise restrictions

Phase 3: Policies & Responsibilities

Maintenance & Repairs

Landlord maintenance responsibilities defined
Tenant maintenance responsibilities defined
Maintenance request procedure (how to submit)
Emergency maintenance contact and procedure
Lawn care, snow removal, and exterior maintenance assigned
Tenant liability for damage beyond normal wear and tear

Utilities & Services

Which utilities landlord pays
Which utilities tenant pays
Utility transfer responsibility and timeline
Shared utility arrangements (if multi-unit)

Pets

Pet policy clearly stated (allowed/not allowed)
Pet deposit or fee amount
Monthly pet rent (if applicable)
Breed, size, or number restrictions
Pet damage liability

Insurance

Renter's insurance requirement stated
Minimum coverage amount specified
Proof of insurance deadline
Landlord named as interested party (if required)

Phase 4: Legal Protections & Addenda

Termination & Renewal

Early termination clause and penalties
Lease-breaking fee or buyout option
Move-out notice period (30/60 days)
Renewal terms (auto-renew, month-to-month conversion, or expire)
Landlord's right to terminate and required notice
Move-out inspection procedure
Property condition documentation (move-in/move-out)

Required Disclosures (Verify by State)

Lead-based paint disclosure (pre-1978 properties — federal requirement)
Mold disclosure (where required)
Bed bug disclosure (where required)
Sex offender registry notification
Flood zone disclosure
Known defects or hazards
Asbestos disclosure (where required)
Shared utility disclosure (where required)

Common Addenda

Move-in/move-out condition report
Pet addendum (if pets allowed)
Parking addendum (assigned spots, rules)
Smoking policy addendum
Mold prevention addendum
HOA rules attachment (if applicable)
Appliance inventory list
Key/access device inventory

Signatures & Execution

All adult tenants have signed
Landlord or authorized agent has signed
Date of execution
Copies provided to all parties
All addenda initialed and attached

Review Summary Template

## Lease Review Summary

**Property:** [Address]
**Reviewed by:** [Name]
**Date:** [Date]

### Status: [Complete / Missing Items / Needs Legal Review]

### Missing or Incomplete Items:
1. [Item] — [Why it matters]
2. [Item] — [Why it matters]

### Items Needing Clarification:
1. [Clause] — [What is unclear]

### Recommendations:
- [Action item 1]
- [Action item 2]

Anti-Patterns

Using a generic online template without state customization — lease laws vary dramatically by state and even city. Generic templates miss required local provisions.
No move-in condition report — without documented property condition at move-in, security deposit disputes are unresolvable.
Vague maintenance responsibilities — "Tenant is responsible for upkeep" without specifics leads to disagreements.
Missing disclosures — failing to include required disclosures can void lease provisions or create legal liability.
No early termination clause — life happens. Having a clear buyout process is better than a messy breach.

Recovery

Lease already signed with missing terms: Create an addendum covering the missing items. Both parties sign.
State-specific requirements unknown: Research your state's landlord-tenant statutes or consult a local real estate attorney.
Tenant disputes a lease term: Reference the specific clause. If the clause is genuinely ambiguous, negotiate a reasonable interpretation and document it.
Using an outdated lease template: Review and update annually. Laws change, and your lease should reflect current requirements.
Multiple properties with different lease versions: Standardize to one template per property type and jurisdiction. Customize only the property-specific details.