Conditions on Rental Leases
- A lease term on a residential or commercial lease can vary in length, dependent on what the tenant has requested and what the landlord is agreeable to providing. Conditions for maintaining a tenant's lease term can include timely successive rental payments and adherence to the rules outlined within the agreement, such as maintaining the property interior in a satisfactory condition. A lease term can also be conditional, based on credit check results and previous tenant history.
- A tenant's occupancy date is the specified date that the leased premises will be turned over for tenant use. In both commercial and residential leases, conditions for tenant occupancy can include repair work of the leased premises by the landlord or correspond to when the previous tenant has fully vacated. When negotiating an occupancy date, a tenant should ensure that a condition of the first month's rental payment corresponds to actual occupancy to avoid financial issues.
- Tenants entering into a rental lease can expect to place a security deposit with the landlord to secure interest on the leased premises, usually representing a few months of rent. The return of a security deposit is typically conditional on the fulfilling the terms of the lease, including the condition of the premises above normal wear and tear, if any back rent is owed and if the space is vacated prior to the end of the lease term.
- The landlord's responsibilities for rental space can include maintaining the exterior of the property, handling pest control and replacing fixtures as needed. These provisions may be subject to certain conditions that require the tenant to be proactive, such as ensuring fixtures are being used properly to avoid damage and taking out garbage regularly to avoid pests. Responsibilities for both tenant and landlord should be clearly outlined in the rental agreement with conditions under which they apply.