Table of Contents

1. Being a Successful Landlord

2. Preparing a Lease or Rental Agreement

Which Is Better, a Lease or a Rental Agreement?
Completing the Lease or Rental Agreement Form
Signing the Lease or Rental Agreement

3. Choosing Tenants: Your Most Important Decision

How to Advertise Rental Property
Renting Property That's Still Occupied
Accepting Rental Applications
Checking References, Credit History, and More
Avoiding Illegal Discrimination
Choosing -- and Rejecting -- an Applicant
Choosing a Tenant-Manager
Property Management Companies

4. Getting the Tenant Moved In

Inspect and Photograph the Unit
Send New Tenants a Move-In Letter
Cash Rent and Security Deposit Checks
Organize Your Tenant Records
Organize Income and Expenses for Schedule E

5. Changing or Ending a Tenancy

How to Modify Signed Rental Agreements and Leases
Ending a Month-to-Month Tenancy
How Fixed-Term Leases End
Returning Security Deposits When a Tenancy Ends

Appendixes

A. State Landlord-Tenant Law Charts

State Landlord-Tenant Statutes
Notice Required to Change or Terminate a Month-to-Month Tenancy
State Rent Rules
State Security Deposit Rules
Required Security Deposit Disclosures
States That Require Landlords to Pay Interest on Deposits
Attachment to Florida Leases and Rental Agreements (Security Deposits)
State Laws on Landlord's Access to Rental Property

B. How to Use the Landlord Rental Forms CD-ROM

Installing the Form Files Onto Your Computer
Using the Word Processing Files to Create Documents
Using Print-Only Files
Files Included on the Cd-Rom

C. Tear-Out Landlord Rental Forms

Leases and Rental Agreements and Lead Disclosures
Month-to-Month Residential Rental Agreement
Month-to-Month Residential Rental Agreement (Spanish version)
Fixed-Term Residential Lease
Fixed-Term Residential Lease (Spanish version)
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint or Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint or Lead-Based Paint Hazards (Spanish version)
Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home Pamphlet
Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home Pamphlet (Spanish version)

Screening and Choosing Tenants
Rental Application
Consent to Contact References and Perform Credit Check
Tenant References
Notice of Denial Based on Credit Report and Other Information
Notice of Conditional Acceptance Based on a Credit Report or Other Information

Moving in Tenants
Landlord-Tenant Checklist
Move-In Letter

Moving Out Tenants
Tenant's Notice of Intent to Move Out
Move-Out Letter

eGuide

Complying with Discrimination Laws (on CD-ROM only)

Index

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