The most important document you and your tenant will sign is a lease or rental agreement. This best-selling book will help you be a successful landlord by giving you everything you need to rent and manage tenants at your residential property, including forms with step-by-step directions. The 9th edition provides updated 50-state legal charts on security deposits, rent rules, access to rental property and disclosure laws, plus new information on rent-to-buy (also known as lease-option) contracts.
"On my scale of one to 10, this excellent book rates a solid 10."
-Robert Bruss, real estate attorney and nationally syndicated columnist
"A comprehensive look at state and federal laws governing landlord-tenant relations. Recommended..."
-Library Journal
“A comprehensive look at state and federal laws governing landlord-tenant relations. Recommended...”-Library Journal
“On my scale of one to 10, this excellent book rates a solid 10.”-Robert Bruss, Nationally Syndicated Columnist
Ralph "Jake" Warner, a pioneer of the do-it-yourself law movement, founded Nolo with Ed Sherman in 1971. Nolo began publishing do-it-yourself law books written by Jake and his colleagues after numerous publishers rejected them. When personal computers came along, he added software to many Nolo books. When the Internet arrived, he championed the move online, where Nolo published huge amounts of free legal information.
Warner holds a law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley and an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton.
Customer Reviews
Add Your Own Review
1. Preparing a Lease or Rental Agreement
Which Is Better, a Lease or a Rental Agreement?
Instructions for Completing the Lease or Rental Agreement Form
Instructions for Signing the Lease or Rental Agreement
Lease-Option Contracts (Rent-to-Buy)
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
State Landlord-Tenant Law Charts
State Landlord-Tenant Statutes
State Rules on Notice Required to Change or Terminate a Month-to-Month Tenancy
State Rent Rules
State Security Deposit Rules
Required Landlord Disclosures
State Laws on Landlord’s Access to Rental Property