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Leasing

Lease agreement

The written contract between a landlord and tenant that sets the terms of a tenancy in exchange for rent.
Glossary
Leasing
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Lease agreement
Leasing
Related terms
Lease renewal
Lease addendum
Month-to-month tenancy
Security deposit
Lease agreement
Leasing
A lease agreement is the written contract that governs a tenancy. A complete one names the parties and the property, sets the term, rent amount, and due date, states the deposit, and spells out responsibilities and rules — maintenance, utilities, pets, subletting, entry notice, and what happens if either side breaks the terms.
A strong lease also folds in the disclosures your jurisdiction requires — for example, the federal lead-paint disclosure for housing built before 1978 — and any state-specific clauses. Because required disclosures and permissible terms vary, landlords generally start from a lease built for their state rather than a generic template, and attach an addendum for anything the base document doesn’t cover.
Leasing
Lease agreement
The written contract between a landlord and tenant that sets the terms of a tenancy in exchange for rent.
Lease renewal
Lease addendum
Month-to-month tenancy
Security deposit
Lease agreement
Category
Leasing
Related terms
4
A lease agreement is the written contract that governs a tenancy. A complete one names the parties and the property, sets the term, rent amount, and due date, states the deposit, and spells out responsibilities and rules — maintenance, utilities, pets, subletting, entry notice, and what happens if either side breaks the terms.
A strong lease also folds in the disclosures your jurisdiction requires — for example, the federal lead-paint disclosure for housing built before 1978 — and any state-specific clauses. Because required disclosures and permissible terms vary, landlords generally start from a lease built for their state rather than a generic template, and attach an addendum for anything the base document doesn’t cover.
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Written and maintained by the Aptoria editorial team
Editorial method reviewed July 28, 2026. Aptoria reviews scope, source fit, examples, limitations, links, and publication gates. This record does not claim attorney, CPA, lender, appraiser, or other independent professional sign-off.
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Related terms

Leasing
Lease renewal
An agreement or legally recognized continuation that extends a tenancy beyond its current term, sometimes with changed terms.
Leasing
Lease addendum
A separate document attached to a lease that adds, clarifies, or modifies specific terms.
Leasing
Month-to-month tenancy
A periodic rental arrangement that renews monthly until it is lawfully changed or ended under the lease and applicable law.
Leasing
Security deposit
Money held to secure defined rental obligations, subject to jurisdiction-specific custody, deduction, accounting, and return rules.

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