Rental Agreements and Leases

A rental agreement is a contract written between the property owner and a renter who desires to have temporary occupancy of the property.  Landlords may be required to provide heat, hot water, security, sanitation and other stipulated services to meet local health codes; any failure to maintain those services could give the tenant a right to withhold rent. Beyond that, the parties could agree on what minimum maintenance is required, and what additional upkeep the landlord might desire in exchange for possible rental credit (e.g., outdoor painting, etc).  A tenant would be wise to obtain a compensation agreement from a landlord before making major improvements. Contrarily, a landlord may view unwanted improvements as "damage" and require a tenant to remove them or pay to have the premises returned to its original condition.