Source: https://journal.firsttuesday.us/rental-agreement-and-condition-of-premises-addendum-tenant-pre-possession-protections/53724/
Timestamp: 2019-05-21 23:21:11
Document Index: 344837287

Matched Legal Cases: ['§3', '§2', '§4', '§5', '§6', '§7', '§1161', '§1950', '§1950']

Rental agreement and condition of premises addendum – tenant pre-possession protections | first tuesday Journal
Posted by ft Editorial Staff | Jul 8, 2016 | Forms, Latest Articles | 0
Residential Rental Agreement and Condition of Premises Addendum – Form 551 and 560
Residential periodic tenancies are documented in the form of month-to-month rental agreements. [See RPI Form 551]
Alternatively, when leasing a residential property on a fixed rental-rate basis for a specific period of time, the document used is a lease agreement. [See RPI Form 550]
Both residential rental and lease agreements grant and impose the same basic rights and obligations on landlords and tenants. Their difference lies in the expectation of continued occupancy and the obligation to pay future rent.
On the other hand, a lease agreement creates a tenancy that continues for a finite period of time. At the end of a fixed-term tenancy, the tenant’s right of possession automatically expires as agreed in the lease and without further notice. The termination of the tenancy is set by the expiration date in the lease agreement. [See RPI Form 550 §3]
The Residential Rental Agreement published by RPI (Realty Publications, Inc.) is used by a leasing agent, property manager or landlord when renting a residential property on a month-to-month basis, to grant the tenancy and set the rent to be paid, identify who will pay which utilities, and allocate maintenance responsibilities between the landlord and tenant. [See RPI Form 551]
Residential tenants typically provide a security deposit to the landlord to cover any cost to clean the unit or remedy any damage caused to the unit beyond reasonable wear and tear when the tenant vacates the property. [See RPI Form 551 §2.1]
Further, in return for the use and possession of the premises, the tenant pays the landlord rent for the duration of their tenancy. The tenant also agrees to pay a late charge when rent is not received by the landlord by the due date, or within the established grace period. [See RPI Form 551 §4]
Also, a list of occupants who will reside in the property in addition to the named tenants is provided in the rental agreement. Occupants are treated differently than guests who are short-term visitors. The number of guests the tenant may have in their unit, and the number of days their guests may stay overnight, is limited. [See RPI Form 551 §§5.4 and 5.6]
The landlord and tenant further agree how they will share the financial responsibility for payment of the unit’s utilities. [See RPI Form 551 §6.2]
Editor’s note — Landlords of apartment buildings or complexes often retain the responsibility of providing water to the units.
The tenant also agrees to hold the landlord harmless from all liability for damages caused by the tenant or their guests. To cover this tenant liability exposure, the tenant is often required to provide insurance coverage. [See RPI Form 551 §7.1]
These are statutory prohibitions. When a rental agreement does not restate them and a tenant conducts any of these prohibited activities, the landlord may evict them by the service of a three-day written notice to quit. Here, no alternative performance is available to the tenant permitting them to cure the defect and stay. [Calif. Code of Civil Procedures §1161(4); see RPI Form 575 and 575-1]
Reasonable deductions from the deposit
any unpaid rent, including late charges and bounced check charges incurred and requested on a proper demand;
cleaning costs to return the premises to the level of cleanliness as existed when the property was initially leased to the tenant, less reasonable wear and tear; and
costs to replace or restore furnishings provided by the landlord if agreed to in the lease. [CC §§1950.5(b), 1950.7(c)]
The landlord may not deduct from a tenant’s security deposit the costs the landlord incurs to repair defects in the premises which existed prior to the tenant’s occupancy. To best avoid claims of pre-existing defects, the landlord and the tenant conduct a joint inspection of the unit and document any defects in writing before the landlord gives possession to the tenant. [CC §1950.5(e); see RPI Form 560]
any repairs the landlord is to make to the premises before the tenant takes possession. [See RPI Form 560]
the tenant’s acceptance of the furnishings. [See RPI Form 561]
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