Maryland
Residential Lease Agreement
This Lease Agreement (hereinafter, the "Lease Agreement") is dated as of _________ (hereinafter, the "Effective Date") and is entered into by and between _________ (hereinafter, the "Landlord") and the following Tenant(s):
_________
(hereinafter, the "Tenant(s)").
The Landlord and the Tenant(s) agree as follows:
1. PROPERTY
The Landlord rents to the Tenant(s) and the Tenant(s) rents from the Landlord a certain real property and improvements described below, according to the terms and conditions described in this Lease Agreement.
A house located at _________, _________, Maryland, _________ (hereinafter, the "Property").
Unless otherwise indicated in the Lease Agreement, no other portion of the Building (hereinafter, the "Building") wherein the Property is located is included in the Lease Agreement.
2. TERM
The term of this Lease Agreement begins on _________ (hereinafter, the "Commencement Date") and shall terminate on _________ (hereinafter, the "Termination Date").
The Tenant(s) shall vacate the Property upon termination of the Lease Agreement, unless:
(i) The Landlord and the Tenant(s) have, in writing, extended this agreement or signed a new agreement.
(ii) The Landlord accepts Rent from the Tenant(s) (other than past due Rent), in which case a month-to-month tenancy shall be created which either party may terminate.
In this case, the Tenant(s) may terminate the tenancy by giving written notice at least 30 days prior to the intended Termination Date. The Landlord may terminate the tenancy by giving written notice as provided by law. Such notices may be given on any date. Rent shall be at a rate agreed to by the Landlord and the Tenant(s), or as allowed by law. All other terms and conditions of this Lease Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
3. MANAGEMENT
The Tenant(s) is hereby notified that the Owner or Landlord _________ is the Property Manager in charge of repairs or maintenance of the Property.
If the Tenant(s) has any complaint regarding any issue about the Property, _________ shall be contacted by one of the following methods:
Address: _________
Telephone: _________
Email: _________
4. RENT
The Tenant(s) shall pay the Landlord monthly Rent in the amount of $_________ (hereinafter, the "Rent") for each full month during this lease.
The full month's Rent is due and payable not later than the _________ day of each month lease period.
The Landlord shall not increase the Rent during the term of a lease. However, the Landlord may increase the Rent by giving at least a 30 days written notice to the Tenant(s). The Rent increase shall not be effective until 30 days from the next date Rent is due.
Please Take Notice that mail delays will not excuse the Tenant(s)'s obligation to pay the Rent in a timely manner.
Place of Payment:
The Tenant(s) shall remit all Rent payment amounts owed to the Landlord under this Lease Agreement to the following address:
_________.
The Landlord may change the person and place to which the Tenant(s) must remit the rental amounts due under this Lease Agreement.
Please Take Notice that you must place the Property address and the Tenant(s)'s name on all payments.
Method of Payment:
The Tenant(s) shall pay all Rent by selecting any of the following forms of payment (select one or more):
If the Landlord agrees that the Tenant(s) shall have the right to sub-let the Property or any part thereof, or if the Property is leased under any form of multiple or joint tenancies, the Tenant(s) shall be responsible for collecting the lease payment from the sublessee(s) or joint lessee and submitting it to the Landlord in a single and complete payment.
Moreover, the Tenant(s) shall be responsible for any lease payment not received by the Landlord by the due date stated in the present Lease Agreement. All partial payments made for an incomplete monthly period shall be prorated at the rate of 1/30th of the monthly lease payment per day.
Lastly, the Landlord shall have the option to accept or reject payments made by third parties, but such acceptance or rejection of payment shall not imply a future obligation to accept or reject payments submitted by third parties.
5. OCCUPANTS
During the term of this Lease Agreement, the only individuals the Tenant(s) may permit to reside on the Property are the following:
_________
6. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
Under Maryland Code section 8-211, the Landlord has a responsibility to repair conditions and defects which constitute, or if not promptly corrected will constitute, a fire hazard or a serious and substantial threat to the life, health, or safety of occupants, including, but not limited to:
(i) Lack of heat, light, electricity, or hot or cold running water, except where the tenant is responsible for the payment of the utilities and the lack thereof is the direct result of the tenant's failure to pay the charges.
(ii) Lack of adequate sewage disposal facilities.
(iii) Infestation of rodents in two or more dwelling units.
(iv) The existence of any structural defect which presents a serious and substantial threat to the physical safety of the occupants.
(v) The existence of any condition which presents a health or fire hazard to the dwelling unit.
If the Landlord refuses to make the repairs or correct the conditions, or if after a reasonable time the Landlord has failed to do so, the Tenant(s) may bring an action of rent escrow to pay rent into court because of the asserted defects or conditions, or the Tenant(s) may refuse to pay rent and raise the existence of the asserted defects or conditions as an affirmative defense to an action for distress for rent or to any complaint proceeding brought by the landlord to recover rent or the possession of the leased premises.
Additionally, during the term of this Lease Agreement and any renewal thereof, the Tenant(s) shall:
(1) Keep the Property clean and safe, use all electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning facilities and appliances in a reasonable manner.
(2) Repair any damage arising from the act or negligence of the Tenant(s), Occupants, or guests, agents, visitors, and invitees, at the expense of the Tenant(s).
(3) Surrender the Property in as good order and condition as when received, reasonable wear and tear excepted, upon the termination of this Lease Agreement.
7. UTILITIES AND SERVICES
The Tenant(s) shall be solely responsible for and shall pay expenses for all utilities and services used or consumed at the Property.
8. DEFAULTS
If the Tenant(s) fails to comply with any of the material provisions of this Lease Agreement or materially fails to comply with any duties imposed on the Tenant(s) by statute or state laws, the Landlord may give the opportunity to remedy the default by sending a written notice informing the Tenant(s) of such default.
Under Maryland Code section 8-402.1, if the Tenant(s) does not remedy the default within the indicated time, the Landlord may terminate the Tenant(s)'s right to use and to occupy the Property by providing the Tenant with thirty (30) written notice of such default.
If the Tenant(s) fails to pay rent when due, after delivery of written notice by the Landlord for payment of the rent or possession of the Property, the Landlord may terminate the Lease Agreement.
The rights provided by this paragraph are cumulative in nature and are in addition to any other rights afforded by law.
9. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
The Tenant(s) shall not keep or have on the Property any article or item of a dangerous, flammable, or explosive material on the Property that might unreasonably increase the danger of fire or explosion on the Property or that might be considered hazardous or extra hazardous by any responsible insurance company.
10. LANDLORD ACCESS TO PROPERTY
The Landlord and the Landlord's agents shall have the right at all reasonable times, and by all reasonable means during the term of this Lease Agreement and any renewal thereof, to enter the Property for the following purposes:
(i) Survey the Property's condition and take photographs to document the condition.
(ii) Make emergency repairs or improvements to the Property.
(iii) Supply agreed services.
(iv) Show the Property to prospective buyers or tenants.
(v) Exercise a contractual or statutory lien.
(vi) Leave a written notice.
Except in case of emergency, the Landlord will give the Tenant(s) reasonable notice of intent to enter. For these purposes, twenty-four (24) hour written notice will be deemed reasonable.
11. NOTICES
Notice required by statute will be given in accordance with the applicable statute. All other notices shall be deemed sufficient if made as follows:
- All notices to the Landlord shall be directed by personal delivery or first-class mail to the Landlord at the appropriate address set forth below, until the Tenant(s) is notified, in writing, to the contrary.
- All notices to the Tenant(s) shall be directed by personal delivery or first-class mail to the Tenant(s) at the Leased Property or any forwarding address provided in writing by the Tenant(s) to the Landlord.
- The addresses set forth below may be changed by the Parties by giving notice as set forth herein.
Landlord:
_________
_________
Tenant:
_________
_________, _________, Maryland, _________
Such addresses may be changed from time to time by any party by providing notice as set forth above.
12. GOVERNING LAW
This Lease Agreement shall be governed, construed, and interpreted by the Laws of the State of Maryland.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Landlord and Tenant(s) have executed this Lease Agreement in the manner prescribed by law as of the Effective Date.
Landlord:
By: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
_________
Tenant:
By: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
_________
Maryland Lease Agreement
Inspection Checklist
Address: _________, _________, Maryland, _________
The Tenant(s) has inspected the Property and states that the Property is in satisfactory condition, free of defects, except as noted below:
| SATISFACTORY | COMMENTS |
Bathrooms | _________ | _________________________ |
Carpeting | _________ | _________________________ |
Ceilings | _________ | _________________________ |
Closets | _________ | _________________________ |
Countertops | _________ | _________________________ |
Dishwasher | _________ | _________________________ |
Disposal | _________ | _________________________ |
Doors | _________ | _________________________ |
Fireplace | _________ | _________________________ |
Lights | _________ | _________________________ |
Locks | _________ | _________________________ |
Refrigerator | _________ | _________________________ |
Screens | _________ | _________________________ |
Stove | _________ | _________________________ |
Walls | _________ | _________________________ |
Windows | _________ | _________________________ |
Window coverings | _________ | _________________________ |
_________ | _________ | _________________________ |
_________ | _________ | _________________________ |
_____________________
Date
Tenant:
By: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
_________
Acknowledged by Landlord:
By: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
_________