Free Utah Residential Lease Agreement Form

A Utah lease agreement is a legally binding contract between a landlord and a tenant. This is written to conform to state laws where the property is located. In Utah, these allow both parties to comply with a series of set terms for a specified number of months or years.

Rental contracts and lease agreements have a lot of similarities as they both set out payment plans and the terms of use for a house or apartment. 

However, the big difference is the duration that they cover. Rental agreements usually only cover short-term tenancies of a few months at a time or month-to-month contracts. Leases, on the other hand, cover a set number of months or years.

A lease agreement should contain the following details:

• How long the tenant may legally reside in the property

• How much rent should be paid

• Information about the security deposits necessary

• When rental installments are due

• Any additional costs that must be serviced by the tenant

• The rules regarding the proper use of the property

• Situations that constitute lease violation eviction procedures

Before starting a Utah lease agreement, it is important to know which type to create. There are many distinct varieties of these legal instruments, and each deals with a different type of rental situation. 

The most common types of lease agreements in Utah include:

• Standard residential lease agreements: Both the landlord and tenant commit to a fixed set of terms for a set period of time. 

• Rent-to-own lease agreements: Designed for tenants that wish to buy the property they are renting during or after the lease has ended. This typically requires the tenants to pay an additional sum of money each month, to cover the principal costs.

• Month-to-month rental agreements: The same general terms as a standard residential lease contract, but they can be renewed, altered, or ended on a month-by-month basis.  

• Commercial lease agreements: Provided by landlords of retail property to tenants that will use the real estate to manage a business.

• Room rental agreements: Used for rooms within properties that have shared living areas. 

• Sublease agreement: Allows tenants to assign or lease the property to another individual as long as they have the property landlord’s permission.

Utah lease agreements must contain a few disclosures and addendums when they are completed and signed. This is to properly inform the tenant of any health risks or potential issues with the property, or details about how the property is managed that they must be aware of. 

These essential addendums include the following: 

• Move-in disclosure: The tenant must be provided with a checklist detailing the current condition of the property and its fitting before the lease agreement can be signed (§ 57-22-4(6)). The tenant(s) will then have a reasonable amount of time to inspect the property themselves and report back to the landlord or his agent. This can also be carried out as a walkthrough inspection with the landlord.

• Lead paint disclosure: If the rental unit is in a building constructed before 1978, the landlord or their agent must disclose whether lead paint can be found on the property and must provide safety information for any located on the premises.

Utah lease agreements must be written according to the laws of UT state, to ensure that they are legally binding and hold up in court. These regulations will determine what terms you must include in the contract.  

The most relevant laws to take into consideration when renting a property in Utah are:

• Security deposits: In Utah,landlords can charge any amount they choose as a security deposit. This amount collected must then be returned to the tenant no more than 30 days after they vacate the property and give back the keys (§ 57-17-3(2)). The tenant must also be informed in advance of any deductions.

• Landlord’s right to enter: Landlords need to give 24 hours’ advance notice to enter the rental property (§ 57-22-4(2)) after it has been leased. 

Looking over a completed Utah lease agreement sample is a good place to start when you’re planning to create your own document. Use our template example below to understand the information that goes into this form and to learn more about what your document can do. 

Besides lease agreements, there are various other legal documents that are commonly used by landlords. If you are the owner of a rental property, one of the following forms may be helpful for you: 

• Utah Rental Application

• Utah Eviction Notice