Lease Agreements for Small Landlords
Last reviewed: · by MakeLease Editorial Team
What your lease should cover
These are the sections in the lease MakeLease generates, and a reasonable checklist for any residential lease. For sample wording clause by clause, see our lease agreement template guide.
| Section | What you decide |
|---|---|
| Parties | Landlord name, address, email, phone; each tenant's name, email, phone |
| Property | Street address, unit, occupancy limit |
| Term | Fixed-term or month-to-month; start and end dates |
| Rent | Monthly rent, due day, payment methods, grace period, late fee, returned-payment fee |
| Security deposit | Deposit amount and where or how it is held |
| Utilities and services | Included vs tenant-paid utilities; internet/cable, trash, lawn care, snow removal |
| Rules and policies | Smoking, pets (types, deposit, pet rent, breed limits), guests, quiet hours, alterations, maintenance reporting |
| Maintenance | Yard, filters and minor repairs, emergency contact instructions |
| Lead-based paint | Built before 1978 (yes/no) |
| General provisions | Nothing extra; uses the state from Basics |
| Signatures | Nothing extra |
What your state adds
Most landlord-tenant law is state law, and some cities add their own rules. A national template can't know them, and MakeLease does not add state-specific clauses.[18] Before your tenant signs, check:
- Security deposit limits, where it is held and the return deadline: Security deposit laws by state
- Whether late fees are capped and when one can be charged: Late fee laws by state
- Required disclosures, entry notice and notice periods for ending a tenancy: Landlord-tenant law by state
- What a lease in your state usually covers: Lease agreements by state
Renting a home built before 1978
Federal lead-based paint rules apply to “target housing”: housing built before 1978, with exceptions for housing for the elderly or people with disabilities and for 0-bedroom units unless a child under 6 lives there. Before the tenant signs, you give them EPA's lead pamphlet, disclose any lead paint or hazards you know about and any reports you have, and include a Lead Warning Statement. Keep the signed disclosure for three years after the lease begins.[22][23]
MakeLease adds a lead-paint acknowledgement to the lease when you say the building is pre-1978, but that is not the federal disclosure form itself. Fill in our free lead paint disclosure form and attach it.
Which tool fits a small landlord
It depends on what else you want the software to do. If you only need the lease signed, a lease tool is enough. If you want to list, screen and collect rent in one place, a property management platform will suit you better than MakeLease.
| If you want | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A free lease template written for your state | Avail or Innago | Avail's free plan includes state-specific leases with digital signing; Innago offers state lease templates and free online signing.[1][3][5][7][4] See the roundup |
| Listings, screening and rent collection in the same app as the lease | A property management platform such as TurboTenant or Avail | TurboTenant's free plan lists marketing rentals, screening applicants and collecting rent online, while finalizing a lease or sending it for e-signature needs a paid plan; Avail handles rent by bank transfer, with a fee to tenants on its free plan.[8][9][10][2] TurboTenant vs MakeLease |
| Other legal documents from the same service, or a legal membership | A legal-document site such as Rocket Lawyer or LawDepot | Rocket Lawyer builds a lease from your answers and sells memberships from $149 a year; LawDepot sells single documents, or subscriptions with access to all its documents.[13][14][11] Rocket Lawyer vs MakeLease |
| A guided lease with free e-signing, no card and no trial, and you'll check state rules yourself | MakeLease | The wizard, PDF and e-signing cost nothing and tenants sign without an account. It does not add state-specific clauses.[17][19][18] What the lease includes |
Prices and plans as read on the access date shown in the sources. For every tool side by side, see all comparisons.
A simple workflow with MakeLease
- Answer the eight wizard steps for the unit. You can fill everything in before creating a free account.
- Generate the PDF and read it through; add any state or city terms you found above.
- Send it for signature. Each tenant signs from an emailed link without an account, and MakeLease records who signed and when.[19] See how online lease signing works.
- During the tenancy, use the free landlord forms for notices such as a rent increase notice or renewal letter.
- At the end, document the unit with the move-in / move-out checklist and return the deposit within your state's deadline.
Is an e-signed lease valid?
Under the federal ESIGN Act, a contract or signature can't be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. The Act does not cover some notices, including eviction notices for a primary residence, so serve those the way your state requires.[15][16]
What it costs
Nothing today. Creating leases, downloading the PDFs and sending them for e-signature are free, no card is asked for, and there is currently no limit on the number of leases you can create. You need a free account to generate and send a lease.[17][20][21] See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same lease for all my units?
You can use one set of terms as a starting point, but check each property separately. The state and city decide deposit, late-fee and notice rules, and pre-1978 buildings need the federal lead-based paint disclosure. MakeLease saves each lease separately, so you can start from the same answers and change what differs.[22]
Is MakeLease free if I have several properties?
Yes. Creating leases, downloading PDFs and sending them for e-signature cost nothing, no card is asked for, and there is currently no limit on the number of leases you can create. You need a free account to generate and send them.[17][21]
Will MakeLease add my state's required clauses?
No. MakeLease uses one lease template and the state you choose only sets the governing-law line. Check your state's deposit, late-fee and disclosure rules and add what applies. If you want a state-specific template, Avail and Innago offer one free.[18][3][6]
Do my tenants need an account to sign?
No. Tenants sign from an emailed link without creating an account. MakeLease records the signer's name, a timestamp, IP address and browser user agent with the signature.[19]
Is an e-signed lease valid?
Under the federal ESIGN Act, a contract or signature can't be denied legal effect just because it is electronic, and most states have their own electronic-transactions law. ESIGN does not cover some notices, such as eviction notices for a primary residence, so serve those the way your state requires.[15][16]
Should a small landlord have a lawyer review the lease?
It depends on the lease. Even LawDepot, which sells lease templates, suggests a lawyer if you are signing a long-term lease, adding unusual terms such as a rent-to-own option, renting in a city or county with its own rental rules, or already in a dispute. MakeLease is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.[12]
Start your next lease
Eight short steps, a PDF and online signing, with no card and no trial. Check your state's lease rules before you send it.
Sources and methodology
- We read each company's public pricing, feature and help pages on the date shown. We did not create accounts, start trials or contact sales.
- A claim appears on this page only if a public page supports it. Anything we could not load or confirm was left out rather than guessed.
- Complaints are quoted only as what some reviewers report, with a link. They are not statements of fact.
- We do not publish scores or star ratings. We re-check every source monthly and date each change.
- Competitor facts reuse the sourced entries from our free lease generator roundup. Legal statements cite the federal regulation, statute or agency page directly.
- [1] Avail pricing: free plan · accessed 2026-10-27
“Unlimited $0/unit Unlimited Units Access basic rental property management tools. ... Use state-specific leases with digital signing”
- [2] Avail pricing: tenant payment fees · accessed 2026-10-27
“With Unlimited (free), tenants pay $2.50 per bank transfer.”
- [3] Avail lease agreement page: state-specific template · accessed 2026-10-27
“Use an enforceable lease agreement template with required attachments, clauses, and disclosures tailored to your location.”
- [4] Innago online lease signing page · accessed 2026-10-27
“Sign and store as many leases and other documents as you like, as always – for free.”
- [5] Innago California residential lease agreement page · accessed 2026-10-27
“To make your journey easier, REI Grove is offering a California lease agreement template for download.”
- [6] Innago California lease page: template sections · accessed 2026-10-27
“Translated copy notice, lead-based paint appendix, bed bug disclosure, Megan's Law notice, landlord signature, and tenant signature.”
- [7] Innago sitemap: state lease pages · accessed 2026-10-27
“https://innago.com/residential-lease-agreement/alabama/ … https://innago.com/residential-lease-agreement/wyoming/ … https://innago.com/residential-lease-agreement/district-of-columbia/”
- [8] TurboTenant pricing: Free plan · accessed 2026-10-27
“Free Start managing for free No fees or contracts – ever $0/month Create Free Account List and market your rentals Screen applicants Collect rent online”
- [9] TurboTenant pricing: Essentials and Pro · accessed 2026-10-27
“Essentials Scale as your needs grow Starting at $12.42/month Sign Up for Essentials Create and sign leases online ... Pro Run your rentals like a business Starting at $16.58/month”
- [10] TurboTenant Help Center: How to Create a Lease Agreement (shown as updated Oct 26, 2026) · accessed 2026-10-27
“You can start building and save a lease agreement with TurboTenant's Free plan. However, an active Essentials or Pro subscription is required to finalize or send a new TurboTenant lease agreement for electronic signatures. ... TurboTenant does not offer a one-time purchase for individual lease agreements.”
- [11] LawDepot pricing: single document and real estate access · accessed 2026-10-27
“Single Document License: Buy a single document for a one-time charge of $7.50 – $119, depending on the document. ... 1-Year Pro Subscription: $155.88 for one year of unlimited access to all documents. Renews annually. Cancel any time. ... Real estate documents: $35/month or $107.88/year”
- [12] LawDepot residential lease page: when to use a lawyer · accessed 2026-10-27
“Consider one if you’re signing a long-term lease, adding unusual terms such as a rent-to-own option, renting in a city or county with its own rental rules, or already in a dispute.”
- [13] Rocket Lawyer lease agreement page · accessed 2026-10-27
“Get started on your Lease Agreement today – it can be as simple as answering a few questions. Rocket Lawyer will build the document for you.”
- [14] Rocket Lawyer pricing FAQ · accessed 2026-10-27
“A Standard membership costs $149/year or $34.99/month. A Plus membership costs $249/year or $49.99/month. A Pro membership costs $349/year or $64.99/month. All plans come with a free 7-day trial!”
- [15] 15 U.S.C. § 7001(a): ESIGN general rule of validity · accessed 2026-10-26
“a signature, contract, or other record relating to such transaction may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form”
- [16] 15 U.S.C. § 7003(b): ESIGN exceptions · accessed 2026-10-26
“(2) any notice of— … (B) default, acceleration, repossession, foreclosure, or eviction, or the right to cure, under a credit agreement secured by, or a rental agreement for, a primary residence of an individual”
- [17] MakeLease lease agreement generator · accessed 2026-10-26
“Creating a lease, downloading the PDF and sending it for e-signature cost nothing today, and no card is asked for. You need a free account to generate, save or send a lease.”
- [18] MakeLease generator: honest limits · accessed 2026-10-26
“MakeLease does not add state-specific clauses. It does not collect rent, run credit or background checks, syndicate listings, or have a mobile app.”
- [19] MakeLease e-sign guide · accessed 2026-10-26
“Tenants sign from an emailed link without creating an account. MakeLease records the signer's name, a timestamp, IP address and browser user agent, and stores a SHA-256 hash of the generated PDF.”
- [20] MakeLease pricing · accessed 2026-10-27
“Signing up asks for your name, email address and a password. We do not ask for a credit card or any other payment details to create an account, generate a lease or send it for signature.”
- [21] MakeLease pricing: number of leases · accessed 2026-10-27
“There is currently no limit on the number of leases you can create.”
- [22] 40 CFR 745.103: definition of target housing (eCFR) · accessed 2026-10-27
“Target housing means any housing constructed prior to 1978, except housing for the elderly or persons with disabilities or any 0-bedroom dwelling (unless any child who is less than 6 years of age resides or is expected to reside in such housing).”
- [23] EPA: Real estate disclosures about potential lead hazards · accessed 2026-10-27
“Before a homebuyer signs a contract for a housing sale or a renter signs a lease, federal law requires sellers, landlords, real estate agents and property managers to : Give buyers and renter a copy of the Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home (PDF) pamphlet ... Disclose any known information about the presence of lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards ... Provide a "Lead Warning Statement" to buyers or renters ... Keep a signed copy of the disclosures for three years after the sale is completed or the lease begins.”
Avail, Innago, TurboTenant, Rocket Lawyer and LawDepot are trademarks of their respective owners. MakeLease is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them. Names are used only to identify the products being compared. This page is general information, not legal advice.