# Lease Agreement Checklist > Creates lease agreement review checklists ensuring all essential terms, disclosures, and addenda are included. - Skill: `reaperinvest/lease-agreement-checklist` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/lease-agreement-checklist` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/lease-agreement-checklist/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/lease-agreement-checklist --- # Lease Agreement Checklist ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Review a residential lease agreement for completeness before signing - Ensure all essential terms, disclosures, and addenda are included - Identify missing clauses that could create problems during the tenancy - Create a standardized checklist for consistent lease preparation **DO NOT** use this skill for drafting lease agreements from scratch, commercial lease review, or legal advice. This is a completeness checklist — always consult an attorney for legal review. --- ## Core Principle A COMPLETE LEASE PROTECTS BOTH LANDLORD AND TENANT — EVERY MISSING CLAUSE IS A POTENTIAL DISPUTE WAITING TO HAPPEN. --- ## Phase 1: Lease Context ### Required Inputs | Input | What to Ask | Default | |-------|------------|---------| | **Role** | "Are you the landlord or tenant reviewing this lease?" | Landlord | | **State** | "What state is the property in?" | No default — state law affects requirements | | **Property type** | "Single-family, apartment, condo, duplex?" | Single-family | | **Lease term** | "Fixed-term or month-to-month?" | 12-month fixed | | **Special circumstances** | "Any unusual terms — furnished, utilities included, roommates, pets?" | Standard unfurnished | **GATE: Confirm role and jurisdiction before applying the checklist.** --- ## Phase 2: Essential Terms Checklist ### Party & Property Information - [ ] Full legal names of all tenants (adults) - [ ] Landlord/management company legal name and contact - [ ] Complete property address including unit number - [ ] Lease start date and end date - [ ] Move-in date (if different from lease start) ### Financial Terms - [ ] Monthly rent amount - [ ] Rent due date (typically 1st of the month) - [ ] Accepted payment methods - [ ] Grace period specified (number of days) - [ ] Late fee amount and when it applies - [ ] Security deposit amount - [ ] Security deposit return timeline and conditions - [ ] Any non-refundable fees (application, cleaning, admin) - [ ] Prorated rent for partial first/last month (if applicable) - [ ] Rent increase terms and notice requirements ### Occupancy & Use - [ ] Maximum number of occupants - [ ] Guest policy and limitations - [ ] Permitted use (residential only) - [ ] Restrictions on home businesses - [ ] Subletting and assignment policy - [ ] Quiet hours or noise restrictions --- ## Phase 3: Policies & Responsibilities ### Maintenance & Repairs - [ ] Landlord maintenance responsibilities defined - [ ] Tenant maintenance responsibilities defined - [ ] Maintenance request procedure (how to submit) - [ ] Emergency maintenance contact and procedure - [ ] Lawn care, snow removal, and exterior maintenance assigned - [ ] Tenant liability for damage beyond normal wear and tear ### Utilities & Services - [ ] Which utilities landlord pays - [ ] Which utilities tenant pays - [ ] Utility transfer responsibility and timeline - [ ] Shared utility arrangements (if multi-unit) ### Pets - [ ] Pet policy clearly stated (allowed/not allowed) - [ ] Pet deposit or fee amount - [ ] Monthly pet rent (if applicable) - [ ] Breed, size, or number restrictions - [ ] Pet damage liability ### Insurance - [ ] Renter's insurance requirement stated - [ ] Minimum coverage amount specified - [ ] Proof of insurance deadline - [ ] Landlord named as interested party (if required) --- ## Phase 4: Legal Protections & Addenda ### Termination & Renewal - [ ] Early termination clause and penalties - [ ] Lease-breaking fee or buyout option - [ ] Move-out notice period (30/60 days) - [ ] Renewal terms (auto-renew, month-to-month conversion, or expire) - [ ] Landlord's right to terminate and required notice - [ ] Move-out inspection procedure - [ ] Property condition documentation (move-in/move-out) ### Required Disclosures (Verify by State) - [ ] Lead-based paint disclosure (pre-1978 properties — federal requirement) - [ ] Mold disclosure (where required) - [ ] Bed bug disclosure (where required) - [ ] Sex offender registry notification - [ ] Flood zone disclosure - [ ] Known defects or hazards - [ ] Asbestos disclosure (where required) - [ ] Shared utility disclosure (where required) ### Common Addenda - [ ] Move-in/move-out condition report - [ ] Pet addendum (if pets allowed) - [ ] Parking addendum (assigned spots, rules) - [ ] Smoking policy addendum - [ ] Mold prevention addendum - [ ] HOA rules attachment (if applicable) - [ ] Appliance inventory list - [ ] Key/access device inventory ### Signatures & Execution - [ ] All adult tenants have signed - [ ] Landlord or authorized agent has signed - [ ] Date of execution - [ ] Copies provided to all parties - [ ] All addenda initialed and attached --- ## Review Summary Template ``` ## Lease Review Summary **Property:** [Address] **Reviewed by:** [Name] **Date:** [Date] ### Status: [Complete / Missing Items / Needs Legal Review] ### Missing or Incomplete Items: 1. [Item] — [Why it matters] 2. [Item] — [Why it matters] ### Items Needing Clarification: 1. [Clause] — [What is unclear] ### Recommendations: - [Action item 1] - [Action item 2] ``` --- ## Anti-Patterns - **Using a generic online template without state customization** — lease laws vary dramatically by state and even city. Generic templates miss required local provisions. - **No move-in condition report** — without documented property condition at move-in, security deposit disputes are unresolvable. - **Vague maintenance responsibilities** — "Tenant is responsible for upkeep" without specifics leads to disagreements. - **Missing disclosures** — failing to include required disclosures can void lease provisions or create legal liability. - **No early termination clause** — life happens. Having a clear buyout process is better than a messy breach. --- ## Recovery - **Lease already signed with missing terms:** Create an addendum covering the missing items. Both parties sign. - **State-specific requirements unknown:** Research your state's landlord-tenant statutes or consult a local real estate attorney. - **Tenant disputes a lease term:** Reference the specific clause. If the clause is genuinely ambiguous, negotiate a reasonable interpretation and document it. - **Using an outdated lease template:** Review and update annually. Laws change, and your lease should reflect current requirements. - **Multiple properties with different lease versions:** Standardize to one template per property type and jurisdiction. Customize only the property-specific details.