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Importance of Lease Documents

Having the right language in a lease can mean the difference between winning and losing a case. Additionally, almost every year, the State of California enacts new legislation affecting the rental housing industry. We assist our clients in drafting and reviewing leases, addenda and amendments to ensure these documents include all required disclosures, comply with applicable federal, state and local laws, and place our clients in the best legal position in the event a dispute arises.

Examples of Lease Documents That We Prepare

The following are examples of the types of documents we routinely prepare, review or update: Lease or Rental Agreement, Affordable Housing Addendum, Rent Concession Addendum, Crime Free Addendum, Parking Addendum, Utility Addendum, Animal Addendum, Asbestos Addendum, Assistance Animal Addendum, Bed Bug Addendum, Community Rules and Regulations, Garage Addendum, Lead- Based Paint Addendum, Lease Guaranty, Lease Buy-Out Agreement, Mold Information and Prevention Addendum, No Smoking Addendum, Notice of Intent to Vacate, Notice of Right  to Reclaim Abandoned Personal Property, Notice to Enter Dwelling, Parking Addendum, and Roommate Add/Remove Form.

Polices and Procedures

We also assist our clients in preparing polices, procedures and forms relating to the operation or management of real property including screening residents, conducting criminal background checks (including compliance with recent HUD guidelines), responding to requests for reasonable accommodations and/or reasonable modifications, towing vehicles, and disposition of abandoned personal property.

Sample Strategies

Because we handle landlord-tenant matters on a daily basis, we become aware of new issues as they arise and are able to assist our clients in addressing such issues early. For example, with the recent rise in tenants using apartments to operate a short-term rental businesses, we have drafted lease language to make it easier for landlords to prove a lease violation and, where desired, terminate the tenancy.  Likewise, with a recent increase in contested evictions and tenant attorneys demanding jury trials, many of our clients have elected to include lease language limiting the amount of attorney fees that may be awarded by the court in the event of an adverse result.