Residential lease agreement
Property & tenancy
Use this page to check the terms in a residential lease before you sign. Confirm the landlord and property, rent and payment timing, increases, deposit, cancellation terms and attachments. A verbal rental agreement can bind both parties, but a Public Service employee applying for Housing Allowance as a tenant needs a written agreement.
Prepare your document
This is an unsigned draft using your wording. Have it checked before using or signing it.
Official downloads
How to use it
- Name the landlord and home Put the landlord’s name and the property address in the agreement. Check that the address describes the home covered by the lease. State the rent and how often you will pay it. Read these details together before signing so you both know which property and payment terms the agreement covers.
Document checklist
- Landlord and property Check that the agreement names the landlord and gives the address of the home being rented.
- Rent and payment Check the rent amount and how often you must pay it.
- Rent increases If rent can increase, check how much it can rise and when the change will happen.
- Deposit Check whether there is a deposit and, if so, its amount.
- Ending the agreement Read the conditions that let you or the landlord give notice to cancel the agreement.
- House rules Check that any house rules are signed by both of you and attached to the lease.
- Property condition Check that the jointly signed list of existing defects is attached to the lease.
Questions & answers
Does a verbal rental agreement count?
Yes. A verbal rental agreement between a tenant and landlord is as binding as a written lease.
Can I ask my landlord for a written agreement?
Yes. If you insist on having something in writing, your landlord must comply.
What if I refuse to sign a written lease required for me to move in?
If a written lease is required for you to occupy the premises and you refuse to sign it, there is no agreement and you cannot legally move into the property.
When do I have to pay a deposit?
A deposit is required if the landlord asks for one and the lease includes it.
Can a deposit term be added later?
A change to the agreement, including a deposit term, is valid only if you and your landlord both agree to it.
How must the landlord or agent hold the deposit?
While you live at the property, the landlord must keep the deposit in an interest-bearing account. An agent must keep it in a trust account.
What happens to the deposit when I move out?
The deposit and interest must be returned, less the costs of damage you caused and money you still owe under the lease.
Related documents
More help
Sources
Rental rules for City-owned properties
17_8_p_housing_21_08_2007_.pdf
Govnet is an independent information portal. Generated PDFs are unsigned drafts.