What Is a Family Member Lease Agreement?
A family member lease agreement is a contract between family members when one acts as a landlord over another. The document outlines each party’s financial, behavioral, and legal obligations. A lease for family members creates fewer disputes and protects the legal rights of everyone involved.
Legal Templates’s family member lease agreement template provides the terms you need. Use our customizable forms to set your conditions and protect yourself and your family.
Why Use a Family Member Lease Agreement?
You should use a family member lease agreement to cement the terms, protections, and limits of the arrangement. With a written contract, everyone involved can communicate, negotiate, and understand the terms. Use a family member rental agreement to protect your relationships and create the following benefits.
Legal Proof
While you may trust your family members or feel that a lease is unnecessary, it often proves helpful to have your agreement in writing. Relying on a verbal contract without proof or concrete terms to refer back to can cause more frequent disputes and even legal issues over the terms of the agreement. A written and signed contract can serve as proof in court claims, eviction proceedings, and any disagreements that arise
Legal Protections
A written agreement ensures legal protection, as the agreement must comply with landlord-tenant laws. Use this written contract to handle lease violations, unlivable conditions, or missed rent. This gives both parties the right to pursue legal recourse for violations of the lease
Mutual Understanding
The process of creating your agreement requires everyone to meet and discuss their terms. Having an open discussion helps everyone communicate their desired arrangement. Making and upholding the agreement can foster a more peaceful living environment.
Usually, this agreement is for renting a part of the property, like a room. For whole-home rentals, a standard lease agreement is recommended to provide compliance with broader landlord-tenant laws.
What to Include In a Family Member Lease Agreement
A lease agreement with family members should provide terms for finances, behaviors, and property. By setting these parameters early, you can prevent arguments and misunderstandings. Add the following elements to your rental agreement:
- Rent payments: Record the amount and due date for each monthly rent payment. Also include the expected or allowed payment methods.
- Additional costs: Note whether the family member will pay utilities, security deposits, or repair costs. If you’re sharing the property, set the terms for splitting utilities and services.
- Property policies: Determine whether you want to add parking, smoking, or pet policies. Also provide guidelines for guests, quiet hours, common areas, and personal space.
- Household expectations: Set the expectations for the household early. Note who is responsible for specific chores and the expectations for cleanliness and privacy.
- Eviction processes: If the tenant violates the lease, the landlord retains the right to evict family members. Outline the process, including waiting periods and causes for an eviction notice.
Family Member Lease Agreement Sample
View Legal Templates’s free family member lease agreement sample to determine the best format and terms for you. Our customizable forms let you add your desired provisions and are downloadable in PDF & Word format.
