A Kentucky lease agreement is a legally binding document between landlords looking to lease their property and tenants covering a monthly fee for it and complying with the rental terms and conditions.
Federal and state laws mandate specific lease agreement requirements for residential properties, including landlord and tenant details, property address, pet policy, safety information, security deposits, rent terms, late fees, and grace periods.
Rental Lease Laws Overview
- Rent Control: No.
- Limit on Late Fees: No.
- Late Fees in Rental Agreement: Yes.
- Grace Period: No.
- License Required for Landlord: No.
By Type (6)
Standard Lease Agreement
Facilitates a rental agreement between a landlord and a tenant for residential property.
Month-to-Month Rental Agreement
Offers residents the choice of flexible, month-to-month occupancy of a property, without the requirement of a long-term commitment.
Commercial Lease Agreement
Meant for businesses leasing commercial properties.
Room Rental Agreement
Used to formalize a living arrangement, by creating a binding contract among a primary tenant and other occupants.
Sublease Agreement
Grants the subtenant the permission to rent either the entire property or a portion of it for a specified period.
Rent-to-Own Lease Agreement
Lets a tenant have the option to buy the property they're renting at a later date.
Required Lease Disclosures
When entering a lease agreement, Kentucky rental laws impose specific requirements for landlords and tenants [1] :
- Move-in Inspection Form. A landlord must provide all prospective tenants with a list of currently existing damage to a residential unit. Both the landlord and tenant are required to sign and agree on the findings.
- Security Deposit Notice. Security deposits must be kept in a separate security deposit bank account, and tenants shall be informed of where the separate account is located and any relevant account numbers. Should a landlord fail to provide a tenant with this information, they will not be able to retain any portion of the security deposit [2] .
- Identification. Kentucky landlords must provide tenants, in writing before the lease begins, the names and addresses of the person authorized to manage the property and the owner or a person authorized to act for and on behalf of the property owner [3] .
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure. Landlords must provide tenants with a lead-based paint disclosure if the rental property was built before 1978 (documenting the possibility of lead paint on the rental property, including in common areas).
Security Deposit
- Maximum Amount: There is no limit on how much the landlord may ask from the tenant when authorizing the lease.
- Receipts: Not required.
- Interest Payments: The landlord is not required to collect interest on the security deposit on behalf of the tenant.
- Bank Account: The landlord must place the security deposit in a separate bank account created solely for that purpose. [4]
- Returning Requirements: The landlord must return the deposit within 30-60 days from the termination date, depending on whether the tenant disputes deductions [4] .
- Withholding Rules: The landlord must provide an itemized list of damages and costs before withholding any part of the security deposit [4] .
Rent Payments
- Laws: Rent is due as specified in the lease agreement [5] .
- Rent Control: Kentucky has no rent control laws.
- Late Fees and Grace Period: There is no mandatory grace period, and the landlord can charge late fees as specified in the lease [5] .
- Withholding Rent: The tenant may withhold rent if the landlord fails to provide essential services [6] .
Landlord Right of Entry
- Notice Requirements: The landlord must give at least two days’ notice before entering the premises [7] .
- Keys, Locks, and Security: There is no specific statute governing keys, locks, and security in Kentucky.
Property Repairs
- Landlord Responsibilities: The landlord must maintain the premises in a habitable condition [8] .
- Tenant Repairs: If the landlord fails to make necessary repairs, tenants can deduct the cost from the rent [9] .
- Abandonment: If a tenant abandons the property, the landlord must make a reasonable effort to re-rent it [10] .
Terminating a Lease
- Month-to-Month Tenancy: 30 days’ notice is required to terminate a month-to-month lease [11] .
- Unclaimed Property: There are no specific state laws regarding how the landlord should handle a tenant’s abandoned property.
Sample
Below is a free lease agreement template in PDF and Word to rent out your property in Kentucky.
