A Louisiana standard residential lease agreement is a contract between a landlord and tenant for the rental and use of a residential property. The tenant is responsible for maintaining the property and paying monthly rent to the landlord.
Lease Length Considerations
- Residential leases have no maximum length, allowing any duration as long as agreed upon in writing by both parties.
- If the duration of the lease term isn’t specified, the law provides default durations. For leases of immovables (real estate) or movables (personal property) used as residences, the default duration is month-to-month [1] .
- A holdover tenancy happens when a tenant stays in a property after the lease term has ended. If the landlord accepts rent, they can’t evict the tenant. The previous lease terms will continue until a new agreement is made or the tenant is legally evicted.
Required Lease Disclosures
- Presence of lead-based paint
Our Louisiana lease agreements page offers additional insights into the necessary disclosures and relevant laws.
Security Deposit
- Maximum Amount ($): No state-imposed limit
- Returning to Tenant: Within one month [2] .
Rent Payment
- Grace Period: None.
- Maximum Late Fee: None.
- NSF Fee: A landlord may impose a fee of either $25 or 5% of the cheque’s value, depending on which is higher, for any returned checks [3] .
Landlord Resources
- Landlord-Tenant Laws – § 9:3251 – § 9:3261
- Handbook – A Guide to Louisiana Landlord & Tenant Laws (PDF)
