A Lease Extension Agreement is a document that extends a lease beyond its initial end date.
Unlike Lease Renewal Agreements, lease extensions do not create new contracts with new terms.
Lease extension agreements are also known as:
- Residential lease extension agreements
- Commercial lease extension forms
- Lease extension forms
- Lease extension letters
- Rental lease extension forms
As a landlord, you may want to send lease extension agreements to your tenants if you are willing to have them stay in your rental a while longer.
What is a Lease Extension Agreement?
A lease extension agreement is a legal document that allows a landlord and tenant to extend a Lease Agreement beyond its initial end date.
The terms and conditions of the original lease remain the same unless the parties decide to revise or substitute certain parts of the contract.
For example, a landlord may want to extend a lease for two months but change the original agreement to increase the monthly rent.
Rental lease extension forms are common when landlords and tenants do not want to renegotiate new lease terms at lease expiration, but instead want to extend the original tenancy for a short period of time.
Many landlords offer short-term lease extension agreements when they do not want to renew the lease for 6 months or a year, but wish to keep their property occupied for one to three months.
Lease Extension Agreements vs. Lease Renewal Agreements
Although they sound similar, a lease extension form is not the same as a lease renewal agreement.
A lease extension agreement extends an existing lease agreement, while a lease renewal involves creating a new agreement after the original lease expires.
Additionally, lease extensions are usually for an additional few months, while lease renewals tend to be for another full lease term such as one year.
Keep in mind that there are many instances when a landlord and tenant will agree that being locked into a lease for another full term is not beneficial to either party.
When Should You Use a Lease Extension Agreement?
There are a few reasons you should use a simple lease extension agreement:
Create Goodwill
First, you may want to use a lease extension agreement when you have a good relationship with your tenant and would like to give them a place to stay for a few months after the original lease expires.
Offering to extend a lease can help your tenant in many ways since locating and moving to a new property can take time, money, and other resources.
For example, you may want to extend a tenant’s lease that expires during the holiday season. Your renter may not want to renew for a full term at that time, but could also find looking for a new rental inconvenient.
Reduce Vacancy
You may also want to use a lease extension agreement to reduce vacancy while you search for a better tenant than the one that currently occupies one of your rental units.
Perhaps that tenant has been late on rent a couple of times. Or, maybe you have received a noise complaint or two about a renter.
When Should You Not Use a Lease Extension Agreement?
Lease extension agreements are not always a good idea. You may not want to use a lease extension form if you:
- Have tenants who constantly breach your lease agreement. Bad tenants who consistently breach your lease agreement and are always late on rent should probably not receive a lease extension. Instead, let the lease expire and look for a more reliable tenant.
- Want to renovate: Since renovation can be challenging if your tenant is living in your property, you should let your lease terminate without extension if you have plans to renovate, thereby adding value to your unit.
After your tenant leaves, you can use the time between renters to renovate and attract higher-paying renters.
How Do You Extend a Lease Agreement?
To extend a lease agreement, take the following steps:
Step 1 – Look at the Original Lease
Look at the lease agreement you signed with your tenant and review it thoroughly. Note any sections or language you might want to change, such as the rent amount.
Step 2 – Contact your Tenant
Call or email your tenants, and propose a lease extension under existing or new terms (clauses, etc.).
Step 3 – Write and Send the Lease Extension Agreement
If the tenant wants to extend the lease, discuss and determine the lease extension term (length of time). Then, write the agreement.
This extends the commencement of the old contract and adds a new lease closing date with any new terms.
Once you finish writing your lease extension form, send a copy to your tenants for signatures.
Step 4 – Receive the Signed Lease Extension
After you and the tenant sign the lease extension, the agreement is in effect.
Sample Lease Extension Agreement
Below, you can find what a residential lease extension form typically looks like:
Lease Extension Agreement Example
The following is an example of what a filled-out lease extension agreement looks like:
lease extension agreement exampleHow to Write a Lease Extension Form
Step 1 – Download Your Template
Download a free lease extension agreement template and open it in Word, Adobe PDF, or another word processor.
Step 2 – Fill in Landlord and Tenant Details
Fill in the blanks at the top of the agreement for the following:
1. Date
2. Landlord’s full legal name and address
3. Tenant’s full legal name and address
Step 3 – Enter Dates and Property Address
4. Enter the date of the original lease agreement and the expiration date. Include the date and name of any Lease Agreement Amendments, if applicable.
5. Write in the property address (state address, city, state, zip code).
Step 5 – Fill out the Lease Extension Section
6. Fill out the lease extension section.
A lease extension section of a lease extension agreement form should look something like this:
The term of this Lease Agreement is hereby extended for a period of 3 months beginning on January 1, 2020 and ending on March 31, 2020 (the “Extension Term”).
Step 6 – Make Changes to Lease if Needed
7. Look through the rest of the template and see if you would like to add, change, or edit anything.
A lease extension can give you and your tenant more time to settle plans. However, a lease extension is not a long-term solution.
If you want your tenant to continue living on your property for the same length of time as your original lease, create a lease renewal agreement with them.
Use our step-by-step builder to start your lease extension agreement process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A lease renewal involves creating a new rental contract after the original lease has expired. In contrast, a lease extension continues the original lease contract, typically for a few months, and may or may not contain any revised or new terms.What is the difference between a lease extension and a lease renewal?
No, short-term lease extensions are not the same as Month-to-Month Lease Agreements. Short-term lease extensions usually extend all terms of an original lease, whereas month-to-month lease agreements have newly negotiated terms.Is a lease extension agreement the same as a month-to-month lease agreement?