Short-Term Lease Agreement

A Short-Term Lease Agreement, sometimes also called a Short-Term Rental Agreement, is a document that outlines the responsibilities of the person renting out the physical space, often called a Lessor, and the short-term tenant, often called a Guest. In all Lessor-Guest relationships, even including those that exist between friends or family members, having a written lease document that outlines all of the terms and conditions of the rental is a necessity. With rental properties, so much can happen between the parties that having everything agreed to in hard copy beforehand will make any disputes down the line a lot easier to deal with.

In any lease, including a short-term lease, the lessor gives the basic information about the rental property - things like how much it will cost, when and how the payments should be made, and what the term is. In a short-term rental, however, what's different is that there are usually also more day-to-day details included, like any specific rules for the rental (things like what areas can and can't be used, whether pets are allowed, whether smoking is permitted, etc.) and more specific information (down to even how the trash gets disposed of). This is because the nature of a short-term rental, like a vacation rental, is usually different than a full lease.

A good short-term lease agreement should have as much as information possible to let the guest know what is expected and how to behave and also ensure the lessor is protected in case things go wrong.

Short-term lease agreements can be very short, like a week or less, or up to a few months. It depends on what is appropriate for the Lessor's needs.

If the situation is a traditional longer-term lease, like an apartment lease, for example, a standard Residential Lease Agreement is likely the document needed.

How to use this document

This Lease Agreement will help a Lessor create a document that has all the information and rules required for a Guest to undertake a short-term rental of the Lessor's property. Here, Lessor can list basic information, such as guest names and addresses, dates of the rental, and check-in/check-out times. The lessor will also be able to include more detailed information, such as a list of specific, written rules for the rental of the space.

The Lessor will be asked to outline the terms of the pet policy (if pets are allowed) and the means and method of payment. Overall, this short-term lease agreement will provide everything needed between the parties to ensure a good relationship between Lessor and Guest.

Applicable law

Lease Agreements in the United States are generally subject to the laws of individual states. State laws will cover general contract principles, but also the specifics of lease agreements between two parties. There also may be city-specific laws where the property is - in fact, many US cities have rules on short-term rentals. Business licenses might also be required. It is therefore a good idea to check the specific laws and rules of the city where the property is located, perhaps through a licensed attorney.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.