Free California Rental Lease Agreements | PDF | WORD | Download

Free California Rental Lease Forms

The landlord and the tenant are mandated to understand laws and provisions governing their agreements as well as be able to deal with legal issues without necessarily going to the court.

The state of California has set rules, regulations, and codes that state the obligations of both parties.

Cal.Civ Code §§ 1940 – 1954 regulates the relationship between the landlord and the tenant as well as renting the property.

Also, Cal. Civ Code §§1961 – 1962.7 deals with the identification of property owners. The rights and responsibilities of both parties are also found in the California tenant’s guide.

California Tenancy Law Quick Links

California Security Deposit Policy | Required Disclosure | Late Fees and other Rent rules | Termination and Eviction


Free California Standard Commercial Single-Tenant Lease Agreement | PDF | WORD | Download

The California standard commercial single-tenant lease agreement is intended for renting business space in a commercial building within California. The form should not be used for multi-tenant buildings and solely covers the premises. The lease agreement is also a legal document that binds the tenant and the owner of the commercial premises and is written in regards to the California Civil Code § 1938 and Assembly Bill 2093. Steps to fill California standard commercial single-tenant lease agreement The first section entails filling the following: The […]


Free California Student Sub-Lease Agreement | PDF | WORD | Download

The California student sublease agreement that is designated for students and roommates cases is subject to the California rental lease agreement. The provisions of the original lease are carried on to the sublease but the original tenant remains responsible. The California student sublease agreement follows the laid out guidelines and provisions of the California state laws and complies with California Civil Code § 1951.4. How to fill the California student sublease agreement On the top: The name of the tenant and subtenant are filled. The […]


Free California Sublease Agreement | PDF | WORD | Download

The California sublease agreement is a legal document that binds an existing tenant and a person who wishes to rent the same place, either part of or the entire premise. The California tenant laws allow subleasing of the property if it is mentioned in the original laws. However, in cases where there is no mention, the law tends to favor the tenant even though the provisions are not specifically mentioned under (CIV § 1995.210). How to Fill California Sublease Agreement Personal information The date of […]


Free California Rental Application | PDF | WORD | Download

The California rental application is a legal document used by landlords to collect information about their proposed tenants and use it to vet them. The process is made easier and advantageous to both the landlord and the tenant as the landlord can know their tenant’s information beforehand. The tenants are given a uniform and non-discrimination selection based on the provided information. According to (Cal. Civ. Code §§1950.5, 1940.5(g)), A landlord cannot ask for more than two months’ rent as a deposit for an unfurnished property. […]


Free California Rental Lease Agreement | PDF | WORD | Download

The California rental lease agreement is a legal document that binds the landlord and the tenant in regards to a residential or commercial property. The agreement follows the rights and responsibilities of the tenant and the landlord as outlined in the Guide to Landlords’ and Tenants’ Rights and Responsibilities in California. The California rental lease agreement entails that the landlord asks for two months’ rent as a security deposit for the unfurnished property and 3 months for the furnished. It is done according to section […]


Free California Month to Month Rental Agreement | PDF | WORD | Download

California Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

The California month-to-month rental agreement is a document that contains tenancy guidelines and binds a landlord and a tenant. The agreement is written following the California Civil Code § § 1925 to 1954.1; 1961 to 1995.340. With this type of agreement, the landlord can gather details on their tenant and the tenant can understand the laid out obligations. Steps to fill California month-to-month rental agreement The first section requires: The date the agreement is entered. The name of the landlord, address, phone number and the […]


Free California Commercial Lease Agreement – Gross Single Tenant | PDF | WORD | Download

The California commercial lease agreement-gross single tenant is a legal document that binds a landlord and a tenant for commercial premises. It has outlined obligations and provisions for both the landlord and the tenant as stated by the California state laws. For example, the landlord is expected to take responsibility for the maintenance of the premise while the tenant pays for utility services among other things. Steps to fill the California commercial lease agreement-gross single tenant On the topmost part of the document, the name […]


Overview of the California Landlord and Tenants Law

Security deposit limit and return policy

According to  Cal.Civ.Code §§ 1950.5 and 1940.5g, the security deposit should be a maximum of two months for unfurnished houses and three months for the furnished houses. The landlord should also return the deposit within 21 days after the tenant moves out of the house according to Civ. Code §§ 1950.5g.

As per the set agreement, the deposit can be used for repairing damages, cleaning the unit, for unpaid rent or restoring items in the house.

Required disclosure for California State

Tenancy in California should be offered in an unfair manner and on the first qualification as stated in the 2012 Fair Housing Handbook of California. According to Civ. Code §§ 1954.602, the landlord is not authorized to rent a premise that is infested with a bedbug. The Civ. Code §§ 1954.604 requires the landlord to disclose such information to the potential tenant and ensure treatment on the infected premises is carried out.

Among other disclosures required by the Californian state laws are the ordinances, the utilities to be provided, demolition of a unit, smoking restrictions, proof of domestic status and pet disclosures.

Late fees and other rent rules

The rent is to be paid monthly for less than a year lease agreement according to Civ. Code §§ 1947 and Civ. Code §§ 1962. In cases where there is an increase in rent, the landlord should provide notices within 30 days for a 10% increase and 60 days for more than 10% increase as required by Civ. Code §§ 827(b)(2-3).

According to Civ. Code §§ 1942, the tenant can withhold the rent if the landlord fails to provide essential amenities. In the case where they handle the repairs, they can also deduct the amount from the rent.

Termination and eviction rules

The Civ. Code §§ 1946 requires the landlord to follow the 30 days eviction notice for tenants who have stayed at the premise for less than a year and 60 days for those who have stayed over a year.

The week to week tenants is given 30 days’ notice for eviction or termination by the landlord. They are however supposed to give their notices to the landlord seven days before termination.

The state of California requires landlords and tenants to have insights on the law provisions and their rights and responsibilities. It is vital to hand an understanding of legal matters surrounding an agreement for smooth tenancy and dealing with issues efficiently without the help of a lawyer.