Sample Residential Lease
This is a sample lease as of February 28, 2014.
BEAR PAW MANAGEMENT LLC
Sample Lease
OFFICE: 414-339-3992
Lease Date Lease Term Monthly Rent Security Deposit
From To
3pm 11am
RESIDENTIAL LEASE
PARTIES/PREMISES
It is mutually agreed by and between Bear Paw Management, LLC, LESSOR, and ________________________
_______________________________________________________________LESSEE, jointly and severally, that Lessor does hereby lease
to Lessee, the following described premises ____________________________ Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to-wit, ___________________ floor
flat, for the term and rent described above.
RESIDENTS
Use and occupancy is to be limited to the ___ adults and ____ children as described on the application without any right to sublet or assign
all or any part of the premises.
RENT
The rent shall be paid on the 1st day of each month during the term hereof with the first payment due and owing on the 1st day of
____________ 20 ____. Time is of the essence. Lessee is to pay monthly rent with one check made out to BEAR PAW MANAGEMENT, LLC;
or one money order upon request.
PLACE OF PAYMENT AND NOTICE
Payments, made out to BEAR PAW MANAGEMENT, LLC, and delivery of any notices or papers are to be made at 3224A N. Oakland Ave.,
Milwaukee, WI 53211, given to Glenn Schmieg or his assignee. A fee of $30.00 will be charged for each occasion a check given by Lessee to
Lessor is not honored by the bank upon which it was drawn.
LATE FEES
A late fee OF $35.00 will be charged if the FULL monthly rent payment is RECEIVED BY LESSOR after the 1st day of the month. An
additional late fee of $30.00 will be charged after the 8th day of the month.
LEASE RENEWAL
The renewal of this lease is not automatic. Lessee shall vacate premises at the end of term, and remove all personal belongings.
SHORTENED TERM
If premises are deemed unfit or unusable by any governmental regulation or ruling, and normal repairs or alterations costing under $2000 will
not bring it into compliance, Lessee shall vacate within 30 days and the remainder of the lease shall be cancelled. Lessor shall prorate and
refund any unused rent payment.
APPLICATION
If Lessee makes representation to Lessor on a rental application or otherwise which induces Lessor to enter into this lease and the Lessor
thereafter discovers one or more material falsehoods in said representations, Lessor may cancel and rescind the lease with WRITTEN NOTICE
at least one calendar month is advance.
LESSEE HAS EXAMINED PREMISES
Lessee has examined and knows the condition of the premises and has received the same in good order and repair except as otherwise noted
and endorsed by both parties. Lessee is satisfied with all items pertaining to the inside condition of the flat, outside lights, general
landscaping, and safety.
APPLIANCES
Appliances are provided for Lessee's convenience only and shall not be considered a part of the premises for rental purposes. Lessor will not
be responsible for any meat/food spoilage loss under any circumstance. Lessee will arrange for and pay for ordinary service calls. Lessee will
pay for replacement parts (each occurrence) up to $30. Lessor will pay balance. Lessee shall clean appliances thoroughly and defrost
refrigerator at time of departure from premises.
CRIME AND CHEMICALS
Lessee is aware that according to newspapers and other media, this is an area of considerable crime, and caution must be used at all times.
Lessee is aware that newspaper and other public information indicate that asbestos, lead, radium, mold, fungi, toxic substances, various
chemicals, and naturally occurring radon gas pollution, can represent a health hazard. Some or all of these exist generally in Milwaukee and
may exist within this structure or in soils or water supplies. Lessee will not bring onto premises any gasoline, oil, batteries, or tires except as part
of a working automobile. Charcoal lighter fluid must be stored outside, away from the building.
LESSEE'S PROPERTY
Lessee is responsible for insuring his/her personal property and expressly waives any claim against Lessor for loss or damage thereto by reason
of fire, water, rain, theft, or other cause. Lessee is strongly encouraged to obtain a renter's insurance policy.
PAINTING AND DECORATING
Lessor must approve all painting (including colors) IN ADVANCE.
Natural woodwork will not be painted under any circumstances; paint drops and splatter will be removed immediately and completely.
CLEANING AND REPAIRS
If premises are not left in clean condition and ready for the next occupant, Lessor shall have the right to charge for the cost of cleaning and
repairing premises. No charge will be made for “routine cleaning.” Charges will be made for neglect, unsanitary conditions, and waste.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
Lessee agrees that the security deposit shall be held by Lessor and may be intermixed with Lessor's operating funds. Lessee waives interest on
security deposit.
THE SECURITY DEPOSIT IS NOT RENT and Lessee may not use it as rent. The deposit will be returned to Lessee after the premises are
vacated and all keys are returned to Lessor.
BREACH OF LEASE
Regardless of the term hereof, should Lessee neglect or fail to perform or observe any of the terms of this lease, Lessor shall give written notice
of same (personally or as otherwise provided by Statute) requiring Lessee to remedy the breach or vacate the premises on or before a date of
at least 5 days after the giving of the notice. If Lessee fails to comply with such notice, Lessor may declare this lease terminated and institute
action to evict Lessee from premises without limiting Lessee's liability for rent due or to become due hereunder.
WAIVER
One or more waivers of any term or condition of this lease, by either party shall not be construed as a waiver of a subsequent breach of the
same term or condition. Omission of any action on a default shall not imply a waiver of that default.
PETS
PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED. NO "VISITS" OR TEMPORARY PETS ARE ALLOWED.
Unauthorized Pets: If Lessee has an unauthorized pet and the premises are not re-rented despite the Lessor's normal rental efforts, there shall
be a presumption that the unauthorized pet(s) caused said failure to re-rent, and Lessee shall be responsible for the rent for the month
following his vacating of said premises.
LOCKS, KEYS AND ENTRY
Locks will not be changed or added without Lessor's advance permission. No double cylinder locks will be used. COMMON ENTRY DOORS
SHALL BE KEPT LOCKED. No locks or hooks will be added to any interior doors.
SMOKE ALARMS
Lessee shall maintain all smoke alarms, including hall and basement smoke alarms, in good working order, and replace if needed during
lease. Wisconsin law has a $300 fine for tampering with smoke alarms.
STORAGE
No storage is allowed in attic, hallways, basement or garage other than Lessee’s bicycle which must be removed at time of Lessee vacating.
No motorcycles or mini-bikes are allowed in or about the leased premises.
REPAIRS
After taking possession, tenant agrees to keep premises in good repair. Lessee is responsible for all repairs, including glass breakage during
their tenancy, for all repairs necessitated by their negligent actions. Lessee will notify Lessor, not a tradesman working for Lessor, of needed
repairs. Lessor will be allowed to enter premises at reasonable times on reasonable notice to check for and make repairs or improvements.
CLEANING AND DRAINS
Lessee will keep the premises in a clean, sanitary, and tenantable condition at all times and will keep all toilet, tub, and sink drains free of
hair, grease, clogs and debris.
GARBAGE AND RECYCLING
Lessee will maintain all containers and follow all rules concerning Milwaukee garbage collection and recycling. Charge will be made for any
illegal dumping at $25 each time plus the cost of disposal and any government fines. CAUTION! Recycling rules are very strict. Lessee must
follow the latest city ordinances.
LESSEE'S DUTIES
Lessee, for himself and his social and business guests, agrees to abide by the following rules and regulations which are a part of the lease.
-Premises will be used only for lawful residential purposes. No advertising will be posted, or window covered over, which is visible from outside
the building.
-Nothing shall be done which increases the risk of fire or explosion or which will affect the validity of the Standard Fire Insurance Policy of the
State of Wisconsin.
LESSEE'S DUTIES (continued)
-Grilling on porches is not allowed.
-No glue, sticky tape or gummy materials will be used on any wall or ceiling.
-If a waterbed is used, Lessee will provide a certificate of general liability insurance naming Lessor as an additional insured for at least $5000
to Lessor IN ADVANCE.
-Lessee shall notify Lessor if Lessee leaves the premises for a period in excess of 7 days or leaves before lease end.
EARLY MOVE-OUT
If lessee vacates the premises before lease end, he shall be responsible for all remaining rent which is due or comes due under the lease. In
addition, a termination fee of one half month rent will be charged. CAUTION! Because of its location near the University of Wisconsin -
Milwaukee, this flat has limited demand except in late July and August. Lessor will attempt to mitigate damages.
LAWN AND SNOW
Lessee is responsible for: (Indicated by a circle)
Keeping grass Raking Keeping lawn free of Cleaning front / rear hallway
neat and trimmed leaves paper and debris common areas________
Keeping free of ice and snow: (All descriptions are facing the house)
left porches right porches rear porch front porches
& sidewalks & sidewalks & walkway & sidewalks
shared driveway own parking spot(s)
Lessee shall furnish own lawn mower, snow shovel(s), sand and salt.
PARKING
_____ parking spot(s) is/are is not included. Type:______________________________
Location: ________________________________________________________________________________
HEAT AND UTILITIES
Lessee is to furnish heat at his or her expense. Lessee agrees to maintain a reasonable amount of heat in cold weather to prevent damage to
water pipes, etc. Lessee agrees to pay ___ % of the building water and sewer bill which may include other city fees. Lessee is responsible for
his own gas and electric bills. Lessee must have gas and electric service “on” in their names for the entire duration of the lease. Lessee will
replace all light bulbs as needed. Gas and electric are generally under separate meters for each flat. However, there may be hall or entry or
basement lights or electricity to a garage which is shared. In no case shall any tenant hook up any appliance except to their own service.
Lessee will not bring onto the premises any personal refrigerators, washers, or dryers.
SEVERABILITY
Should one or more of the provisions of this agreement be found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason, the validity, legality,
and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be impaired or affected in any way.
LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION
Lessee agrees to perform the nine actions listed on page 7 of the booklet Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home. This booklet is to be
retained and used if the property has repairs or modifications during the lease term.
BUILDING CONDITIONS
This is an older building without modern soundproofing. You will hear others and they will hear you. Everyone must be considerate. Not all
windows will open completely or move smoothly, but, enough will open for normal ventilation. Not all radiators will heat uniformly, one may
be missing, but enough will heat for normal comfort.
OTHER RULES
Lessor shall have the right to make other reasonable rules and regulations as may, in its judgment, be necessary for the administration, safety,
care and cleanliness of the property.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
No smoking anywhere on premises, including porches and lawns.
Lessee is responsible for maintaining the premises as a nonsmoking unit.
No more than 5 people on any outside porch.
No parties anywhere on premises.
No music outdoors; no music or noise anywhere after 9 p.m.
LESSOR'S DUTIES
To respect the right of every tenant to privacy. To provide friendly management. To return an itemized account of security deposit within 21
days of end of lease. To replace smoke detector batteries at beginning of each lease.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this _______ day of _______________, 20 ________.
I, we, have read and understood all 7 pages of this lease, including the NONSTANDARD RENTAL PROVISIONS and PHILOSOPHY AND
RULES.
Lessee1 _____________________________ Lessor _________________________________
Lessee 2_____________________________ Office Manager __________________________
Lessee 3_____________________________
Lessee 4_____________________________
This lease was drafted
by Glenn Schmieg
COSIGNATURES
I personally guarantee prompt payment of rent and the performance of all duties as provided in this lease.
_______________________________________________
Signature date
_______________________________________________
Signature date
_______________________________________________
Signature date
_______________________________________________
Signature date
NONSTANDARD RENTAL PROVISIONS
As part of the rental agreement (composed of the rental application, the residential lease, and such other documents which the parties
executed), the undersigned tenant(s) agree to the following charges and costs which may be assessed against the security deposit:
$35.00 for each month if the full rent is not received on or before the first day of the month,
$30.00 fee for check dishonored by tenants' bank,
$25.00 fee if Lessor or manager unlocks Lessee’s unit because of lost, misplaced, or forgotten keys,
50% of one month's rent in the event that lessee departs or either party re-rents the premises prior to the agreed lease end date,
$30.00 each for cleaning stove top, oven, broiler pan, refrigerator, and freezer, if left dirty,(neglect)
If a professional cleaning service is used, actual charges will be made. Normal charges if a professional service is not used are: clean
cupboards, $20.00 per set; clean bath fixtures, $25.00 each; clean windows: $10.00 each; clean hallway,$25.00,
$35.00 per hour plus materials to repaint marked or damaged surfaces (no charge will be made for normal wear and tear),
$30.00 for each lawn mowing when neglected by tenant,
$50.00 for snow removal if responsible tenant(s) fails to perform this function within 1 day after snowstorm
$8.00 for each set-out or return of a garbage or recycling cart.
A request for maintenance work by tenant constitutes permission for management/maintenance personnel to enter premises at reasonable
times to perform the repairs. The phone number to notify the Lessee is _____________________________. A voicemail or text message from
Lessor will be sufficient authorization to enter premises.
Removal of personal property left on premises after vacating will be charged at an hourly rate of $35.00.
Storage will be charged at $20.00 per week,
$25.00 fee if ALL keys including mailbox and garage keys are not returned to Lessor upon Lessee’s vacating,
$50.00 fee for EACH garage door opener not returned to Lessor upon Lessee’s vacating,
$150.00 per incident if Lessor receives a notice from any city official for improper activity (in or around unit),
_____The above charges shall be treated as rent.
I understand that if I fail to properly clean/repair my apartment upon departure, I will be charged the above charges (or the higher actual cost
of repair, if applicable). I am aware that I have 7 days after taking occupancy, to notify Lessor in writing, of any damage or needed repairs
which existed prior to occupancy. I may make a written request for a list of physical damages or defects, if any, charged to the previous
tenants' security deposit.
Identified, discussed, and negotiated on
______________________(date)
Tenant(s) initials ________ ________ _________ _______
PHILOSOPHY AND RULES
The management of this building promises to work hard to provide a pleasant rental experience. We have chosen a level of service and
friendliness which we believe is substantially higher than most in the area. This is only possible with your help and cooperation. Let us all
make a good start, on a positive note.
This is a quiet building intended for studying and similar activities. No loud noises or large parties are allowed. Since we have chosen a high
standard, we have rules that lean away from those of "dorm rooms" and "frat houses" and "ugly student housing." Please be a good neighbor.
Do not bring musical instruments, tiki torches, portable bars, beer kegs or barrels. No beer-pong or other sport tables or collections of empty
bottles or cans are allowed. We also require that beds or futons be placed only in designated bedrooms. No indoor furniture is allowed on
porches or lawns. No papers or posters will be attached to walls unless they are framed and hung on small nails. A high standard of neatness
will be kept, both inside and on the porch and lawns.
The area around UWM has a high concentration of student rentals and quite a few single family homes. This has led to conflicts over noise,
dog walking, parties, and other issues. In recent years, the City of Milwaukee has increased fines and enforcement. Please be very aware of
this and stay away from any illegal activity.
Read and accepted on __________________ (date) Tenant(s) initials _____ _____ _____ _____