Alabama Residential Lease Agreement for Rental Properties

Lease agreements in Alabama are used to establish a legally binding contract between a tenant and a landlord. A lease stipulates that the renter will make monthly rent payments in exchange for the use of a habitable space or rental unit.

The agreement is legally sound and may be used as leverage if either party fails to keep their end of the bargain.

It is essential to pay careful attention to federal and state law when drafting a rental contract. In this article, we'll provide you with the information you need to draw up a detailed Alabama residential lease agreement.

What to Include

Wondering what your lease agreement should cover? Here's a list of some of the most important details to include:

• The tenant and landlord's name and address
• Disclosures (see the section below)
• Move-in checklist
• Information about the security deposit
• When the tenant will be expected to pay the month's rent
• Late fees
• Utility arrangements
• Lease termination
• The eviction process

Mandatory Disclosure

According to Alabama tenant laws, there are certain things that you'll need to disclose on the lease agreement. This includes potential hazards and important information. Here's a list of the things you'll have to disclose in rental agreements:

The Landlord's Name and Business Address

The law requires landlords to disclose their names and business addresses, as well as the name and address of anyone who is authorized to act on the landlord's behalf, such as a property manager. This is to ensure that legal notices are delivered to the right person.

Lead-based Paint Disclosure

According to federal law, all landlords whose rental properties were constructed before 1978 must disclose possible exposure to lead-based paint.

Other Optional Disclosures

While these disclosures aren't mandatory, you can safeguard yourself from possible liability by including the following in your rental contract:

• Shared utility disclosure
• Mold or asbestos disclosure
• Bed bugs
• Late fees and penalties for returned checks
• Move-in checklist
• Designated smoking areas

Alabama Tenant Laws You Should Know About

Here are a few laws to keep in mind when drawing up your lease contract:

• The landlord is required to provide two days' notice before entering a rental property for maintenance. Emergency entry is allowed without prior notice
• A tenant's security deposit must be returned within 35 days of the end of the lease term or from the day the property is vacated. Failure to return the security deposit within this time frame could lead to the landlord paying double the amount

Build Your Own

Now that you have a good idea of what you'll need to put in your rental agreement, it's time to draw one up. To do this, you'll need an innovative tool that lets you customize your rental agreement to suit your needs.

One option is to download a free form. However, you'll have to use what's there, leaving you with no room for customization. While other free lease generators could provide some degree of customization, they are still quite limiting.

This is where DoorLoop can help. With fully customizable templates and an intuitive platform that helps you manage your rental business, DoorLoop is an excellent tool for landlords and property owners!

eSignature

Suppose you want your tenant to sign this form electronically? And maybe you want a tenant portal where they can submit maintenance requests and pay rent online?

In that case, you can use DoorLoop's property management software designed specifically for landlords and property managers. You can turn your form into a reusable template, have it auto-fill all the tenants information and send it for eSignature.

If you need to find a new tenant, you can even market your property on Zillow, Trulia, Hotpads, Apartments.com, and more. The best part is, there’s no more paper applications! Your tenants can fill out their rental application online, and you can even run background checks on them covering criminal, credit, and eviction reports powered by TransUnion.

To get a closer look at DoorLoop, learn more or schedule a free demo.

What Is DoorLoop?

DoorLoop is a software solution that helps you create professional lease agreements in just minutes. All you need to do is select a template and use the editor and autofill feature to quickly and easily create a rental agreement you can rely on.

You can also manage payments, receive rental applications, conduct background screening, and so much more, making it the ultimate tool for Alabama landlords.

To learn more about how DoorLoop works, schedule a demo here.

Final Thoughts

Drawing up an Alabama lease agreement doesn't have to be complicated! Using this simple guide and DoorLoop, you can safeguard your rental business by creating detailed rental contracts.