What Should Boca Raton Landlords Add to a Lease Agreement?

Florida PMServices • December 18, 2020
What Should Boca Raton Landlords Add to a Lease Agreement? - Article Banner

A strong lease agreement is a landlord’s best tool when it comes to managing your tenant, your property, and your expectations. It’s important that you have a good lease, and it starts with a template that’s legally compliant and specific to Florida. While you can probably find a lot of sample leases on the internet, you don’t want to use one that doesn’t include all the information that’s absolutely critical when you’re renting out a Boca Raton property. 


There’s a lot you need to include in a lease agreement, and we want to share some of the most important elements to a lease. 


Contact and Identifying Information 


A good lease will start with a description of the property, an address, and information about the landlord and the tenant. If you’re working with a
property management company, your property manager’s contact information should be in the lease as well. List what’s included in the property, such as appliances, and whether it’s a house, apartment, or condo. All adults living in the property who are 18 years of age or older must be listed on the lease, and you should also include the names and ages of any minors. 


Rent Collection Policy 


The lease agreement must include a rent collection policy which includes:

  • How much the monthly rent is
  • When rent is due
  • How rent should be paid


Make sure you include information about any grace periods and when the rent is officially considered late. You’ll want to include late fees and other consequences, including the potential for eviction when rent isn’t paid on time. 


Include the eviction timeline, starting with the Three Day Notice to Pay or Quit. When the rent collection policy is in writing in your lease agreement, tenants cannot claim they didn’t know there were late fees or they didn’t know how to pay.


Provide Landlord and Tenant Maintenance Responsibilities


As the landlord, you will need to maintain the home and ensure it remains habitable, however the tenant will have a role in general upkeep, and you’ll need specific responsibilities outlined in the lease agreement. You can instruct the tenants to change air filters, replace light bulbs, and even take care of general things like landscaping. 


When the tenants are responsible for setting up utility accounts for the property, make sure your lease says so. You should also include a list of requirements that the tenants need to fulfill in order to get their full security deposit back. Provide instructions to tenants on how to report maintenance issues and repair needs.


Include any Legal Disclosures

legal

Your lease is legally required to include several disclosures designed to protect tenants. These include lead based paint disclosures and information about mold and asbestos. It’s always a good idea to establish whether smoking is allowed in the property and if you’re renting a pet-friendly property, don’t forget to include your pet policy. 


To ensure your lease covers everything that it needs to, we recommend you talk to an attorney or a professional Boca Raton property manager. We can help. Contact us at Florida Property Management Services. 

Share this post

By Florida PMServices June 23, 2026
From the Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, PLLC
By Florida PMServices June 10, 2026
Think again !!
By Florida PMServices June 9, 2026
Welcome to this month’s Investor Newsletter. With market conditions varying widely from one metro to the next, staying informed has never been more important. This edition dives into the shift away from a one-size-fits-all housing market, highlights the hidden value of assumable mortgages, and covers the SFR headlines worth watching this month. Let’s dive in! The Death of the “National Housing Market”: Why Local Knowledge Is the New Investor Edge For years, real estate investors could rely on a familiar narrative: the housing market is hot or the market is cooling. But in 2026, that headline is becoming less and less applicable as there is no longer just one housing market. Instead, there are thousands of local markets moving at different speeds. At the national level, housing appears more balanced than it has in years. According to Realtor.com’s Housing Market Report , April contract signings rose 4.5% year over year, while new listings reached their highest level since 2022. On paper, that suggests momentum is returning, but beneath the surface, the story can change by region, metro, and even ZIP code. Realtor.com found that performance across the top 50 U.S. metros varies widely, buyer activity is picking up in some areas, while others remain slow. In fact, many of the strongest-performing housing markets in early 2026 have been concentrated in the Midwest rather than the typically strongest Sun Belt region. A recent Fortune analysis noted that affordability and home pricing are helping Midwest markets outperform many southern metros in which are now facing softer demand and rising inventory. Rental performance is becoming just as localized too. The latest SFR Index found rent growth slowing significantly compared to prior years, with standalone SFR rents increasing just 0.8% year over year nationally in February. Meanwhile, some markets continue to stabilize while others face more pressure from new supply and affordability challenges. Additionally, according to a Yardi Matrix report , areas with more new construction, particularly in parts of the Sun Belt, are seeing weaker rent growth. Local market changes often show up first in property management data. Leasing activity, renewal rates, concessions, and tenant demand tend to change at the neighborhood level long before national housing reports reflect them. One area may remain highly competitive while a nearby neighborhood sees slower leasing activity. As an investor, it may be time to look beyond national headlines and even citywide trends when evaluating markets. You may want to look at where homes are leasing fastest and which neighborhoods are seeing new supply. Competitive edge may not come from choosing the right city, but from understanding the right block. As your property management company, we are here to help, so please reach out if you have any questions about your market. Did You Know: Assumable Mortgages Everything You Need to Know in 60 Seconds! What exactly is an assumable mortgage? Instead of getting a brand-new loan, the buyer takes over (or “assumes”) the seller’s existing mortgage, including the current interest rate, remaining balance, and loan terms. Not all loans qualify, but many FHA, VA, and USDA loans do, while most conventional loans do not. Who can use this? Real estate investors, homebuyers, and sellers can all benefit. For investors, assumable loans can be attractive when today’s interest rates are much higher than the seller’s existing loan rate. On the other side, it can also be used as a major selling point. Where can investors find this? Assumable mortgages can be found nationwide, but availability depends on the financing already attached to the property. Most conventional bank loans have a "due-on-sale" clause, which means they cannot be assumed. When is the best time to use this? These loans become especially valuable when current mortgage rates are much higher than rates from previous years. Assuming a mortgage at 3% instead of getting a new loan at 7% could dramatically reduce monthly payments for investors. Why does this matter? As a buyer, an assumable mortgage can help improve cash flow, lower financing costs, and make a property more attractive to future buyers. As a seller, it acts as a massive marketing tool. Offering a built-in low interest rate allows your property to stand out. Investor Takeaway: A low-rate assumable mortgage can be a valuable opportunity when buying AND a strong selling feature when it’s time to exit an investment. SFR Trending Headlines Stay Up to Date on the Hottest SFR News & Stories Are Single-Family Rentals Climbing While Apartments Slump? The Summer Pause : Why Zillow Says the Housing Recovery Just Hit a Wall Lizzo Offloads Her Beverly Hills Compound at a Massive $4M Discount Wall Street Is Betting $15 Billion on a Brand-New Wave of Housing Supply Why Ellen DeGeneres Just Listed Her $30M Eco-Farmhouse and Left for the UK Rate Update: We've Partnered with LendingOne to Bring You The Best DSCR Rates & Terms! DSCR Loan Advantages: Rates Often Lower Than Banks No Personal Income Requirement No Tax Returns Needed Not Reported on Credit Faster Closing Times Specialized Loans for Investors Only! To Inquire about Single Family Investor loans by email us at office@properties.rent Until Next Month! The Florida Property Management Services Team
Show More