3. Put all the terms in writing

When you are applying to rent a place, you and the landlord might discuss repairs, upgrades, or agreements about certain costs. You should make sure these things are written in your rental agreement.

Make sure your agreement covers enough details so there won't be any disagreements later. The agreement may include:

who pays for utilities
if parking is included
the length of your
the amount of rent you will pay and if there are any discounts or penalties
the date you can move in
what other facilities are included, such as a gym or a storage locker
if your landlord provides any services such as cleaning your unit

If your agreement is not in writing, you should make notes about what you and your landlord talked about and agreed on.

Standard lease

The government's standard lease form has clear places to put all of the details listed above.

You can also add pages for any “additional terms” you and your landlord agree to. The additional terms cannot go against any of the standard terms on the form. They also cannot go against what is allowed by the law.

When to use the standard lease form

Landlords of most types of rental units have to use the standard lease form for agreements made on or after April 30, 2018.

You cannot force the landlord to use the standard lease form. But the law gives you certain rights if they do not.

Places that do not have to use the standard lease include:

places rented for a business
public or
mobile homes or land lease homes
housing co-ops
subletting
care homes, for example, retirement homes