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52 Short-Term Rental Agreement Templates

With the rising demand for short-term rental properties over traditional accommodations such as hotels, landlords need to find a way to protect their property investments. For most landlords, renting their property usually involves dealing with a tenant who wants a commercial or residential space for a period of one year or longer. The rental agreement usually guarantees a stable source of income for more than 12 months.

However, in cases where the tenant needs a rental space for a short period of time, such as for days, weeks, or months, using a short-term rental agreement is advisable. This contract offers flexibility and keeps you aware of the limited income source. In addition, these contracts vary from vacation rental agreements to temporary rental agreements. This makes it easier to prepare a contract that suits your needs and your property.

This also depends on the tenant’s needs and the leasing period. Since these types of rental contracts mean limited income, landlords must be careful before agreeing to rent. It involves carefully considering the terms and conditions that come with this type of contract, reviewing the long-term rental options, and understanding all the benefits and disadvantages of this arrangement.

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    Statistical insight: The National Multifamily Housing Council conducted a survey in 2019, which showed that about 43% of landlords in the United States would prefer leasing their property on a short-term agreement.

    There are alternative names for short-term rental agreements, and they include the following:

    • Short-term house rental contract
    • Short-term residential agreement
    • Vacation rental contract
    • Vacation rental agreement

    This article will provide more information regarding renting for a short-term period when this contract should be used, and its advantages and disadvantages. In addition, you will learn how to create one yourself or use our free printable templates. The article will provide a guide on creating a short-term rental agreement for residential property such as a house, a room, or an apartment.

    What is a Short-Term rental agreement?

    A short-term rental agreement is a contract between a landlord and their tenant, usually for one to 30 days, that outlines the exact terms and conditions of the rental period.

    The contract can also be for several months, but mostly for less than a year. It is a legally binding document that should adhere to state laws and clearly outline the responsibilities of both the landlord and the tenant.

    In such cases, the properties are usually luxury vacation rentals or furnished apartments. For the terms and conditions, the agreement should outline the rental period, price (rent), payment due dates, security deposit, specific responsibilities, and obligations alongside any restrictions. Both parties must adhere to the conditions of the agreement or risk early contract termination. Ultimately, having this document is a way for the landlord to secure their income and protect their property from damages.

    When Should a Short-Term Rental Agreement be Used?

    As a landlord, you may need to prepare a short-term rental agreement if you find yourself in the following situations:

    Vacation rental

    In case you have a property in places that are frequented by tourists, you can rent them for short periods of time, like a week or month. This is an effective way of gaining more income since you will always be needed when tourists are around.

    Statistical insight: In 2019, Statista discovered that the vacation rental market size was valued at $87.09 billion and is expected to reach $113.9 billion by 2027.

    Temporary work assignment

    If you already have furnished apartments, you can rent them to employees or workers that are being relocated to your property location for temporary work assignments. This will be a reliable, valuable, and sensible option for such individuals.

    Medical treatment

    In case your residential property is located near a hospital or medical institution, you can rent it on a temporary basis for those individuals who are traveling to the area for medical treatment.

    Transitional housing

    Another beneficial situation can be transitional housing. This targets individuals who are in the process of either moving or renovating their homes and need temporary residency.

    Airbnb services

    If you own Airbnb properties, a rental agreement for a short term is your best option. Ensure that the terms in your contract adhere to the laws and regulations of your property’s jurisdiction. For that positive experience, ensure that you clearly highlight the rules and regulations of staying at Airbnb.

    Did you know? Airbnb is the most popular short-term platform, and it has reported over 4 million listings in over 220 countries and regions by June 2021. According to the report, this platform has had over 900 million guests since it started in 2008. The American Hotel and Lodging Association conducted a survey that discovered that about 56% of US travelers had used short-term rentals before, with 24% of those travelers specifically using Airbnb.

    With these situations and the benefits of using a rental agreement for a short-term period in mind, you need to have an effective way of preparing a legal and complete contract. You can achieve that by using a pre-made template, as it guarantees structure, consistency, and time saved. This is because once you create a template, you can reuse it multiple times for every rental situation that involves a short period of time.

    How to Create a Short-Term Rental Agreement

    When creating a rental agreement for a short-term arrangement, the following basic components should be included in the contract:

    Section 1: Parties’ details

    The rental agreement should mention all the parties involved by including their full official names and physical addresses. The landlord or property owner and the tenant are the two parties who should be mentioned in this section. The contract should also have the date written as Month name-Day-Year to indicate when it was prepared.

    Section 2: Details of the property

    The next section should focus on the property description. This includes the address of the rental property, unit number, and other identification details. The landlord can also include the furnishings details to ensure that the tenant gets a clear picture of the property’s locations and the available amenities.

    Section 3: Rental party

    This section is meant to highlight the names of the members that will be joining the tenant. The relationship between the tenant and the rental party should also be highlighted. This is meant to ensure that the maximum occupancy of the property is not exceeded. That way, you can charge the tenant an extra fee or implement any other consequences if this requirement is not followed. 

    Section 4: Maximum occupancy

    The tenant should also be aware of the maximum number of people allowed in the property at any given period. This minimizes disruption or damage. In addition, in case the tenant exceeds this maximum capacity and something happens, you can make them liable, for instance, by charging them for the additional guests

    Section 5: Visitors’ details

    The next section should focus on the number of visitors or guests that the tenant is allowed to have on the premises at any given time. 

    Section 6: Rental period and check-in

    For the next part, the agreement should highlight the start and end dates of the rental period. This way, you will have no issues with the tenant when it is time for them to leave your property. Depending on the property, this section should also include the allowed check-in and check-out time. This way, you will avoid delays and confusion when it comes to checking in new tenants and checking out the old ones.

    Section 7: Keys and access codes

    The rental contract must mention the number of keys or access codes that will be made available to the tenant for the sake of security and easy access to the premises. Ensure you also define the penalty the tenant will face if they lose the keys.

    Section 8: Rental rules and restrictions

    The rental rules and restrictions to be included in the contract all depend on you and your property requirements. The most common ones include cleaning, parking, pets, trash disposal, smoking policy, illegal use, firearms possession, use of fireworks, subletting, utilities alongside maintenance and repairs. 

    For example:

    • Smoking policy- You can prohibit or limit smoking in your rental property. In case you do not allow smoking, this will include all forms such as marijuana, cigarettes and vaping. If it is not a ban but a restriction, ensure you indicate where the tenants may smoke.
    • Pets- You can restrict or ban pets from your building. This is with an exception of service and emotional support pets. For a pet-friendly rental, inform the tenant about the number of pets, the specific types, the breed and the size allowed. In addition, specify if they must be on a leash when outside and that they are required to clean up their pet waste. 
    • Parking- For this rule, inform them of the number of parking spaces provided and if there is an expected fee or not. You must state the exact amount in case a fee is needed. 
    • Firearms- You must inform the tenants of property restrictions regarding firearms based on the State and local laws.
    • Fireworks– You can restrict or prohibit the use of fireworks and other hazardous  materials within your property.
    • Illegal use- This is meant to inform the tenant that illegal and disruptive activities like drug use, drug dealing or excessive noise is not permitted in the property. This will protect your property from damages and ensure each tenant has a peaceful stay. 
    • Fire alarms– Inform the tenants if your building has or does not have fire alarms. Also, encourage them to use it in case a need arises.
    • Trash- The rental agreement should provide tenants with specific instructions regarding trash disposal. 
    • Subletting- You must inform the tenants if they are allowed to sublet the rental property or not. If they are allowed, you should provide specific instructions they should observe.
    • Utilities- This includes internet, electricity, water and even trash collection. You need to inform the tenant of your utility responsibilities.
    • Maintenance and repairs- This section should specify which party is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the property during the rental period. The roles of each party should also be clearly listed alongside consequences of not adhering to the requirements. This may include deducting the tenant’s security deposit to pay for any damages. 

    Section 9: Payment details

    For the payment details, the focus should be on the required rent amount and its due date. The rental agreement can also mention any available service fees or rates. This means that you should have a section for the following: total amount due, local taxes breakdown and cleaning fees (if any). You should include the payment methods available for the tenant to use such as cash, check transfer or card payment.

    Did you know? A report by Transparent prepared in 2019 discovered that the average daily rate for short-term rentals in the U.S. was $160, which was higher than the $131 paid for traditional hotel stays.

    Section 10: Security deposit 

    The rental agreement should mention whether a security deposit is required. If it is required, the amount should be clearly mentioned in the contract. A security deposit is required when the expected guest or tenant makes a reservation. This means that it is meant to protect you in case of a last-minute cancellation.  

    Depending on your cancellation policy, you can offer a partial, full or no refund of their deposit. This policy should focus on the circumstances that determine whether or not the tenant receives their security deposit if they cancel. In addition, when it is time for check-out, you can either refund it to the tenant or deduct any fees and other incurred charges before giving them the balance. That means that this document should specify when the tenant will receive their security deposit back upon termination. 

    Section 11: Violation of agreement

    It is important to include the conditions that will be considered as breaching or violating the agreement. This might include late payment or failure to adhere to the rules and regulations. The contract should also include the consequences of these violations.

    Section 12: Notices

    The next section should focus on how both parties shall receive any required written notices. These written notices can be sent to the parties’ mailing addresses.

    Section 13: Termination

    For the next part, the rental agreement should specify the termination arrangements. The landlord should be allowed to inspect the premises before the tenants leave. Also, the contract should specify how soon the tenants will be required to vacate the premises once the agreement has been terminated.

    Section 14: Governing law

    Since this contract should be prepared according to the State Laws, the governing law section is essential in highlighting that aspect.

    Section 15: Required landlord disclosures

    For houses built before 1978, the landlord is required to include a Lead-based paint disclosure according to Federal, State and local laws. The contract can also include other disclosures that the landlord might need to inform the tenant before they sign the document.

    For the lead-based disclosure, you will have to inform the tenants about the use of lead-based paint. In case you have a bed-bug history, this information should be made available to the tenant. Ensure that your contract does not violate any rent control laws, anti-discrimination laws or health and safety codes. Although you can prepare the contract yourself, ask a local landlord-tenant attorney to review your rental agreement before using it.

    Section 16: Additional terms

    Finally, the rental contract should include a section where additional terms and conditions that were not mentioned earlier in the document can be included. These terms may be specific to the property or the arrangement that the landlord has with their tenant.

    Section 17: Limitation of Liability

    This provision states that you will not be held liable for any damages that are not caused by your own negligence but the tenant will be held liable for those caused by their own negligence. It also protects you from consequential or punitive damages. For this clause to be legal and acceptable, ensure that it contains statutory limits that can be made against you, the losses each party must compensate with or without limits and losses that both parties are not liable for. 

    Section 18: Signatures

    It is important to have a signature section or area for all the parties involved in the contract to sign. The landlord, alongside all the tenants who will be residing in their property, should sign. The specific date when the contract was signed should also be included.

    A complete and legal short-term rental agreement must include all the components explained above. At times, making one from scratch might be difficult, time-consuming, and prone to error. That is why you should use a template when creating this document. You can access and download these printable templates for free. You can easily edit them to suit the State’s requirements in regard to a short-term rental contract. They can also be used multiple times, which can make your work easier.

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      Short-Term Rental Agreements: Understanding the Pros and Cons

      Below are some advantages and disadvantages that you should consider before preparing a rental agreement for short-term use:

      Pros

      • Clarity- With a rental agreement, both parties will be clear on what they are expected to do and not to do to avoid breaching the contract. This is all based on the terms and conditions listed in the document.
      • Protection- You will be protected against property damages and failure to receive payment if you use this contract. That means that you can take legal measures, using the signed agreement as evidence, in case of any problems with the rental arrangements.
      • Compliance- With this document, you will be complying with the legal requirements of renting out property. This may include registering your residential property with local authorities, paying taxes on rental income, and observing safety and zoning regulations.
      • Consistency- This written agreement provides landlords with consistency in their rental process, which can be beneficial if you own multiple properties or rent to various tenants.

      Cons

      • Costly- It can be costly to hire an attorney to draft this rental agreement especially since it is for a short period of time and the profit may not be reflected.
      • Time-consuming- It is also time-consuming to draft a rental agreement as it requires time and effort to ensure you have a complete document. This can be a challenge for you as you are likely short on time.

      Final Thoughts

      A short-term rental agreement is an important legal contract that benefits both the landlord and their tenant. With this type of rental contract, you can easily provide guests or tenants with flexible housing while earning extra income. Whether it is Airbnb or any other short-term housing arrangement, ensure that you and your tenant sign this agreement. This will ensure that all parties involved know the terms and conditions of staying on your property. Furthermore, you will be able to legally protect your property from damage, theft, and other violations, such as failure to pay rent or leave the premises when required. Ensure that you observe the basic contract components provided in this article if you make one from scratch. You can also use our free printable templates for your ease.

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