Writing my own lease?

[Fl_renter]

What is the name of your state? Fl

We will be moving in the next few weeks to a house belonging to a friend of ours. We are well aware of how you can be friends one day and enemies the next so I asked about a lease. The owner of the house said we don't need one but I told him I'd rather have one to cover both our butts and he said he doesn't mind if I write one up. We've never rented through a private person who wasn't using a property manager. I'd like to think that since it's a contract between private parties, it's legal and will be upheld if we ever go to court but I'd like someone to back me up on that.

My husband wants to buy a house here and rent it out when we get stationed elsewhere, I think I will have him read the board, I am sure it will change his mind!

 

[seniorjudge]

If a lease is important to you, then you will hire an attorney to draft it.

If a lease is not important to you, then draft it yourself.

 

[Fl_renter]

Thanks for the reply. I am wondering how writing a lease would be any different than the one we signed when moving into our current place? While searching the internet, I found the one we signed was just printed off some internet site. (The only difference in the 2 being that ours has a lot of spelling errors in the parts that were changed)

 

[Alaska landlord]

If no lease is provided, then your landlord would have to abide by the Fl landlord tenant act. Generally, this favors the tenant.

Quickest way to lose a friend is to enter into a rental agreement with him.

 

[Fl_renter]

Thanks, we are moving to Ga though, is it different there?

We only plan to be there a few months and they are currently paying mortgage for 2 houses and want some help.

I know if something goes wrong, it will really go wrong because of the friendship but I am just not willing to move in without any protection on either side.

 

[seniorjudge]

...

Quickest way to lose a friend is to enter into a rental agreement with him.

...

And a big amen was heard from the mourners' bench!