Most Commonly Used Oklahoma Lease Agreements
In Oklahoma, the most commonly used rental agreements are the standard lease agreement (which is good for a term of 12 months), a month-to-month lease agreement, a lease to own agreement, a roommate agreement, a sublease agreement, and a commercial lease agreement.
While all of the most commonly used Oklahoma rental lease agreements share many of the same elements, they also have some distinct differences.
- For example a roommate agreement may outline which areas in the rental unit or apartment are for the exclusive use of the roommate and which areas may be used by all of the residents.
- A standard residential lease agreement may be for a year, and upon termination of that year, switch to a month-to-month or automatically renew. However, it may be similar to a month-to-month lease in some ways. For instance, both may require a 30 day written notice to move out at the end of the agreement if the tenant and landlord do not plan to renew their agreement/
How to Write an Oklahoma Lease Agreement
Oklahoma lease agreements must adhere to Oklahoma laws or they are unenforceable. There are a lot of different laws that you must consider. You’ll learn more about many of them under the sections related to disclosures and security deposits.
Before you sign an Oklahom lease agreement, make sure that you read the terms. You also have the right to have an attorney review an Oklahoma lease agreement before you sign it.
An Oklahoma lease agreement needs:
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Names of the Parties - The landlord’s full name or the name of the property management company’s legal business name and the legal name of the tenant(s).
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Property Address - This is the street address for the rental property, including the city, zip code, and, if applicable, the lot or unit number.
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Term Information - this is the type of lease agreement the parties agree to enter into. For example, a month-to-month lease or a fixed term. A fixed-term lease means that the parties agree that the tenant will hold possession of the space of a certain amount of time, usually one year. If it is a fixed lease, this section should include the date that the lease will end.
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Rental Amount - This section includes the date that the lease will begin, the amount of the monthly rent, the day of the month that rent is due, and the address where the rent may be paid.
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Late Fee - This section documents the amount of the fee that is due if the rent is not paid by a certain date.
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Security Deposit - This is the amount of money of the fee that is used if the rent is not paid by a certain date.
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Initial Payment - This is the total amount of money that the tenant must pay to move into the rental property. It should include the amount of the first month’s rent, the security deposit, and the total of the two numbers added together.
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Occupants - This section includes the full name of each tenant even if they are a minor or they aren’t signing the lease. This part of an Oklahoma residential lease agreement establishes who will reside in the residential unit. For commercial space leases, it designates those who have permission to use the space. If the presence of additional occupants changes the price of the rent, it should be included in this section.
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Utilities - This section explains which utilities or services a tenant does not pay.
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Parking - This section informs the tenant whether they will receive a parking space. If a parking space is reserved and also includes a designated spot, the spot should be noted in this section.
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Furnishings - This section informs the tenant what they are allowed to install (such as a washing machine or dishwasher) or what they may not install. If the tenant is not allowed to bring their own appliances, that should be designated in this section.
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Notices - This section documents the names of the landlord or property manager and tenant along with their mailing address. This contact information is used if the parties need to send out a notice to the other party.
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Eviction - This informs tenants how an eviction would be carried out in the event of nonpayment or breach of other lease terms.
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Additional Terms - This section lists any other terms that the parties agreed to aren’t included in any other section of the lease agreement.
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Signature and Date - The document should be signed and dated by all parties.
Which Disclosures Belong in an Oklahoma Lease Agreement?
Under Oklahoma law, landlords are required to disclose whether the property flooded at any time during the last five years. Landlords must disclose the identity of any person allowed to act on their behalf related to the property. Landlords must provide the tenant with at least one day's notice before entering the property for a non-emergency.
Under federal law, if the residential unit was built before 1978, the landlord is required to provide a lead paint disclosure.
What You Need to Know About Oklahoma Lease Agreement Deposits
There is no maximum on the amount that landlords may request as a security deposit. However, the landlord must return the security deposit within 30 days of the end of the lease.