What Should a Residential Lease Include?

 Posted on July 28, 2025 in Real Estate

Having a tenant move into a residential property can be an exciting business venture, and behind every fruitful renting agreement is a well-written lease. Drafting a lease on your own can be tempting but can lead to unnecessary mistakes and expensive costs. With the help of a Wilson County, TX real estate attorney, you can make sure that your best interests are protected.

At Geoff Mayfield, Attorney at Law, we have extensive experience assisting landlords with legal concerns. Our residential real estate lawyer can draft or review your lease to help minimize your risk. We will make sure that your lease clearly outlines the rights and responsibilities of both parties.

Handling Payment Terms and Methods in a Tenant Lease Agreement

As a landlord, getting rent on time is one of your top priorities. With this in mind, your lease should state when rent is due every month. Some landlords include a "grace period" after the due date where a tenant will not be penalized for a late payment.

Additionally, you should specify how you want the rent to be paid. Is cash acceptable? Will you allow electronic payments? In general, the more specific you are in your lease, the less confusion you will have to deal with later. At Geoff Mayfield, Attorney at Law, we can advise you of best practices when setting terms for rent payments.

Detail the Landlord’s Maintenance Obligations

Under Texas law, landlords have a responsibility to make sure that their property is livable for a tenant. This covers responsibilities like pest control, plumbing, or issues with heating and cooling. However, it may help to clarify what you are responsible for fixing in the lease itself. This can help you avoid disputes with the tenant later on when something breaks down.

Not all defects on a property are a landlord’s responsibility. Smaller issues may fall to the tenant to address, as well as damage caused by the tenant aside from wear and tear. If any disputes arise over maintenance issues, our attorney can advocate for your rights.

Including Restrictions for Tenants in Your Residential Lease

If you want to impose any rules or restrictions on how a tenant uses the property, you should include those rules in the lease. For instance, you might include:

• The "quiet hours" on the property

• Whether or not smoking is allowed

• Whether or not pets are allowed, including breed restrictions or weight limits

• Any rules about guests or parties

You should be sure to set clear expectations with your tenant in your lease. If necessary, you may have to take legal action to get the tenant to comply, which our firm can help with. We can represent you in disputes and eviction proceedings for non-complying tenants.

Contact a Wilson County, TX Residential Real Estate Lawyer

Do you need legal representation as a landlord? If so, consider working with Geoff Mayfield, Attorney at Law. Our firm can draft and thoroughly review your lease agreement to make sure your best interests are protected. If any problems arise with your lease, our firm will provide you with aggressive advocacy for your rights.
We are here to answer your questions and address your concerns. To get started, call our offices at 210-535-0870 for a free consultation with a Bexar County, TX residential landlord attorney today.