Is a Verbal Rental Agreement Legally Binding?
Whether an oral rental agreement is legally binding depends on the terms of the agreement. If a tenant is renting property for one year or less, then an oral agreement (and all terms agreed upon) is legally binding. However, if a tenant is renting property for more than one year, the oral agreement is not recognized and must be recorded in writing to be legally binding.
Even for verbal agreements, a landlord still must provide their tenant with a written statement including the following:
Name and contact information of the landlord or agent
The contact information for the person who is to accept the rent
How the rent is to be paid (for example by cash, check, money order, or through an online payment platform.
Tellus TIP:
Not having a written record of your lease or rental agreement can cause extensive problems in the case of a landlord-tenant dispute. When in doubt, it’s always better to put the agreement in writing so that everyone understands the terms and requirements.
- What Is a Lease Agreement?
- What Are the Tenant’s Basic Rights That Cannot Be Restricted?
- Are You Legally Required to Act in Good Faith?
- How Should You Determine the Rent Price?
- Can You Lease Your Property and Live There at the Same Time?
- Can You Sign a Lease With More Than One Person?
- Can You Enter Your Rental in Case of an Emergency?
- What Is a Rental Agreement?
- What Is the Difference between a Lease and a Rental Agreement?
- What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Leases and Rental Agreements?
- Why Is It Better to Have a Written Rental Agreement?
- How Do You Negotiate Lease Terms with Non-English Speaking Tenants?
- What Terms Are Usually Included in a Rental Agreement or Lease?
- Can You Require Your Tenant to Pay Rent in a Specific Form?