• Apartment for leaseapartment lease sign image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com
  
  When a tenant or lessee enters into a rental agreement, or lease, with a landlord or lessor, it is a legally binding contractual arrangement, necessitating the use of specialized legal forms. Legal forms are invaluable in protecting the rights and property of the landlord, as well as the rights of the renter.
  
  

Lease Application

• A lease application is used by a landlord to obtain necessary information from potential renters. Landlords request important background information, such as previous addresses, rental references, employment history and monthly income. Additionally, a lease application often obtains permission for the landlord to run a credit check on an applicant.
  
  

Lease Agreement

• A lease agreement is a written agreement between a landlord and tenant detailing the terms under which the lessee rents property from the lessor. The lease agreement includes information such as the duration of the lease, the monthly rental amount, the date the rental payment is expected each month, fees for late payment, returned check fees and the amount of the security deposit. The lease also stipulates whether the tenant can sublet the property.
  
  

Inspection Forms

• Landlords should use two different inspection forms: a pre-inspection form prior to the tenant taking possession of the property and a post-inspection form when the tenant surrenders the property. An inspection form is a valuable legal form because it describes the condition and appearance of the landlord's property, protecting both the lessor and the lessee from property damage claims.