Landlords must have certain clauses to protect themselves in case of property damage, improper maintenance, illegal activities by tenants
The rent agreement must specify that the tenant is only given permission to use and occupy the premises, while the ownership is with the landlord
The rent agreement must mention the purpose of taking the house on rent to ensure that the tenant does not use the premise for commercial purposes
The rent agreement must mention the duration for which the house property has been rented out along with the lock-in period, if any
The rent agreement must state that the tenant cannot transfer the lease to a third party
A clause must be added in the rent agreement specifying the type of repairs and maintenance that must be done by the landlord
The rent agreement must clarify who will pay utility bills such as electricity, water bills and maintenance charges
The lease agreement must specify the amount of rent, mode of payment for receiving the rent from the tenant and due date for making the rent payment
There must be a clause stating that the security deposit will be returned interest-free if the house is given back in good condition
The agreement has to cover the implications of the tenant failing to hand over the house on expiry of the lease
All said, it is essential for the landlord to ensure that the rent agreement is registered with the office of the sub-registrar concerned