Rental Agreement Format
An 11-month residential rental agreement format covering rent, deposit, notice and maintenance — ready to fill in and print.
A rental agreement records what the landlord and tenant have actually agreed — the rent, the deposit, who pays which charges, and how either side can exit. Putting these on paper before the keys change hands prevents the two disputes that dominate landlord–tenant disagreements: deposit refunds and exit notice.
The format below follows the widely used 11-month residential tenancy structure. Fill in the bracketed details, print it on stamp paper of the value applicable in your state, and have both parties sign before two witnesses. An 11-month term is commonly notarised; a lease of twelve months or longer must be registered.
When to use this format
- Letting out or taking a house or flat on rent for residential use on a standard 11-month term
- Renewing an existing tenancy at a revised rent
- Recording the deposit, notice period and maintenance split before handing over possession
- Giving the tenant a written tenancy record to support HRA claims (paired with monthly rent receipts)
Key clauses and what they do
- Parties & premises
- Identifies the landlord, the tenant and the exact premises being let out.
- Term
- Fixes the 11-month duration with start and end dates, renewable by mutual written consent.
- Rent & due date
- States the monthly rent, the date it falls due and the mode of payment.
- Security deposit
- Records the interest-free deposit, the refund timeline and the deductions permitted from it.
- Maintenance & utilities
- Splits electricity, water, society maintenance and property tax between the parties.
- Sub-letting bar
- Stops the tenant from sub-letting or parting with possession without written consent.
- Termination & notice
- Lets either side exit on a stated written notice and requires vacant possession on expiry.
- Stamp duty & registration note
- Allocates stamp duty and flags that leases of 12 months or more require registration.
The format
Replace every [BRACKETED] detail with your own before use.
RENTAL AGREEMENT
(Residential premises — 11 months)
This Rental Agreement ("Agreement") is executed at [CITY] on this
[DAY] day of [MONTH], [YEAR]
BETWEEN
[FULL NAME OF LANDLORD], son/daughter/wife of [FATHER'S / HUSBAND'S
NAME], aged [AGE] years, residing at [PERMANENT ADDRESS OF LANDLORD]
(hereinafter referred to as the "LANDLORD", which expression shall,
unless repugnant to the context, include his/her heirs, legal
representatives, executors and assigns) of the ONE PART;
AND
[FULL NAME OF TENANT], son/daughter/wife of [FATHER'S / HUSBAND'S
NAME], aged [AGE] years, residing at [PERMANENT ADDRESS OF TENANT]
(hereinafter referred to as the "TENANT", which expression shall,
unless repugnant to the context, include his/her heirs and legal
representatives) of the OTHER PART.
WHEREAS the Landlord is the absolute owner of the premises bearing
[FLAT / HOUSE NO., BUILDING NAME, STREET, LOCALITY, CITY, STATE,
PIN CODE], more fully described in the Schedule below (the
"Premises"), and has agreed to let out the Premises to the Tenant,
and the Tenant has agreed to take the Premises on rent, for
residential use only, on the terms set out below.
NOW THIS AGREEMENT WITNESSETH AS FOLLOWS:
1. TERM
The tenancy shall be for a period of eleven (11) months,
commencing on [COMMENCEMENT DATE] and ending on [END DATE],
unless renewed by mutual written consent on such terms as the
parties may then agree.
2. RENT
The Tenant shall pay monthly rent of Rs. [AMOUNT]/- (Rupees
[AMOUNT IN WORDS] only), payable in advance on or before the
[DAY] of each English calendar month by [BANK TRANSFER / UPI /
CHEQUE].
3. SECURITY DEPOSIT
The Tenant has paid the Landlord an interest-free refundable
security deposit of Rs. [AMOUNT]/- (Rupees [AMOUNT IN WORDS]
only), receipt whereof the Landlord acknowledges. The deposit
shall be refunded within [NUMBER] days of the Tenant vacating the
Premises, after deducting arrears of rent, unpaid utility charges
and the cost of repairing damage beyond normal wear and tear, if
any.
4. MAINTENANCE AND UTILITIES
The Tenant shall pay electricity and water charges as per the
meters/bills, and [THE TENANT / THE LANDLORD] shall bear the
society maintenance charges. Property tax shall remain the
Landlord's liability.
5. USE OF PREMISES
The Premises shall be used for the residential purposes of the
Tenant and his/her family only. The Tenant shall not carry on any
trade or business from the Premises, store any hazardous or
unlawful goods, or cause nuisance to occupants of neighbouring
premises.
6. REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS
The Tenant shall maintain the Premises in good and tenantable
condition. Day-to-day minor repairs shall be borne by the Tenant;
structural repairs shall be borne by the Landlord. The Tenant
shall not make any structural addition or alteration without the
prior written consent of the Landlord.
7. INSPECTION
The Landlord or an authorised representative may inspect the
Premises at reasonable hours with at least [24 / 48] hours' prior
notice to the Tenant.
8. SUB-LETTING
The Tenant shall not sub-let, assign or part with possession of
the Premises or any part thereof without the prior written
consent of the Landlord.
9. TERMINATION
Either party may terminate this Agreement by giving [ONE / TWO]
month(s') prior written notice to the other. On expiry or earlier
termination, the Tenant shall hand over vacant and peaceful
possession of the Premises together with the fittings and
fixtures listed in the Schedule, in good condition, normal wear
and tear excepted.
10. STAMP DUTY AND REGISTRATION
Stamp duty on this Agreement shall be borne by [THE TENANT /
BOTH PARTIES EQUALLY]. The parties note that a lease for a term
of twelve months or more requires registration under the
Registration Act, 1908.
SCHEDULE OF THE PREMISES
Description: [FLAT / HOUSE NO., FLOOR, AREA, FULL ADDRESS]
Fittings and fixtures: [LIST — FANS, LIGHTS, GEYSER, WARDROBES, ETC.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have signed this Agreement on the
day, month and year first above written.
LANDLORD TENANT
Signature: ____________________ Signature: ____________________
Name: [LANDLORD NAME] Name: [TENANT NAME]
WITNESSES
1. Name: ______________________ Address: ______________________
Signature: _________________
2. Name: ______________________ Address: ______________________
Signature: _________________General format for reference — get it professionally drafted for your specific case.
Stamp-paper value, registration requirements and tenancy rules vary by state, and some states' rent/tenancy legislation adds conditions of its own. Have the final draft vetted for your state before signing.
Need this drafted for your exact situation?
A practising advocate drafts the document around your facts, your state's stamp and registration rules, and the clauses that actually protect you — with execution guidance included.
Frequently asked questions
Why are rental agreements usually made for 11 months?
A lease of twelve months or more is compulsorily registrable under the Registration Act, 1908. An 11-month tenancy can be executed on stamp paper without registration in most states and simply renewed — it is convention, not a legal maximum.
Does this agreement need to be notarised or registered?
For an 11-month term, executing on stamp paper and notarising is common practice. Registration becomes mandatory at twelve months or longer, or where your state's law requires it — check the state rules before finalising the term.
How much security deposit can the landlord ask for?
No central law fixes the amount; market convention ranges from one to several months' rent depending on the city, and some state tenancy laws cap it. The refund timeline and permitted deductions written into the clause matter more than the number itself.
Can I use this format for a shop or office?
This format is drafted for residential use. A commercial tenancy raises different points — GST on rent, lock-in periods, fit-outs and signage — so have a commercial rent agreement drafted for those cases.
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