Do You Have These Landlord Legal Essentials?

August 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

In partnership with

Former Zillow exec targets $1.3T

The top companies target big markets. Like Nvidia growing ~200% in 2024 on AI’s $214B tailwind. That’s why the same VCs behind Uber and Venmo also backed Pacaso. Created by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech transforms a $1.3 trillion market. With $110M+ in gross profit to date, Pacaso just reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.

Being a landlord is fun—until it’s court day and your paperwork looks like a middle school group project.

Most investors have a lease and maybe a rental app. But that’s not enough when things go sideways.

Here are the legal docs every landlord should have—but most don’t:

1. Move-In/Move-Out Checklist

Without this, it’s your word against theirs. Document the property’s condition—photos, signatures, timestamps. It’s your security deposit’s best defense.

2. Lease Addendums (Plural)

Pet policies, smoking clauses, maintenance responsibilities, late fees—all need to be spelled out. If it’s not in writing, it’s not enforceable.

3. Notice Templates

Late rent? Lease violation? Non-renewal? Have state-compliant notices ready to go. The clock starts ticking the moment things go wrong—you don’t want to be drafting on the fly.

4. Emergency Contact & Access Form

When a pipe bursts and the tenant’s on vacation, who do you call? This simple form saves time, money, and water damage.

5. Property-Specific Lease Clauses

Got a septic tank? HOA rules? Lawn care quirks? Customize your lease to fit your property, or risk a legal gray zone.

Bottom Line:

Good documentation doesn’t just protect your property—it protects your peace of mind. In landlording, the best time to get legal is before anything goes wrong.